medical marijuana Essay

Medical Marijuana: The Good, the Bad and the Truth As Americans, we have come to greatly rely on modern medicine and prescription drugs. According to the Center for Disease Control, nearly seventy percent of Americans use one or more prescription drugs. This percentage has shown a steady increase in the past ten years. Each of these drugs come with a list of possible side effects. Sometimes these side effects can be very serious depending on the medicine being used. Even causing the patient experiencing the side effects to have to take another prescription to combat the negative effects. With this in mind, any alternative drug that could be used to treat the same problem or illness with less side effects would be thought to be widely accepted. However this is not the case when it comes to the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. The medical use of marijuana is currently a controversial issue in the United States. Since the Controlled Substance Act of 1970, marijuana has been classified as an illegal drug. Since then several states have made the possesion of small amounts of cannabis legal. These States have also begun to regulate the sale of cannabis for medicinal purposes. This of which still conflicts with federal laws governing the use and possesion of marijuana. As with any drug approved for use to treat an illness, the positive side effects must outweigh the negative side effects. There are many positive effects of medical marijuana and it is used to treat a large range of illnesses. These illnesses include but are not limited to, crohns disease, various types of cancer, Alzheimers disease, arthritis, insomnia and chronic pain. Proponents of medical cannabis are discussed on the emax health website. They have used the CBD and THC found in cannabis for an extremely wide variety of illnesses throughout history. When the marijuana is smoked, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body. It is absorbed more slowly when ingested in food or drink. When marijuana is smoked, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body. It is absorbed more slowly when ingested in food or drink. Cannabinoids are active chemicals in Cannabis that cause drug-like effects throughout the body, including the central nervous system and the immune system. They are also known as phytocannabinoids. The main active cannabinoid in Cannabis is delta-9-THC. There are many researchers currently studying the use of medical cannabis for its medical benefits and side effects. The authors of a recent study conducted in Italy show the effects of cannabidiol extracted from marijuana and used without the THC part. This compound has been shown to relieve pain and lower inflammation without causing the "high" of delta-9-THC. Cannabinoids have also been shown useful in treating the side effects of cancer and cancer treatment by acting as an anti-inflammatory, blocking cell growth, preventing the growth of blood vessels that supply tumors and antiviral activity. Taking the THC factor out of the research conducted during this study has made the pshycoactive effects nearly non-existant. People suffering from chrons disease can also greatly benefit from the medicinal use of cannabis. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, the two main types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are a challenge to treat. Among the potential treatment options is marijuana, and several recent studies indicate that this unconventional option offers some significant benefits. The current treatment options for the more than 1.5 million Americans and millions more who suffer with inflammatory bowel disease include dietary measures (e.g., olive oil extract,vitamin D, probiotics) and a variety of drugs. These treatments attempt to alleviate the diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever, weight loss and abdominal pain

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