MARIJUANA LEGAL FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES Introducti

This research paper presents the topic of legalization of marijuana for medical purposes. Claims regarding medical use, with support for arguments are discussed. Predictions regarding the issues are concluded.

California voters passed the Medical Marijuana initiative in 1996. This law allows for the physician to recommend marijuana for compassionate use. This resulted in a fierce response from the federal government which believes that evidence is lacking regarding beneficial effects of marijuana use; legal use is believed to send the wrong message to young people. These fears are not confirmed, a survey demonstrated that 83 percent of marijuana smokers never progressed to other serious drugs (Annas 435).

Large donations from financiers and business and political leaders, helped drug legalization advocates win breakthrough campaigns in California and Arizona. Voters legalized medical use of marijuana and called for emphasis on treatment more than imprisonment of nonviolent drug users. The medical marijuana movement succeeded despite harsh attacks from President Clinton's drug czar Barry McCaffery and California's Republican Attorney General Dan Lungren (n.a. 4-5).

Opponents of medical use of marijuana make claims that can be argued against. Typically, three arguments are made against legal use. The first claim is that the main ingredient of the drug,

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use and immune status or speed of human immunodeficiency virus disease progression. An additional ongoing longitudinal study (four years) examines psychosocial and behavioral factors and immune changes related to AIDS risk; marijuana use did not correlate with any immune system changes. It is argued that the fear of sending a false message can not be overrided by the legitimate need for marijuana relief, demonstrated by countless sufferers (Cotton 2573-2574). Claims that long-time marijuana users may eventually get cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, or other diseases are unsubstantiated. Others state that marijuana medical use leads to improved quality of life, improved appetite, and possible life extension. Arguments that marijuana usage may result in pulmonary damage are not substantiated; studies do not show evidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or emphysema in marijuana smokers who did not also use tobacco. It is stated that marijuana doses used to treat diseases are unlikely to be great enough to result in a significant risk to the patient (Cotton 2573-2574). In a survey of 72 AIDS patients, self-medication with recreational drugs for medical or psychological conditions was investigated. Marijuana was
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Approximate Word count = 2013
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)