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Is Medical Marijuana a Good Thing?

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Is Medical Marijuana a Good Thing?
Is Medical Marijuana a good thing? Medical Cannabis or as most know it, Medical Marijuana, is parts of the herb cannabis used as a doctor- recommended form of medicine. It also refers to synthetic forms of cannabinoids, which are a class of diverse chemical compounds that activate cell membrane receptors, like Tetrehydrocannabinol (THC), which is why it is recommended from doctors as well. THC is the psychoactive drug in Medical Cannabis that works with the central nervous and immune system to help reduce pain seen in different medical issues, like cancer patients or patients with AIDS. Medical Cannabis is illegal in most countries. In the United States, federal law outlaws, all use of herb parts from Cannabis, while some states have approved use of herb parts from Cannabis as medical cannabis in conflict with federal law. The United States Supreme Court ruled that the federal government has a right to regulate and criminalize cannabis, even for medical purposes. A person can therefore be prosecuted for a cannabis-related crime. Medical Cannabis has been known to be used as a good thing as well, like to alleviate pain. Medical Marijuana is looked at from many perspectives, for example, physicians, medical organizations, and even government officials. They all have different views. Some think it is a good thing and others bad. It is also looked at as health risks and treatment options as well. Some people support medical marijuana because it helps with pain when dealing with certain diseases like HIV/AIDS or cancer. One supporting factor of medical marijuana comes from the, “Medicinal and Recreational Marijuana Use by Patients Infected with HIV”. There are many types of cannabis but the most commonly used for medicinal purposes are hybrids of Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indicia, which are believed to produce differing therapeutic effects (215-216). Bendayan says, “Marijuana has been used for its medicinal properties for thousands of years in a wide variety


Cited: Web. 26 Nov. 2012. Drug-Free Action Alliance and Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Association of Ohio “Marijuana as Medicine.” 2011. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. "Highs and lows of using marijuana." CNN Wire 7 Nov. 2012. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. “Marijuana Use Can Increase Pain." Marijuana. Ed. Noah Berlatsky. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012 26 Nov. 2012. "Pot luck." Men 's Health July-Aug. 2005: 44. Academic OneFile. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. R Bendayan, et al. "Medicinal And Recreational Marijuana Use By Patients Infected With HIV." AIDS Patient Care & Stds 18.4 (2004): 215-228 26 Nov. 2012 Spiesel, Sydney Politics." Marijuana. Ed. Noah Berlatsky. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints About Science." Slate. 2006. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 28 Nov. 2012.

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