Legalizing Medicinal Use of Marijuana

Drug dependence has been, time and again, a pressing issue in all nations across the globe for its detrimental consequences, not just on the individual, per se, but on the society as a whole. Moreover, among many drug sources, marijuana, also known for its slang names such as "'pot,' 'grass,' 'reefer,' 'weed,' and 'Mary Jane'" (Iversen) is, by far, the world's most commonly used illicit drug" (ACDE). It is made from the dried leaves and flowering tops of Cannabis sativa, an Indian hemp plant, which contains an active ingredient called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (Iversen). Ironically though, this drug was originally used for industrial and medicinal purposes and it was only in the period after that, that widespread abuse suddenly began.

"The plant produces not only a drug but a strong fiber that has long been used in the manufacture of fine linen, paper, canvas, and rope. [...] While most Americans today think of marijuana as something to be smoked, the practice of smoking marijuana did not begin until the 1500s and 1600s, after the introduction of tobacco to Europe." (Weisheit 11-13).

Meanwhile, in response to the worsening problem of marijuana abuse, some countries have created laws in order to regulate, if not to totally prohibit, manufacture and use of marijuana. In US, for instance, "both federal and state laws against the production of marijuana became more harsh [since the 1980's]" (Weisheit 30).

Nevertheless, despite potential abuse, there are researches that claim and support the health benefits of the drug. Hence, the debate now arises as to whether or not medicinal use of marijuana be legalized or remain legal, as in some American states. Are the effects of marijuana use harmful at all? If so, do the adverse consequences outweigh the benefits, or is the other way around? These are just some of the questions that have to be answered in support of legalizing the medical uses of marijuana.

The Downside of Marijuana Use

Above anything else, it is the negative outcomes of marijuana use that made it a subject of legal concerns. First and foremost, marijuana has intoxicating properties, which "alter some aspects of thought and memory" (Earleywine 67). Consequently, common thought has it that there come significant effects on the social behavior of the user. Earlywine remarked that the arguments for marijuana mostly rely on the perceptions of social problems that it might cause such as "decreased productivity, dangerous driving, and uncontrollable aggression" (197). Aside from this, "there seems little doubt that probably a majority of all law enforcement officers believe that marijuana is instrumental in the precipitation of criminal behavior" (Goode 210).

On the other thought, there are issues on the menace that marijuana poses on the health of the individual. One is that there are reports that there is a potential fatal overdose as new strains of cannabis now contain higher amounts of THC (Earleywine 143).Secondly, there are beliefs that marijuana causes mental illnesses, as mentioned in Earleywine's book (144). He further identified other believed harmful effects such as brain damage, pulmonary diseases, etc.

Meanwhile, although there are evidences of marijuana's medical benefits, it is still being contested against making the drug legitimate. McDonough remarked that advocating for the use of smoked marijuana as a medicinal therapy slows down the "legitimate scientific progress" and become "easy prey" for those promoting the utilization of marijuana.

Further, another important argument pressed against medical marijuana centers on its cause and benefits.

"Many evaluators suggest that cannabis must outperform all other available drugs in order to receive approval for treatment. [...] Most supporters [...] prefer established drugs based on the belief that they have lower potential for abuse. Physicians and patients must consider this cost relative to the drug's advantages. [...]" (Earleywine 170)

In addition to this, "compounds found in marijuana may have medical potential, but science does not support smoking the plant in its crude form as an appropriate delivery system" (McDonough). In the journal Marijuana on the Ballot, McDonough furthers that:

"Science has identified only the potential medical benefit of chemical compounds, such as THC, found in marijuana. Ambitious research is necessary to understand fully how these substances affect the human body."

In sum, insufficient data proving that significance of marijuana in producing benefits more than harms is being doubted.

Rebuttal: The Health Benefits of Marijuana

Given that marijuana use indeed has its drawbacks, it is still of utmost importance to identify foremost the preconditions of these effects and to verify these in scientific studies conducted before any conclusion can be made on this matter. Further, if the negative facets were taken into account then it is just worthwhile to consider also the positive side.

As mentioned, the illegal status of marijuana is apparently grounded on the fact that its intoxicating properties has an influence on one's social behavior and in turn, pose societal concerns. While this may be true, the premise might actually be superficial. To obtain more thorough understanding, it is critical to delve into how marijuana affects behavior. Does it really affect users directly? In order to answer this, Goode, in his book, The Marijuana Smokers, enumerated introductory considerations in order for the claimed effects of marijuana to be meaningful. This then, entails that whatever supposition is made, it should have be grounded on profound investigation and not just on naïve principles.

"To begin with, the question of dosage is crucial. Generally, other things being equal, the heavier the dosage of a given drug, the more extreme the effects, with some variations. Marijuana grown in different locations, under varying climatic and soil conditions, will differ in strength [...] It is, therefore, meaningless to ask simply, "What is the effect of marijuana?" without specifying dosage." (140-141)

Secondly, another qualification that Goode stressed out pertains to prior marijuana experiences of the subject.

"But when the neophyte does attain a high, an interesting phenomenon occurs. The effect of the drug on the newly initiated marijuana smoker appears to be highly dramatic and almost baroque in its lavishness. [...] The experienced marijuana smoker, on the other hand, learns to handle his intoxication so that the noticeability to an outsider is almost nonexistent. [...] It is simply a characteristic that experienced users share and neophytes lack." (141)

In addition to these factors, Goode reported that the effects of the drug vary with the attitudes, personality, expectations, fears, etc. (141). In short, Goode implies that although marijuana has negative effects, it should not be a cause of alarm unless all underlying factors are pointed out.

Still, setting the preconditions aside and moving on to the adverse, it appears that marijuana is generally viewed as undesirable. Most probably this is because that people are not reading between the lines of scientific reports or perhaps, are screening out the facts. Nevertheless, it is just necessary to reconsider the reports on the real effects of the drug. For instance, when there are studies suggesting that intoxication hurts performance, there are also others that do not (Earleywine 68). Also, Earleywine added other counterarguments of the statements on the detrimental effects of marijuana that he presented earlier. On mental illness, he reveals that although studies show that some people with psychological disorders smoke marijuana, the latter is not actually its cause (144). What is more, although there is potential brain damage associated with it, studies conducted do not offer conclusive proof (150). Finally, when it comes to pulmonary diseases, marijuana might not be the sole culprit for the same outcomes are also experienced in smoking other stuff, such as tobacco (155).

Meanwhile, aside from the fact that popular claims on marijuana use can be refuted by some scientific researches, there are also evidences that marijuana can actually serve medicinal purposes. Smoked cannabis clearly helps some problems and may cost less than other medications (Earleywine 167).

"[Marijuana is useful] in reducing nausea, [..] stimulating appetite, promoting weight gain, and diminishing intraocular pressure from glaucoma. There is also evidence that smoked marijuana nd/or THC reduce muscle spasticity from spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis, and diminish tremors in multiple sclerosis patients. [...] patients and physicians have reported that smoked marijuana provides relief from migraine headaches, depression, seizures, insomnia and chronic pain." (qtd. in Bock 136).

Accordingly, with regard to the allegedly dearth of profound research on the medical advantages of marijuana, there is no one to be blamed but the law for it hinders thorough investigation of the matter. With the substance being prohibited by federal law, it is difficult to procure marijuana of sufficiently reliable quality and consistency to make the results authoritative (Bock 134). If only further studies will not be hampered by inconsiderate laws, then means to use marijuana, other than smoking, can be known.

Conclusion: Medicinal Use of Marijuana Should Be Legalized

More than anything, the legal basis of marijuana possession and use should be clearly drawn. If threat to social security is the main reason for prohibition, the lawmakers should consider it again by reviewing the scientific studies conducted. On the other hand, if marijuana is banned due to the fact that it is classified as a 'drug' in the sense that it can be abused, then it is deemed that it would be more appropriate to rather re-classify it, after all, there are also other substances that can be subjected to abuse. What is more, the government cannot just eliminate the fact that marijuana has health benefits. As a matter of fact, as mentioned early on, it was historically used for such purposes. Thus, if legalizing marijuana totally is unworkable, then perhaps, lawmakers could at least, allow its medicinal use. Moreover, although there are alternative drugs for marijuana in curing diseases, it is still best to have many options to choose from. After all, not all medicines for curing diseases produce the same reaction for everyone. Furthermore, by legalizing the medicinal use of marijuana, medical experts will get to have the opportunity to probe deeper on the nature of the drug, thereby minimizing any potential harm. There is no reason to dwell on commonsense and traditional beliefs; the matter has to be explored - that includes the way on how marijuana should be utilized. Finally, it should be made clear that this is a stand on making the medicinal use legal, not the abuse. Doing so is by no means tolerating drug dependence. This appeal is to save lives and not to destroy them.

Work Cited

Bock, Allan. Waiting to Inhale: The Politics of Medical Marijuana. Santa Ana, CA: Seven Locks. 04 April 2008.

Earleywine, Mitch. Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence. New York: Oxford University Press. 2002. Questia University Press. 02 April 2008.

Iversen, Leslie. "Marijuana." Microsoft® Encarta®. DVD. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2006.

American Council for Drug Education (ACDE). 1999. Phoenix House. 02 April 2008.

Goode, Erich. The Marijuana Smokers. New York: Basic Books. 1970. Questia University Press. 03 April 2008.

Weisheit, Ralph A.. Domestic Marijuana: A Neglected Industry. New York: Greenwood Press. 1992. Questia University Press. 02 April 2008.

McDonough, James. "Marijuana on the Ballot". Policy Review. 51 (2000). 03 April 2008.