The 11 states that have legalized medical marijuana use include Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington (Medical). Eight states did so through the initiative process, while Hawaii's law was enacted by the legislature and signed by the governor in 2000. Vermont's law was enacted by the legislature and passed without signature in 2004, while Rhode Island's law was enacted by overriding the governor's veto in January 2006 (Medical). From 1978 to 1997, 35 states and the District of Columbia passed legislation recognizing the medicinal value of marijuana. These states include: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Missouri, Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin (Medical).
In 1999, the Institute of Medicine issued a report on medical marijuana, stating, "The accumulated data indicate a potential therapeutic value for cannabinoid drugs, particularly for symptoms such as pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation" (Medical). Upon examining the question whether medical use would lead to an increase of use among the general population, the report concluded that:
At this point there are no convincing data to support this concern. The existing data are consistent with the dea that this would not be a problem if the medical use of marijuana were as closely regulated as other medications with abuse potential...this question is beyond the issues normally considered for medical uses of drugs, and should not be a factor in evaluating the therapeutic potential of marijuana or cannabinoids" (Medical).
The report noted that marijuana was not a completely benign substance and did have a variety of effects, however apart from the harms associated with smoking, "the adverse effects were within the range of effects tolerated for other medications" (Medical). Based on all 15 studies, the report did note that regular cannabis users performed worse on memory tests, yet the magnitude of the effect was very small.
The small magnitude of effect sizes from observations of chronic users of cannabis suggests that cannabis compounds, if found to have therapeutic value, should have a good margin of safety from a neurocognitive standpoint under the more limited conditions of exposure that would likely obtain in a medical setting" (Medical).
Yet, despite the established medical value of marijuana, physicians are not allowed to prescribe it, however they are permitted to prescribe cocaine and morphine (Medical).
Numerous organizations have endorsed medical access to marijuana, including: the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Bar Association, American Society of Addiction Medicine, AIDS Action Council, British Medical Association, the Institute of Medicine, Consumer Reports Magazine, Kaiser Permanente, Lymphoma Foundation of America, National Association of Attorneys General, New England Journal of Medicine, to name but a few (Medical). Other organizations have favorable positions (unimpeded research) on medical marijuana, including the Institute of Medicine, The American Cancer Society, American Medical Association, Australian Commonwealth Department of Human Services, Federation of American Scientists, and the National Academy of Sciences (Medical).
In 1988, the Drug Enforcement Administration's Chief Administrative Law Judge, Francis L. Young ruled:
Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known....[T]he provisions of the [Controlled Substances] Act permit...
However, someone sitting inside their own home smoking marijuana for pleasure is an important use in itself and one which should not be ignored. "Like sex, alcohol, or cigarettes, marijuana is one of life's little pleasures for some people," and although it can be a vice, the recreational uses are a definite reason for legalization (Messerli 2006). People should not be told what they should and should not enjoy;
Marijuana Legalization The reason as to why people believe that Marijuana is illegal is wrong and attempts should be made to legalize it. There are a lot of studies that state that by using drugs lot of medical problems may be caused. But studies have proved that this is not true and not as harmful as junk food, tobacco and alcohol. (Bowman 8a). Also individuals feel that Marijuana is addictive in nature
The relationship between marijuana and harder drugs changes over time as different drugs become more or less popular. Because marijuana is the most popular illegal drug in the U.S. today, people who have used less popular drugs (heroin, cocaine, LSD) are also likely to have used marijuana. Most marijuana users have never used any other illegal drugs (Morral 2002, Kandel and Davies, 1992). Opponents also argue that marijuana can cause
Marijuana Be Legalized Nationally According to the Terms of California Prop. 64? People have been using Cannabis Sativa, also known as marijuana, for a number of centuries now. The plant from which marijuana is made grows in several locations around the world. Cannabis Sativa plant's flowering top is the source of marijuana as it has Tetrahydrocannnabinol (THC), a chemical that induces the state changes among users of marijuana. Studies show
Marijuana Legalization: Pro or Con? Support for marijuana legalization has increased in recent years, particularly since a number of states have legalized the drug, even though the substance is officially prohibited on the national level. The War on Drugs has had a disproportionate effect upon many communities, and there is strong support for decriminalization at minimum, given the argument that enforcement has disproportionately impacted historically discriminated-against communities in a negative fashion.
Federal Government Control Marijuana Legalization? Author's note with contact information and more details of collegiate affiliation, etc. At least a quarter of the advisory is spent asserting the agency's drug approval authority, including the caution that seeking "to bypass the FDA drug approval process would not serve the interests of public health because [it] might expose patients to unsafe and ineffective drug products." Clear away the smoke from the advisory and
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now