People have used marijuana (Cannabis sativa) for more than 5000 years for medical, religious, spiritual, and recreational reasons (Bostwick). It has been “used to treat an endless variety of human miseries” (Dupont 2). It has been found in the United States Pharmacopeia since 1850 (Narconon International). In contemporary society, many sections of the culture consider the use of “pot” as acceptable although it remains illegal in most parts of America. Statistics from the Department Enforcement Agency (DEA) show that drug addicted individuals in the early 1900’s numbered much higher than in current times, primarily due to easy access to morphine. In that time period, it is estimated that between 2 percent and 5percent of the entire adult population of the country were addicted to some form of drug (Druglibrary.org). The reason for this was the ready availability to morphine. The problem may influence contemporary public perception of the potentially negative influence of recreational marijuana use. Regardless, there is a strong incentive to legalize marijuana for medical applications that is gaining support in the country. This paper presents information in the debate between the opponents and proponents of the adoption nationally of legalization of medical marijuana in the United States.
Arguments by Opponents of Legalization
Some polls show participants slightly are in the majority against legalization of marijuana while some indicated there are slightly more people who support the topic. The issue must be divided between laws that allow medical use and those that also allow recreational use. There is still the stigma of the “pot head” held by many conservative people as promoting a lack of motivation and social irresponsibility. For many, it is difficult to separate the facts on the benefits of medical marijuana use from the perception of the stereotypical drug user. For instance, in a Gallup poll conducted in 2013, 73 percent of the participants agreed with the statement of “making marijuana legally available for doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain and suffering.” (see Graph 1)(Gallup, Inc.).
Creating the Desire for Harder Drugs
The perception of marijuana as a “gateway drug” that leads to the use of more dangerous substances is a major argument of groups opposed to the legalization of the substance for any reason. Public information campaigns against the use of marijuana began as early as the last 1930s when the 1936 movie Reefer Madness (iMDb) was released depicting teenage smokers becoming psychotic from the use and the press published stories of crazed Cannabis users creating havoc on law-abiding citizens (Bostwick).
Legal Entanglements
Even in areas where marijuana has been legalized by the state, the drug is still illegal under federal mandates. This overlapping creates confusion for law enforcement when the product is moved from a state that allows legal use to one that does not.
In addition, approval of marijuana for any use has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (Fda.gov). The organization states there has not been sufficient conclusive evidence presented from large-scale trials to demonstrate that the risks outweigh the benefits. Nevertheless, the FDA has granted approval of a drug that include a synthetic version of one of the components of Cannabis and of another medication that has the same effects as marijuana but does not contain any similar elements.
Unregulated Quality
Opponents to the use of marijuana argue that supplies of the drug are not regulated and are therefore not pure or refined; this effects the ability for physicians to determine accurate dosages for care of the ill. The Hazelden Center for drug addiction treatment calls marijuana a “chemical slush” that contains over 400 different chemicals from 18 various categories (DuPont). The lack of research on the long-term results is a deterrent to legalization.
Arguments by Proponents of Legalization
Medical Benefits
Perhaps the most persuasive argument for the legalization of medical marijuana is the documentation on the positive effects for suffering patients living with deadly or chronic diseases. The drug is not proposed to be a cure, but rather have palliative properties of individuals with epilepsy, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and many others (Medicalmarijuana.procon.org). Patients with arthritis and chemotherapy recipients
Potential Therapeutic Uses of Medical Marijuana (Blog.norml.org)
experiencing the nausea and vomiting secondary to chemotherapy find relief. Individuals with glaucoma and those with terminal disease report alleviation of their symptoms. Unlike many traditional painkillers, marijuana has been found not to have any of the ingredients that lead to addition (Samhsa.gov, 2015). In an international survey conducted in 2006, over between 60 and 70 percent of the 400 physicians participating supported the use of medical marijuana and would write a prescription for it if requested.
“In about half of the users, the patients themselves took the initiative to suggest medicinal cannabis to their treating physicians as a therapeutic option, whereas in about 30% of users the initiative was taken by the involved general practitioner or medical specialist” (de Jong n.p.).
In addition, major medical organizations such as the American College of Physicians, the Institute of Medicine, and the American Medical Association have encouraged drug companies to put pressure on the FDA to allow research on marijuana and its elements in order to supply the information needed for legalization (Cohen).
Promotion of Medical Research
Income for State Governments
Setting aside the evidence of the efficacy of marijuana as a benefit medically, there are the statistics available from states where the drug is legal concerning the enormous financial assets from taxation. The increased income allows for improvements to public programs, roads, school, and other works. An example of the magnitude of an influx of revenue for a state is for the state of Colorado; there was a 150 percent increased from February 2014 to February 2015 due to marijuana taxation, licensing, and fees (Colorado.gov). This equated to more than $5 million over the same period in the preceding year (See Table 1).
Resolving Legal Conflicts for Government Officials
The states of Washington and Colorado have legalized recreational marijuana and they are included with 23 other states, Guam, and the District of Columbia who legally allow medical marijuana (Ncsl.org). President Barack Obama announced he believes law enforcement would be better utilized by focusing on other areas that marijuana arrests. In the years between 2001 and 2010, 88 percent of the 8.2 million people arrested for marijuana possession of marijuana were not charged with intent to distribute (American Civil Liberties Union). These individuals
having marijuana for personal use acquired criminal records, negative impact on their jobs, decreased income, and other results for a crime many states have revoked. In addition, the cost to taxpayers for the process of convicting these people was around $10 billion (Gettman).
Another legal problem is that businesses selling marijuana products legally in permissive states cannot use a bank account. If a company is operating against federal law, credit card companies or banks with federal insurance (FDIC) cannot service them. A consequence is that store owners are frequently robbed for the large amount of cash they have on the premises or in transportation.
Conclusion
The research concerning the benefits of legalizing marijuana strongly negates the arguments of opponents to the acceptance of medical marijuana. To prevent the quandary presented to law enforcement from conflicting federal and state legislation, passing laws for the legal use of medical marijuana would solve as least part of that problem. In addition, suffering patients would benefit from the documented effects of the drug and states would reap revenue and positive impact on the economy.
Polls conducted on the topic of legalizing medical marijuana show the majority of people in the United States support it. However, the Food and Drug Administration must wait for sufficient research to lower the rating on the drug and this is not happening due to federal illegality. However, after the information has been approved and legislation is passed, public education programs and projects are needed to promote the advantages of medical marijuana, promoting the acceptance legally and socially of the use of cannabis for medical treatment.
Works Cited
American Civil Liberties Union. "Marijuana Arrests By The Numbers". N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Blog.norml.org. "NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform | Working To Reform Marijuana Laws". N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Bostwick, J. Michael. "Blurred Boundaries: The Therapeutics and Politics of Medical Marijuana". Mayo Clinic Proceedings 87.2 (2012): 172-186. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Cohen, Peter J. "Medical Marijuana 2010: It's Time To Fix The Regulatory Vacuum". The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 38.3 (2010): 654-666. Web.
Colorado.gov. "Colorado Marijuana Tax Data | Department Of Revenue". N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
de Jong, F. A. "Medicinal Cannabis In Oncology Practice: Still A Bridge Too Far?". Journal of Clinical Oncology 23.13 (2005): 2886-2891. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Druglibrary.org. "History of the Non-Medical Use Of Drugs in The United States". N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Dupont, Robert L. Marijuana and Medicine: The Need for a Science-Based Approach. Rockville, MD: Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, 2007. Print.
Fda.gov. "FDA And Marijuana". N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Gallup, Inc.. "For First Time, Americans Favor Legalizing Marijuana". Gallup.com. N.p., 2013. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Gettman, John. "Marijuana Arrests in The United States (2007)". Drugscience.org. N.p., 2009. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Hoffmann, Diane E., and Ellen Weber. "Medical Marijuana and the Law". New England Journal of Medicine 362.16 (2010): 1453-1457. Web.
IMDb. "Reefer Madness (1936)". N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Medicalmarijuana.procon.org. "Medical Marijuana Procon.Org". N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Narconon International. "Marijuana History". N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Ncsl.org. "State Medical Marijuana Laws". N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
