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Medical Marijuana

Medical Marijuana
It is six o’ clock in the evening and a cancer patient smokes a joint to ease the nausea from the treatment he received this afternoon. An HIV patient smokes from a bong to stimulate his appetite so he can eat a full meal. A woman lights a pipe to stop the migraine headache caused by the brain tumor growing in her skull. Three people with three different conditions, but they have two things in common. They all use marijuana to alleviate their symptoms and they are all breaking the law. However, should marijuana usage be against the law? Can marijuana be regulated and safely used by patients with chronic and terminal illnesses?
Clinical trials are still the best at weighing the pros and cons of marijuana usage. A study on HIV related neuropathic pain found that smoking marijuana reduced pain by 34% (King). Another study showed no adverse effects to HIV patients on anti-viral medications, but did show an increase in appetite and weight. Dr. Donald Abrams stated in his article Cannabinoids in Patients with HIV Infection , “[P]articipants in the marijuana and dronabinol groups gained significantly more weight. A median of 3.0kg and 3.2kg respectively” (263). Many other clinical trials have shown symptom control in cancer patients and patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Most commonly the control was for pain and appetite.
growth regulation (Moran Verdict 11).
Science has shown that there are specific chemical receptors in the brain designed for cannabinoids. Some feel that this shows that people are designed to use marijuana for pain control and cognitive function (Kane 1161). There have also been reports that cannabinoids work on serotonin receptors in the brain, producing an anti-inflammatory effect, though the mechanism is unclear (King).
Currently marijuana is still considered a Schedule I controlled substance by the federal government. However, the current administration has said that they will not be prosecuting patients or legal...