Marijuana is a drug that should be legalized for medical purposes. While there are thousands of people now using marijuana to help combat the painful effects of many diseases and fatal illnesses, these people risk becoming criminals in the eyes of the justice system as current marijuana laws exist. Marijuana has been successfully proven to be and used to stimulate appetite, relax muscles and relieve pain, and it also has been shown to be an effective treatment for nausea in people who have cancer and undergo chemotherapy. While a pill containing the active ingredient found in marijuana, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), has been available since the mid-1980s, many patients experience a higher degree of relief from smoking the drug. Yet, it is still illegal for doctor’s to prescribe the drug, many of whom shy away from such advice because of the legal and professional implications.
While the criminal justice system and politicians are still remiss to make marijuana use for medical purposes legal, there are many organizations, state legislatures and agencies that support its use for medicinal purposes. The American Medical Association has endorsed its legalization for certain medical conditions (AIDS, cancer, and degenerative bone diseases) as well as support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Adding to this support, many states, health associations and politicians support the use of marijuana for medical purposes, not to mention outspoken advocates like William F. Buckley who claims that research linking marijuana to harmful physical and psychological effects is a political tool fashioned by those who do not understand the relatively harmless nature of the drug, “Many political bodies and health organizations, including 35 state legislatures, the American Public Health Association, the American Bar Association, and the California Medical Association, also say the ban on medical marijuana should be lifted. U.S. Rep. Barne...