A Debate on Medical Marijuana: Public Health and Legalization Issues

This argumentative essay delves into the multifaceted debate surrounding the legalization of medical marijuana. It explores the perspectives of both proponents and opponents, examining the potential benefits for patients, such as pain relief and treatment for various conditions, while also addressing concerns about public health, potential for abuse, and the need for rigorous scientific evidence. The essay presents arguments related to patient rights, the role of government and medical professionals, and the impact of marijuana legalization on crime rates and social costs. It considers the current legal status in different regions, the need for regulation, and the potential for synthetic cannabis to mitigate some of the negative impacts. The essay concludes by summarizing the key arguments and highlighting the ongoing discussion about the future of medical marijuana.

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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Purpose and scope............................................................................................................................1
“Should the use of medical marijuana be legalised?”......................................................................1
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Legalisation of medical marijuana has been a popular topic or subject of debate and
argument since long period. Marijuana is one of the most discussed and controversial topics in
US and Australia at present. There are numerous who supports its legalisation and many who are
against it. The essay will present ways in which legalization can be harmful for public as well as
its positive outcomes. The present report is an argumentative essay on the legalisation of
medicinal Marijuana. The essay will examine both negative and positive aspects of legalising
marijuana and its impact on community.
Purpose and scope
“Should the use of medical marijuana be legalised?”
Marijuana has been used as a drug for both medical purposes and to get high as a narcotic
element. Many people say that it should be made legal as it has many medicinal benefits while
other thinks that it has a great potentiality for abuse and should stay banned. In various
statements, supporter for marijuana presented a powerful statement with regards to the
legalization through evidences and their own research (Kilmer and MacCoun, 2017). People
opposing the use of marijuana in medicine have also presented various explanations for why it
should not be legalised. A major reason they argued on was it smoke harmful substances and
develops addiction within the consumers. In various researches and studies, it has been presented
that it does have some damage or injury for example - harm linked to smoking activities but the
National Academy of Science states that various benefits of marijuana for a short period surpass
harms linked to smoking for few patients. Though marijuana has been proven to damage lungs
more that tobacco, research in 2006 presented no indicant concluding that people smoking
cannabis had high risk of cancer related to lungs. The FDA had examined the significance of
marijuana and observed that the cannabinoids are effective in treating pain related to surgical
recovery, chemotherapy and injury in spinal cord. It also helps in treating neuropathic pain which
is experienced often by patients with metastatic cancer, diabetes and multiple sclerosis.
In addition to this there has been no proof presented that patients consuming cannabis
become dependent, however few opponents argues that there is also no proof in support for this
statement that can state it is not valid. There are numerous medical medicines utilized for aid and
they are addictive, yet they are legal. Substances can also have perverse impact, but there are
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various other elements for example tobacco that includes deadly toxins still it has been legalised.
To state that marijuana must stay illegal because it is addictive is incorrect as there are other
elements in the society which are more harmful to human beings as compared to marijuana
which are still legal (Campbell, Twenge and Carter, 2017).
In some statements, opposition such as DEA have stated that medical use of marijuana
has no medical worth. However, NORML presented that it assists in nausea, pain relief,
glaucoma, movement and spasticity related disorders. The study also concluded that marijuana
assist the patients having HIV or AIDS. HIV is known to be major cause of deaths in the world,
patient suffering from AIDS losses his or her appetite and suffer from high level of pain. Many
patients also observed and complained that pharmaceutical drugs that are provided by physicians
are not much helpful for them through this disease. NORML has demonstrated that “73 percent
of Americans are supporting the making of marijuana legitimately accessible for physicians to
endorse”. This demonstrates a significant number of the American individuals need to give
restorative marijuana to the truly sick patients (Wen, Hockenberry and Druss, 2018). They
appreciate that approving restorative marijuana is accessible for wiped out patients and not for
recreational use. Moreover, since 1996, voters in 13 states-have grasped exercises exempting
patients who use marijuana under specialist's watch from state criminal disciplines. (NORML).
Wiped out patients in America should be given their rights in each state with the objective that
each patient can get comparable care. As locals of the United States, genuinely debilitated
patients are considered with rights and should not to be denied from them.
An extensive number of unmistakable reasons, that the limiting side has given, are insignificant
and can be easily shown by the affirmation given by advocates. The DEA have given an
enormous number of patients an opportunity to mope pitifully finished various years since they
decay to give them redress mind. Research has successfully shown that it has remedial regard
and it should not to be withheld from these patients any more. Research and studies have
demonstrated that a few patients acquired better outcomes from medicinal marijuana when
contrasted with doctor prescribed medications however resistance have kept down an immense
number of patients who are enduring. There are a few patients who require therapeutic marijuana
like plants require water keeping in mind the end goal to survive. The DEA are grabbing these
rights frame the patients and they keep on living in a basic state or condition. They are likewise
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breaking into individuals' home continually and capturing them for suing medicinal marijuana.
Honest people are being accused of enormous fines and additionally imprison in light of the fact
that they wanted to decrease their agony and torment. It has as of late administered to give
cannabis on restorative solution just to the enrolled patients, however this has not been actualized
yet. A few people contend that authorization of cannabis is the main compelling approach to
ensure that patients can expend it legitimately for medicinal purposes. In any case, this would be
in opposition to universal medication control settlements and is electorally very little prevalent.
The best prospects for the medicinal utilization of cannabis lies in recognizing approaches to
exhibit THC that do exclude smoking and in delivering engineered cannabis that create helpful
contact with at least psychoactive effects (Pacula and Smart, 2017).Medical marijuana presents
respectable assurance in reducing chronic pain form a wide range of causes such as spinal cord
injury, cancer, post-traumatic disorder, nausea, glaucoma etc. The drug may prove to be helpful
in other diseases or application if patients are legally allowed to use it. Some people says that it
is completely wrong to oppose the consumption of medical marijuana as doctors are prescribing
powerful pills and drugs which are more harmful as well addictive in nature. The government
should focus on providing a more relieving element such as medical marijuana which is less
harmful as compared to powerful opiates. On the other hand, some opponents say that using
psychoactive drugs such as marijuana is a health problem or issue specially when consumed for
medical purposes. No specific information or data that presents that the medical use of marijuana
is both effective and safe. The few evidences existing proves shows that its quality is poor and
may not be effective if used for medical purposes. There are significant gaps in data essential to
treat marijuana like other types of drugs, dosage standardisation and general control of quality
may not be effective. If cannabis is treated as medicine, it requires meeting the same
effectiveness, standards of safety and quality people may demand of another ethical drug. That
modular has not yet been met. Furthermore, there is currently sound evidence that smoking
marijuana is deadly (Crume and Borgelt, 2018). A past assessment by various departments of
Mental Health Services Administration, Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies such as the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Substance Abuse and National Institute for Drug
Abuse (NIDA), proved that no sound scientific studies supported medical usage of marijuana for
treatment in the United States, and no animal or human information supported the efficacy or
safety of marijuana for general medical use. There is irresistible confirmation that cannabis is
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one of the most secure treatment choices. Indeed, even the retired Chief Administrative Law
Judge of DEA , Francis Young, reached that assumption. Investigation has demonstrated that
cannabis mitigates a few genuine side effects and conditions including torment, sickness and
squandering, Crohn infection, fits, and glaucoma.
About 15,000 people in America pass on consistently from over-doses on remedy
sedatives therapeutically archived lethal overdose on marijuana has not been observed yet..
Then, investigation has demonstrated that cannabis can enable patients to lessen or dispense with
their requirement for sedatives. Opioid analgesics, which incorporate OxyContin, Percocet and
Vicodin, are frequently endorsed to patients who endure direct to extreme pain. These
medications work by controlling the view of agony by dulling torment receptors in cerebrum. In
the previous decade, quantity of patients endorsed opioid for non-tumor torment has multiplied
in the United States. Indeed, in almost 60% of instances of deadly opioid overdose, patient has a
legitimate prescription. The research has significantly more critical changes for ladies. More
ladies have passed on every year from overdoses. In the meantime, overdosing on cannabis is
practically unheard in the therapeutic network (Turnbull and Hodge, 2017). Currently, the use
and possession of cannabis is illegal in Australia. But in some territories and states, small use of
marijuana is not a criminal activity which means that it’s not legal but also not a criminal
offence. Many legislative bodies in the world have now legalised cannabis or marijuana such as
Catalonia, Uruguay and nine states within US. Canada is also planning to legalised cannabis
soon, and prime minister of New Zealand has also flagged a vote on this particular subject or
issue. In recent research about 30% of people in Australia supports that marijuana must be
legalised. 14-17 years old teenagers were not observed to be supporting legalisation and 18 to 24
years old were likely to support marijuana's legalisation. A household survey by National drug
strategy concluded that more than one-fourth of respondents said that they support legalisation of
cannabis and around 15% were found to be using it for various purposes other than medical
usage. Opposition has a concern that legalisation of marijuana may increase its use, car
accidents, enhance crime and negatively affect public health as well as intellectual health. Some
people are obsessed that cannabis or marijuana is a gate-way drug. The gate-way dose
philosophies were determined many years back, however marijuana is generally less harmful
than other drugs used illegally. Most of the people using cannabis avoid consumption of other
drugs such as alcohol or tobacco. There is no such evidence that legalisation will increase the use
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of cannabis but researches have shown that there are various risks related to health. Around 1%
of mature people and within every six teenagers who utilise marijuana on a regular basis will
become an addiction, daily usage of cannabis increases the chances of schizophrenia and
symptoms of psychotic disease. Teenagers using marijuana are likely to get poorer school
results, driving after its use increases the risk of car accidents, smoking marijuana while
pregnancy negatively affect birth weight of a baby.
Reducing harms – Official drug strategy of Australia is developed on the basis of specific
platforms such as minimising harm, demand reduction, supply and harm minimisation etc.
Therefore, regulations must focus on a net diminution in harm. De-criminalisation of marijuana
may decrease these traumas without overall legalisation. (Legal highs: statements against and for
legalising marijuana in Australia, 2018)
Reducing social costs and crime – Most of the work in legal system is spent on offences related
to drugs. Decriminalisation may decrease concern on the legal group but not as compared to full
legislation as court & resources of police would be utilized still for fine issuance, cautioning, as
well as diverse treatment of educational activities.
Conclusion
The above discussion concluded that legalization of marijuana is a most popular
argument around the whole world. This essay presented a brief discussion of both side,
supportive and opposition who presents their view on legalization of marijuana for medical
purposes. The essay demonstrated ways in which legalization can be harmful for public as well
as positive outcomes are also discussed. Altogether, it is still a statement or topic of argument
that medical marijuana should be legalized as it has both positive and negative outcomes. Many
supports as well as opponents fails in providing sufficient evidence to take a final decision
therefore it’s still a topic of concern in most of the countries all around the world.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Campbell, W., Twenge, J. and Carter, N., 2017. Support for marijuana (cannabis) legalization:
untangling age, period, and cohort effects. Collabra: Psychology, 3(1).
Crume, T.L. and Borgelt, L.M., 2018. Cannabis use during the perinatal period in a state with
legalized recreational and medical marijuana: The association between maternal
characteristics, breastfeeding patterns, and neonatal outcomes. The Journal of
pediatrics, 197, pp.90-96.
Kilmer, B. and MacCoun, R.J., 2017. How medical marijuana smoothed the transition to
marijuana legalization in the United States. Annual Review of Law and Social
Science, 13, pp.181-202.
Pacula, R.L. and Smart, R., 2017. Medical marijuana and marijuana legalization. Annual review
of clinical psychology,13, pp.397-419.
Turnbull, D. and Hodge Jr, J.G., 2017. Driving under the influence of marijuana laws and the
public's health: public health and the law. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics,45(2),
pp.280-283.
Wen, H., Hockenberry, J.M. and Druss, B.G., 2018. The Effect of Medical Marijuana Laws on
Marijuana-Related Attitude and Perception Among US Adolescents and Young
Adults.Prevention Science, pp.1-9.
Online
Legal highs: arguments for and against legalising cannabis in Australia, 2018, [Online].
Available through: <https://theconversation.com/legal-highs-arguments-for-and-against-
legalising-cannabis-in-australia-95069>
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