For those of
you who don’t have any idea what so ever about cannabis/marijuana according to
many online sites and atext books specifically www.bbc.co.uk Cannabis is a
drug produced from the Cannabis sativa (commonly known as hemp) or Cannabis
indica plant, which
is related to nettles and hops. It's believed to have originated in the
mountainous regions of India, and grows wild in many parts of the world.
The plant contains more than 400 chemicals,
including cannabidiolic acid, an antibiotic with similar properties to
penicillin. The different chemical derivatives of the plant can be used for
medicinal or recreational purposes.
The recreational drug cannabis comes in many
forms – herbal (dried plant material), resin, powder and oil - and is known by
many slang terms, including weed, pot, grass and hash. In the UK, cannabis is a
Class B illegal drug.
For thousands of years doctors have been recommending the use of
marijuana. Early recommendations for the use of the drug included malaria,
constipation, rheumatic pains and female disorders (Grinspoon 3).
Today marijuana is prescribed for a variety of afflictions. The methods
in which marijuana is used today can be grouped into four categories; the
easing of side effects produced by other drugs and treatments, a relaxation
device in the control of medicinal conditions, as a pain killer and as an
appetite stimulant. With regard to this idea (Barber) 2001 implies that Smoking
marijuana provides hope for cancer patients, many previous researches have been
conducted and proves that cancer patients that smoke marijuana report that the
nausea associated with the chemotherapy is dramatically reduced after the use
of marijuana, thus making the patients more likely to be able to endure the
side effects of marijuana
Many hospitals across the world provide marijuana for patients with
specific cases; it is usually prescribed for patients to assist them with Relief
of muscle spasms, Relief of chronic pain, Reduction in interlobular pressure
inside the eye, Suppression of nausea, Weight loss - increase and restore
metabolism. As for the major illnesses marijuana is usually prescribed for
patients suffering from: Aids - Marijuana can reduce the nausea,
loss of appetite, vomiting from the condition itself and the medications as
well. Glaucoma - Marijuana relieves the internal eye pressure
of glaucoma, and therefore relieving the pain and slowing or even stopping the
condition. Cancer- Many side effects of the medication to stop
cancer can be relieved with Marijuana, some studies suggest that Marijuana
tends to slow down the progress of some types of cancer. Multiple Sclerosis - Muscle
pain, spasticity, tremors and unsteadiness are some of the effects caused by
the disease that can be relieved by Marijuana. Epilepsy - in
some patients, epileptic seizures can be prevented with Marijuana use. Chronic pain - Marijuana
helps to alleviate the pain caused from many types of injuries and disorders.
Anxiety, Depression or Obsession - Even
though mild anxiety is a common side effect in some users, cannabis can elevate
your mood and expand the mind.
On the base of the findings I have taken this fact from www.norml.org.
“Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug n America (behind only
alcohol and tobacco) and has been used by nearly 80 million Americans.
Approximately 50,000 people die each year from alcohol poisoning, similarly
more than 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to tobacco smoking.” By
comparison, marijuana is less dangerous, non toxic and cannot cause death by
overdose or misuse. The smoking of cannabis even long term has yet not been
proven harmful to health. Therefore it would be reasonable to judge cannabis as
less of a drug threat than alcohol or tobacco. Our public policies should
reflect this reality instead of denying it.
According to www.toxipedia.org
until the twentieth century, cannabis was a
legal product in every state. It was an accepted medication for a variety of
conditions, and a frequent ingredient in patent medicines. In 1906, the Pure
Food and Drug Act forbade "the manufacture, sale, or transportation of
adulterated or misbranded or poisonous or deleterious foods, drugs, medicines,
and liquors," including those containing cannabis. The law put most patent
medicine manufacturers out of business.
In saying that the same organisation www.toxipedia.org also stresses the point that marijuana can
have a psychological affect on a person they state that while it is true that
most people smoke marijuana precisely for its mental effects, they may not be
aware of the physical changes that accompany the high. One of the drug's first
effects is to raise the heart rate and blood pressure. The eyes become bloodshot
and the pupils dilate; the mouth and throat also become dry. The appetite is
stimulated, and users often become unusually hungry.
At the same
time, the cannabinoids in marijuana, already at work in the hippocampus, bind
to THC receptors in other parts of the brain, including the basal ganglia,
which govern the body's involuntary muscles, and the cerebellum, which controls
coordination and sense of balance. These changes relax muscles all over the
body, slowing reaction time and impairing the body's ability to move
efficiently. When the high wears off, fatigue and torpor replace the creativity
and hyperawareness users may experience initially.
Evidently the use of marijuana and its
contribution to the human body for medicinal treatment is proven many
organisations and wealthy acknowledged individuals support the use of marijuana
medicinally, the fact is the federal government is the only entity left holding
on to this ridiculous fantasy that cannabis has no medical value. And in the
meantime they are hurting millions of patients by restricting access and
research.
