The Legalization Of Marijuana Term paper

While the free essays can give you inspiration for writing, they cannot be used 'as is' because they will not meet your assignment's requirements. If you are in a time crunch, then you need a custom written term paper on your subject (the legalization of marijuana)
Here you can hire an independent writer/researcher to custom write you an authentic essay to your specifications that will pass any plagiarism test (e.g. Turnitin). Waste no more time!

English 3 Block G

April 18, 2001

ii

Outline

Thesis: The use of marijuana for medicinal purposes should be legalized by the United States government due to marijuana s numerous medicinal uses, it s relative safety as a medication, and the many possible threats of continued prohibition.

I. Introduction

A. Quote: Federal authorities should rescind their prohibition of the medical use of marijuana for seriously ill patients and allow physicians to decide which patients to treat. The government should change marijuana s status from that of a Schedule I [prohibited] drug ... to that of a Schedule II drug ... and regulate accordingly. Dr. Jerome Kassirer, editor, New England Journal of Medicine, January 30, 1997

B. Facts: 1990 survey - 44% of oncologists have suggested their patients smoke marijuana to ease nausea.

C. Thesis: The use of marijuana for medicinal purposes should be legalized by the United States government for the many reasons stated below.

II. Medical Uses

A. Ease nausea of cancer chemotherapy

B. Remedy for migraine

C. Lowers intraocular pressure from glaucoma

iii

D. Appetite stimulate in wasting syndrome of HIV

E. Muscle relaxant in spastic disorders

F. Anti-convulsant

III. Safety

A. Little effect on major physiological functions

B. No know lethal overdose

C. Less addictive and subject to abuse than other drugs used for muscle relaxants, hypnotics, and analgesics

D. Does do more damage to lungs than tobacco smoke, but far less is used

E. Ratio of lethal to effective dose is 40,000:1, far safer than many other drugs

1. Alcohol=4-10:1

2. Secobarbital=3,500:1

IV. Threat of prohibition

A. Marijuana is now Schedule I-prohibited

B. A Schedule II able Dr. to legally prescribe it

C. Worse part of using marijuana for medical use is chance of being caught

D. Legalizing marijuana can lead to further studies-more advantages discovered

E. Prices would be lowered for patients

iv

F. Less chance of the patients buying marijuana to get sold dangerous material

G. Survey shows 73% of American citizens believe marijuana should be legalized in some way for medical use

1

Should marijuana be legalized for medicinal use? this is a question many scientists and some government officials have been asking themselves quite recently. Marijuana has been shown to immensely help patients taking chemotherapy to easy many medical problems. Dr. Jerome Kassirer, the editor of the New England Journal of Medicine gives he opinion that, Federal authorities should rescind their prohibition of the medical use of marijuana for seriously ill patients and allow physicians to decide which patients to treat. The government should change marijuana s status from that of a Schedule I [prohibited] drug to that of a Schedule II drug [legal with restrictions] and regulate accordingly (JAMA 1). Many of today s top physicians, scientists, and doctors agree with Dr. Kassirer s views. A 1990 survey distributed to oncologists (doctors specializing in the field of cancer and tumors) shows that about 44% of the doctors suggested to their patients that the patient illegally smoke marijuana to ease the side effects, specifically nausea, of chemotherapy (2). The use of marijuana for medicinal purposes should be legalized by the United States government due to marijuana s numerous medicinal uses, its relatively safe side effects, and to protect marijuana from future prohibition.

First of all, marijuana is proven to have several medical uses. Its most prevalent medical use is easing the nausea from chemotherapy, which is becoming one of the most common types of treatment for cancer (Medical 2).

2

When marijuana is smoked, it induces a tremendous craving to eat, commonly referred to as, the munchies , in slang terms (Schleichert 17). Patients and physicians claim it is this period that helps the patient to eat and keep food down. Due to this effect, its appetite stimulation, marijuana is also used by HIV patients that suffer from wasting syndrome (Medical 2).

Another beneficial effect marijuana has is that it can reduce intraocular pressure in the eye and helps ease the pain suffered by patients with glaucoma. In some cases, the marijuana has even eliminated the intraocular pressure completely, greatly helping the patient (Marijuana 1). Since the pressure behind the eye lens is the cause of the optic nerve to fail in glaucoma patients, the marijuana s effect of reducing the pressure decrease or can even eliminate the loss of vision, helping and even almost curing the patient (1).

Many doctors also acknowledge marijuana as a remedy for chronic migraine headaches and menstrual cramps (Brookhiser 1). These nuisances are often thought to not be too serious, but many people struggle with them for large periods of their life. The legalization of marijuana could help these people live normal lives.

In addition, marijuana helps patients cope with numerous other diseases, disorders, or pains. Some of these include multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and spastic disorders (Medical 3). Marijuana is a proven muscle relaxant, reducing

3

muscle spasms and seizures. In some rare cases, the muscle spasms and seizures have been eliminated completely due to the effect of the marijuana (Brookhiser 2).

The second major reason that marijuana should be legalized for medicinal use is that marijuana has been shown to be a relatively safe drug when used under close supervision of a physician. Studies have shown that marijuana is much safer than most prescription drugs available today. The ratio of effective dose to lethal dose exemplifies that is much safer than many of the legal drugs available (JAMA 2). In this example, the higher the ratio, the safer the drug. Marijuana has a ratio of approximately 40,000 to 1.

Secobarbital, a sedative used to treat convulsions, has a ratio of 3,500:1 (3). Secobarbital is a legal drug that has...

You should cite this paper as follows:

MLA Style
. EssayMania.com. Retrieved on 24 May, 2012 from
    <http://essaymania.com/142975/the-legalization-of-marijuana>

More College Papers

Stolen Party essay
Stolen Party The short story The Stolen Party , written by Liliana Heker, was a story about class differences between people viewed through the eyes of a young girl. The basic plot of the story is about a the maid s daughter, Rosaura, who goes to a party were she is used as a servant rather than

The Nature Of Beings essay
The Nature of Beings and Their Not Being The western way of living and more generally, the way westerners think and behave, in the twentieth century appears to have little or no connection to the east and eastern philosophies, but in fact America has been more influenced in these factors by the eas

The Assyrians And Their Histor essay
In the plentiful land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, known as Mesopotamia, now modern day Iraq there ruled a powerful civilization like no other in the area. This land had rolling hills and abundant rainfall, making it a very habitable place to live. With such crops as barley and sesame