Marijuana Uncovered Essay, Research Paper

Marijuana Uncovered The rejection of any source of evidence is always treason to that ultimate rationalism which urges forward science and philosophy alike. This quote, by Alfred North Whitehead, is a perfect representation of what is happening in today s society concerning marijuana. Through scientific research, many pro-marijuana followers are trying to dig up the evidence needed to prove marijuana s abilities to heal and possibly cure a number of diseases. Marijuana, containing sixty known cannabinoid compounds, (Bakalar 2) is slowly fighting for it s legal introduction to the pharmacies of the world for use of the victims of the numerous diseases it is able to alleviate. What someone in modern society speaks of marijuana. he is talking about the plant that is a member of the Cannabaceae family with the genus of Cannabis. Cannabis is botanically classified into three species. The most widespread species is the Cannabis Sativa. The Cannabis Sativa can grow as tall as twenty feet, containing loose branches and many crowns where the flower pods reside (Bakalar 1). The cannabinoid compounds with the ability to alleviate and intoxicate are found in the flowers. The compounds form together and are secreted from the flowers in a sticky golden colored substance. This substance is often referred to as resin. (Bakalar 2) The well recognized psychoactive compound called THC is the most potent compound in the resin. The chemical name for it is (-)(3,4-trans-delta-1-tetrahydrocannabinol. The chemical is present in large quantities, and may make up one to five percent of the resin, measured by weight. The remaining cannabinoid containing compounds are not present in most marijuana plants, and are not as psychoactive as THC. (Bakalar 3) Before the time when Marijuana was thought to be a harmful drug, the plant was used for a number of remedies. Marijuana was first used for it s medicinal ability around five thousand years ago. Most historians believe that it was first used in the Middle East as an antiseptic and analgesic. The secret of cannabis was kept inside the Middle East until the arrival of Napoleon s arrival in Egypt in the 1800 s. Napoleon s army brought the marijuana back from the middle east and it was later accepted as a medicine by western practitioners. At this time, the drug was used as a burn antiseptic, pain reliever, and sedative. The drug was not introduced into the United States until the 1840 s. During the time from 1840 to 1860, there were hundreds of articles concerning marijuana published. These articles told of the drug s ability of alleviation for many diseases. Although it was evident that the drug had many medicinal opportunities, people started to use the drug for recreational purposes. As the marijuana-smoking fad became very popular in the American upper class, the drug s medicinal abilities were ignored, and it took the name of a harmful intoxicant. (History 3) In today s society, there are a few people that are willing to use marijuana as a medicine, despite it s position as an illegal drug. The drug s main ability is to aid in chemotherapy. The chemotherapeutic compounds used in chemotherapy are the most powerfully toxic chemicals used in medicine today. Although the chemotherapy kills the cancer cells, it also has the potential to kill cells of the human body, causing severe discomfort and pain.(Bakalar 24) The most common side effect is nausea and excessive vomiting. The patient will cough and dry heave for many hours, or even many days. This is where the marijuana comes into view. When the pharmaceuticals given to the patients to alleviate the nausea stopped working, a few patients turned to marijuana as an alternative medicine, not knowing that it would be even more effective. (Bakalar 25) In the early nineties, a study was conducted to examine marijuana s antiemetic abilities. Fifty-six patients, (who could not receive alleviation from the many other prescribed antiemetics) partook in the experiment. Seventy-eight percent of the expiramentees received alleviation when they smoked marijuana. (Bakalar 26) To this day, Chemotherapy side effects is one of the main uses for medical marijuana. Marijuana is also effectively used for glaucoma, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and AIDS (Bakalar VII) Glaucoma is a disorder that has to do with the eyes. Glaucoma is an imbalance in the pressure that keeps the eyeball perfectly spherical. The disease is very threatening to the victim s vision. (Bakalar 40) Marijuana can be used to reduce the introacular pressure in the eye, thus alleviating the symptoms of glaucoma. (Bakalar 41)

Epilepsy is a very harmful disease that causes braincells to become very excited, causing spontaneous siezures. The patient s brain sends a discharge that sparks the seizures and convulsions. Marijuana is recognized as an anticonvulsant, and can be used by sufferers of epilepsy with no harmful side effects, Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that attacks the nerves. It attacks until the nerves no longer function, leaving the victim with nerves that don t function properly. The symptoms can include numbness, twitching, fatigue, and impaired vision. There is no known drug that alleviates the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis, but many patients are aware of Marijuana s abilities to not totally cure, but to alleviate the twitching, impaired vision, and pain that is associated with the disease. (Bakalar 68) AIDS is a viral disease that has no certain background. I t was first discovered in five homosexual males in 1981. There were no forms of medication used for this new disease, but smoking marijuana helped increase their appetite and control their nausea. With their increased appetite, the victim did not lose weight as rapidly as future victims. (Bakalar 86) The modern day research of THC and it s healing abilities has come to prove that marijuana is not only a safe and affective medicine, but also a neuroprotective antioxidant that extends brain cell life span. (Cannabidiol 1) An experiment was conducted to see THC s ability to protect rat brain cells from the toxic compound called glutamate. The glutamate toxicity was equally reduced by the cannabinoids as by the normal glutamate depleting compound N-Methyl-D aspartate receptors. The information gathered from this research indicates that the naturally occurring cannabidiol that is present in marijuana may become a useful treatment for neurological disorders such as cerebral ischema.(Cannabidiol 1) Marijuana is a plant and drug that has been looked at from the wrong perspective for dozens of years. Most people of today s society believe it to be a harmful drug with no positive effects. Most think that the drug is a gateway drug that causes the depletion of braincells. These thoughts are both incorrect. An excerpt from The LaGuardia Report , whose evidence had been gathered for thousands of years, states that Smoking Marijuana does not lead to morphine, heroin, or cocaine addiction, and that there is no evidence that cannabis is producing in otherwise normal people conditions of dependence or psychosis requiring medical attention. (Proven 2) The studies also included intelligence tests, and the scores of the heavy dosage marijuana users were slightly higher than those of the people that did not habitually smoke marijuana. The marijuana users were also more relaxed and sociable during the duration of the research. Since marijuana is not legal, only certain people can grow for pharmaceutical use. The only company that can legally grow pharmaceutical marijuana is GW Pharmaceuticals Ltd., in Salisbury, England. (Company 1) The company is trying to come up with methods of marijuana congestion that will not be looked at as bad, The traditional form of smoking it has too bad of a reputation to be a thriving pharmaceutical product. The company is inventing many alternate methods of taking the drug, including inhalers, nebulizers, and breath-freshener like devices that are sprayed under the tongue for THC absorption. (Company 3) Marijuana is a very effective medicine that has been denied usage for many years. Although the plant itself is illegal, many suffering patients are taking the steps to marijuana alleviation. There is even a bed and breakfast that is set on receiving medical marijuana users as tenants. (California 1) Through all of the illegal hype and the false information concerning marijuana and it s potential to harm humans, few people are finding the truth and using the drug to succor their everyday lives and help cope with the symptoms of many body-depleting diseases. One by one, the medical marijuana users will come together and prove to society that marijuana is a helpful wonder drug.

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