Abstract
It is not common for a substance that is considered to be a drug to be accepted as a mode of treatment. In the few cases that such a case occurs, there are usually a lot of regulations that govern the manner in which such a program is implemented. The essay below looks at such a case as it concerns marihuana.
Medical Marihuana
According to Grinspoon (1999), marijuana or what is commonly known as cannabis sativa is considered as a schedule I drug in the United States. This means that the drug is considered to be highly prohibited for the use by the American citizens. It is actually illegal. However, Grinspoon (1999) also indicates that for 14 times, the drug has been accepted as a medicine in the US for curing conditions such as headache and nausea. In fact, he even gives case studies of members of families who did testing on the drug to prove that it actually helps in controlling these conditions.
However, access to the drug in the US is the major issue. As with any drugs considered to be harmful to the people, prescription has to go through a long process of documenting. As such, patients who need marihuana often have to do wit the long processes (Grinspoon, 1999). The main reason as to why marihuana falls into this category is that it does not fit the description of the FDA about drugs. It is indicated that the drugs should not have undesirable side effects on the individuals. However, marihuana does.
Reference
Grinspoon, L. (1999). Medical Marihuana in a Time of Prohibition. International Journal of Drug Policy, Vol. 10, pp. 145-156.
