Medicinal Marijuana, pros and cons

The legalization of medical marijuana has been an ongoing debate in the United States for many years. There are various proven facts that marijuana is both helpful and harmful to the human body. So knowing that there are some risks, do the benefits out way those risks? If so, then should the United States government make the medicinal use of marijuana legal? In order to answer these questions you must take into considerations what exactly marijuana is, what the medical benefits and risks are, and what other benefits legalizing marijuana might bring.
Marijuana comes from the Cannabis plant and is often used as a psychoactive drug. Although many people do not consider marijuana to be a drug, it most definitely is. Marijuana is a drug due to its legal status, its psychoactive effects, and because people often use it illegally in order to get “high”. Even though it is considered a drug, marijuana however does not have the typical characteristics of other addictive drugs.
About ten percent of users obtain psychological dependence on marijuana, but there is little evidence that proves it carries risks of addiction. Marijuana’s strength of addiction depends on the intentions of the user; many of who use it illegally tends to stop by the age of twenty to thirty. Marijuana is less addicting than cigarettes because most marijuana users do not have to smoke it on a daily basis.
The withdrawal effects of marijuana however are similar to those of nicotine withdrawal. Although these symptoms are mild and do not last very long. Withdrawals from alcohol and other prescription drugs have much harsher side effects.
Lastly, marijuana is a drug that has some negative effects on those who use it too frequently. It can lead to a loss of ambitions and goals, along with various other types of negative medical side effects. Although when it is used for the right reasons and under the restrictions of doctors, the results can be beneficial. However, the government does not take these benefits into consideration.
In 1972, marijuana was put in the first Schedule of the Controlled Substance Act. This means that the United States government believes marijuana to have “no accepted medical use in treatment in the United States”. But after years of research, some medical professionals believe differently. As of today, thirteen out of fifty states in America have approved the medical use of marijuana for patents who qualify. If thirteen out of fifty states have proven and believe that marijuana has valid medical use, then why does the government still not approve of its medical usage?
Many advocates for pro-medical marijuana argue that it has many benefits for different patients. The typical uses for medicinal marijuana includes treating specific kinds of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, cancer, and AIDS. Some physicians claim that marijuana is safe to use and that it is less toxic than other drugs that physicians prescribe to their patients on a regular basis. Although this argument can be debated, depending on which drugs you may be referring to.
Many people believe that smoking marijuana can cause lung cancer. But there have not been any reported cases of lung cancer or emphysema that were related to the use of marijuana. Although some believe that smoking it does have negative side effects to other things in our bodies. Marijuana has been proven to have several positive effects on patients with the AIDS virus. It is said that patients receiving marijuana pills or smoking marijuana had better immune function compared to patients who were receiving placebo. Although there are several positive medicinal uses for marijuana, there are still several proven facts that marijuana does have negative side effects as well.
Some health professionals believe that smoking three to four cannabis cigarettes a day is equivalent to smoking twenty or more tobacco cigarettes a day because they both will give the user symptoms of acute and chronic bronchitis. Although it is proven that marijuana does not cause lung cancer, it can infect your lungs by damaging cells within the lining of the bronchial passage. There are some researchers who believe that smoking marijuana can impair the immune system in some patients; therefore, AIDS patients who may have already immune deficits and think they should not smoke marijuana. Some health professionals say that there are other safer drugs than marijuana that doctors can prescribe. Although, these opinions can be debated depending on the situation and the patient. Marijuana is a mixture of 400 chemicals, which is one reason some doctors prefer other drugs whose dosages are known. However, if the growth of marijuana was regulated for medical purposes, then those plants could be studied and perfected to be prescribed to patients.
Marijuana could have many benefits if it was regulated by our government and if it was given to only those who need it. If smoking the marijuana is what causes most of the negative side effects, then professionals should find another way to give the helpful elements to patients. Many more studies must be done on the medical use of marijuana in order for this to ever be accomplished.
Once the necessary research has taken place and marijuana has been made 99.9% safe, then its growth, manufacturing, and distribution can be regulated by the government. The government could hire federal workers to grow, manufacture, and distribute the marijuana to hospitals. This would give thousands of people well paying, federal jobs. If necessary, the government could also put a high tax on the marijuana that is sold. If marijuana was legalized for medical use, all of these things would take place and as a result, help the struggling economy severely.
The benefits from legalizing medical marijuana tremendously out way the possible risks smoking marijuana may or may not have. It would help the economy by providing jobs and most importantly it would help the sick people whose lives are made easier by taking marijuana. Medical marijuana is sometimes the better choice of drug compared to other prescription drugs because it is natural, cleaner, and less addicting. The use of medical marijuana should seriously be considered to be legalized by our government because the benefits will be endless for those who need treatment and those who need an occupation.

Works Cited:
ProCon.org. Should marijuana be a medical option?" medicalmarijuanaProCon.org. 9 Sept. 2009. Web. 13 Sept. 2009.