In recent years the debate over the legalization of marijuana(cannabis) and its medical benefits has heated up on a national level. Recently two states, Washington and Colorado went as far as to legalize marijuana for recreational use. However, the Federal government still classifies marijuana as a Class I narcotic and therefore illegal to grow, sell, possess or use. In most states however, the possession of marijuana for personal consumption of an ounce or less is treated as an infraction. The person is given a citation and pays a fine for the infraction. In some states however, the possession of any amount of marijuana is still considered a misdemeanor or a felony and jail time is mandatory.
In those states where the dispensing of medical marijuana is legal, it must be dispensed by a legally licensed dispensary, and patients must possess a card which entitles them to legally purchase the marijuana for medicinal purposes. Medical marijuana is available in various different strains which contain various amounts of cannabinoids and cannabidiol(a cannabinoid that reduces pain and inflammation). It is dispensed just like any other physician prescribed medication.
For years patients suffering from cancer and other diseases where chemotherapy has been administered have used marijuana to quell their nausea and increase their appetite. The marijuana is either smoked or taken in pill form(Marinol or Cesamet) which contains the cannabinoid THC, and has been proven to be very effective in treating the side effects of the chemotherapy. The advantage of using the oral THC is that it is a legally prescribed medication approved by the FDA and requires a prescription written by a physician. Cannabis(Latin), has been used by civilizations around the world for centuries beginning with the Chinese for its therapeutic values. While research has been limited in this country due to a lack of funding due to Federal law, in countries like Canada, Sweden, France, and others, along with some university and National Cancer Institute studies conducted in the U.S., have shown cannabis to be effective in treating diseases like cancer, childhood epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, Glaucoma to name a few.
It has also been shown to be effective in treating such illnesses as colitis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, bi-polar disorder, and most recently Lyme disease. Now while some medical experts argue that more research is needed, they are reluctant to do so due to government regulations and laws. As a result most studies are dependant upon private donations, and research grants to finance further studies. In addition there are those in the medical community who argue that there are adverse side effects to the extended use of cannabis. However, it should be noted that most new drugs these days have adverse side effects including stroke, heart attacks, ulcers, etc. In fact when you listen to the possible side effects of most of these medications, you wonder whether it’s better to just suffer with whatever illness you have or run the risk of one of the potentially deadly side effects.
The fact remains that the short term benefits of using cannabis to help treat the illnesses listed above has been shown to be beneficial with virtually no adverse side effects. Until more research can be done it is not known what the potential side effects are of using cannabis over a long period of time. Recently the Attorney General of the United States stated that they were not going to enforce the Federal laws governing the possession and use of marijuana in those states where it has been legalized. The exception would be where it was being distributed or sold to minors, was being used to help finance criminal activities, etc. In addition to the medical advantages of cannabis, the financial impact to the country’s economy is quite large. Legalization nationwide could potentially add billions of tax revenue dollars to the U.S. treasury, and put a damper on the illegal drug trade which runs rampant in this country, as well as fund further needed research.
In the interim, there are support groups and forums where the benefits of using marijuana for medical purposes are discussed in relation to specific diseases or illnesses. Additionally, there are websites and videos which offer cannabis paste and instructions on how to make your own cannabis paste which contains undiluted cannabinoids which makes it the best form of cannabis to ingest.
In those states where the dispensing of medical marijuana is legal, it must be dispensed by a legally licensed dispensary, and patients must possess a card which entitles them to legally purchase the marijuana for medicinal purposes. Medical marijuana is available in various different strains which contain various amounts of cannabinoids and cannabidiol(a cannabinoid that reduces pain and inflammation). It is dispensed just like any other physician prescribed medication.
For years patients suffering from cancer and other diseases where chemotherapy has been administered have used marijuana to quell their nausea and increase their appetite. The marijuana is either smoked or taken in pill form(Marinol or Cesamet) which contains the cannabinoid THC, and has been proven to be very effective in treating the side effects of the chemotherapy. The advantage of using the oral THC is that it is a legally prescribed medication approved by the FDA and requires a prescription written by a physician. Cannabis(Latin), has been used by civilizations around the world for centuries beginning with the Chinese for its therapeutic values. While research has been limited in this country due to a lack of funding due to Federal law, in countries like Canada, Sweden, France, and others, along with some university and National Cancer Institute studies conducted in the U.S., have shown cannabis to be effective in treating diseases like cancer, childhood epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, Glaucoma to name a few.
It has also been shown to be effective in treating such illnesses as colitis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, bi-polar disorder, and most recently Lyme disease. Now while some medical experts argue that more research is needed, they are reluctant to do so due to government regulations and laws. As a result most studies are dependant upon private donations, and research grants to finance further studies. In addition there are those in the medical community who argue that there are adverse side effects to the extended use of cannabis. However, it should be noted that most new drugs these days have adverse side effects including stroke, heart attacks, ulcers, etc. In fact when you listen to the possible side effects of most of these medications, you wonder whether it’s better to just suffer with whatever illness you have or run the risk of one of the potentially deadly side effects.
The fact remains that the short term benefits of using cannabis to help treat the illnesses listed above has been shown to be beneficial with virtually no adverse side effects. Until more research can be done it is not known what the potential side effects are of using cannabis over a long period of time. Recently the Attorney General of the United States stated that they were not going to enforce the Federal laws governing the possession and use of marijuana in those states where it has been legalized. The exception would be where it was being distributed or sold to minors, was being used to help finance criminal activities, etc. In addition to the medical advantages of cannabis, the financial impact to the country’s economy is quite large. Legalization nationwide could potentially add billions of tax revenue dollars to the U.S. treasury, and put a damper on the illegal drug trade which runs rampant in this country, as well as fund further needed research.
In the interim, there are support groups and forums where the benefits of using marijuana for medical purposes are discussed in relation to specific diseases or illnesses. Additionally, there are websites and videos which offer cannabis paste and instructions on how to make your own cannabis paste which contains undiluted cannabinoids which makes it the best form of cannabis to ingest.
