The Decriminalization of Medicinal Marijuana

The Decriminalization of Medicinal Marijuana

For the past fifty years, heated debates over the topic of the decriminalization of marijuana have been a great controversy among politicians. Some politicians believe that marijuana for the use of medicine should be outlawed. As Congressman Bob Barr in his debate with radio talk show host Neil Boortz on May 14, 2002, stated, "There is no legitimate medical use whatsoever for marijuana. This [marijuana] is not medicine. This is bogus witchcraft. It has no place in medicine, no place in pain relief, and it has no place around our children." However, this illicit drug can help the terminally ill patient recover, or at least provide comfort from the persistent, overbearing suffering.

Continuing Medical Education, Inc., posted in January 2000 the following statement: "It is established that marijuana does ease the pain of cancer and the nausea of cancer chemotherapy. It is a medically sound treatment." Marijuana alleviates the discomfort of many types of treatments, as well as assisting in the recovery of illness. Studies have proven that it is more suitable than the competing pill, Marinol, which is a synthetic version of the active ingredient of marijuana. Marijuana is more effective than conventional medicines and is less toxic, when taken in the appropriate doses, to the blood system, and ultimately the body and mind. Marijuana is used as a relief from the nausea associated with chemotherapy, which is used to treat many forms of cancer. It also lessens the number of symptoms of AIDS. Even though marijuana is superior to all the other medicines in easing pain, laws still prohibit the use of the illegal drug.

In the past few years, nine states have decriminalized the use of marijuana for medical intents. Actually, eleven states have at one time allowed patients to use medicinal marijuana, but since two states have placed new laws banning the usage of marijuana for any purpose. But by decriminalizing marijuana treatments, a broad gap has been created between the federal laws and the new state laws. By decriminalizing marijuana prescriptions, the states have allowed patients to use the drug. However that creates a problem. Although the state allows patients to handle marijuana for medicinal use, patients have no way of obtaining it legally because the federal laws strictly prohibit anybody in the United States from selling or purchasing drugs.

Even though many doctors and specialists believe that marijuana is beneficial to the medical world, there are still some doctors who disagree. Opponents for the medicinal marijuana state that it similar to the Trojan horse incident. After medicinal marijuana is legalize, they will try to make marijuana legal for pleasure. They say supporters utilize a deceptive tactic of medicinal marijuana decriminalization who exploit the public's sympathy for seriously ill patients to legalize marijuana. Competitor doctors complain that marijuana is not FDA approved, is ingested by smoking, is made up of hundreds of different chemicals, is not governed by daily