Legalization had been adequately demonstrated, but also

Legalization had been adequately demonstrated, but also

Legalization of Medicinal Marijuana: ForIn the U.S., cannabis sativa, also known as marijuana, is illegal for medicinal purposes only because the federal law places it in Schedule I, a category for drugs that have been deemed unsafe, highly subject to abuse, and possessing no medicinal value. After much scientific research, and investigations of evidence, this has been proven to be quite inaccurate.

First of all, Judge Francis L. Young, concluded not only that marijuana’s medical utility had been adequately demonstrated, but also that marijuana had been shown to be “one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man” (“Medical Marijuana Briefing..). He also ruled that marijuana has legitimate medical applications and should be available to doctors.Only eight people today receive marijuana through a federal “compassionate use” program which stopped admitting new patients in 1992, after the number of applications, mostly from AIDS patients, increased dramatically.

Young also ruled that “the provisions of the Controlled Substances Act permit and require the transfer of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II” (“Medical Marijuana Briefing). As a Schedule II drug, marijuana would be allowed to be prescribed to patients by physicians, but only under highly regulated conditions. Marijuana is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known. No one has ever died from an overdose, and it has a wide variety of therapeutic applications such as: relief from nausea and increase of appetite, reduction of intraocular (“within the eye”) pressure, reduction of muscle spasms, and relief from chronic pain. Marijuana is frequently favorable in the treatment of the following conditions: AIDS, Glaucoma, Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy, Chronic Pain, and Arthritis.

In some cases, marijuana has appeared to be better than the commercially available drugs it replaces. For many patients, smoked marijuana proved to be more effective than both conventional prescription anti-nauseants and oral THC, which is marketed today as the synthetic pill, Marinol. Marinol and other drugs may be satisfactory substitutes for some people, but definitely not for all people.There are others who disagree. These people feel that legalization would lead to the formation of other habits and to health problems, such as, the use of a harsher drug, and to psychological and personality problems that can come from using marijuana. These individuals feel that “Legalization would increase the chances of the drug falling into the hands of kids” (“Should Marijuana Be Legalized.

“). There are many different legal compounds that can reproduce the same effects of marijuana. Many people that are against the legalization of medicinal marijuana also believe that no doctor can come forward with proof that marijuana has any medicinal uses at all, when scientists have been studying it for many years, with positive results.In conclusion, marijuana has many therapeutic uses.

Unfortunately, many people have used marijuana for criminal purposes; therefore, legalizing it as a Schedule II drug would be a very serious and considerable step for our Congress to take. If cannabis sativa becomes a Schedule II drug, many patients will be able to take marijuana to ease their harsh illnesses, doctors will be supervising and prescribing correct dosages, and none of them will have to worry about criminal charges.