Legalizing Marijuana for Medical Purposes

Legalizing marijuana for medical purposes can be beneficial as well as detrimental. Although the benefits of medical marijuana outweigh the harmful effects, there is still ongoing debate on this topic. There are many reasons why marijuana can benefit those who are ill. Medical marijuana is not a cure to most illnesses. It is a symptom reliever, which can improve the overall well being of those with certain illnesses such as AIDS, cancer, or glaucoma.

Those who are against medicinal marijuana believe that it leads to the use of other drugs. They also believe that it compromises the immune system because of the molds and irritants found in the cannabis. Like any other drug marijuana has side effects but when a certain drug cures or relieves a much bigger problem than the side effects are not taken into consideration. To legalize or not to legalize is the big debate here.

Medicinal marijuana goes back to ancient times. Cannabis is one of the "50 fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese medicine." Ancient India also used it for various illnesses such as; insomnia, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, and pain. It was also used in Taiwan and ancient Greece amongst many others. Marijuana contains many different compounds but the ones mainly used for medicinal purposes are the cannabinoids. There are three main cannabinoids in marijuana that play a medical role. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is a mild analgesic. Cannabidiol relieves convulsion, inflammation, anxiety, and inhibits cancer cell growth. Lastly cannabigerol is not a psychoactive like the other but has been show to lower blood pressure.

The cannabinoids in marijuana are what relieve the symptoms of illnesses such as AIDS, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, cancer, para- and quadriplegia. Marijuana enhances the appetite of those who have AIDS, making undesired weight loss less effective. Marijuana also reduces eye pressure in those with glaucoma and relieves muscle spasms in those who have multiple sclerosis or are para- or quapriplegics. It also relieves nausea symptoms due to chemotherapy ion cancer patients. The benefits of medicinal marijuana are undeniable there is extensive scientific research on this.

Medical marijuana is often less toxic than most drugs physicians prescribe. Actually even an overdose on most over the counter drugs are far more dangerous than overdosing on marijuana which almost nearly impossible. To overdose on marijuana one would have to consume 40,000 times the amount of THC required to become intoxicated, which there is no way one would do that. It is safe to say that no one has ever died of a marijuana overdose. In contrast to this almost every day you hear on the news people overdosing on prescription drugs.

Many of those who are against legalizing marijuana for medical purposes believe that it will lead to the use of other drugs, such as heroin and cocaine. They also believe it is addicting. Marijuana itself