Medical Marijuana Case Study

Introduction
Many people are unaware of the positive effects that marijuana can have as a medicine. It can be used to treat a variety of illnesses along with certain disorders. Marijuana is stereotypically viewed as just a street drug that people use to get high. What many people do not know is that it can be grown different from recreational forms for medicinal purposes. It is well regulated for patients who choose marijuana as a form of treatment. It is also relatively inexpensive compared to other drugs that can be very pricy. Over half of the fifty states have already legalized marijuana for medical use. The positive effects of medical marijuana far outweigh the negatives and it should be legalized nationally for medicinal purposes
Medical

It has been shown that THC has beneficial results when used properly and can be used to treat ALS, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, arthritis, side effects of chemotherapy side effects, HIV related problems, insomnia, multiple sclerosis, sleep apnea, and other various illnesses. Sometimes THC can even be used to reduce cancerous tumors. In general, THC helps to reduce nausea and vomiting, which makes medical marijuana a very good type of treatment for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Another disease that can be treated with medical marijuana is AIDS. People who suffer with the AIDS virus often experience a lack of appetite. The THC chemical found in marijuana has been shown to significantly increase appetite. Although THC is still present, using marijuana for treatment is still beneficial. The other main chemical in marijuana, CBD, can also be used to treat certain specific illnesses or issues such as acne, ADD, anxiety, arthritis, cancer, epilepsy, and glaucoma. (Anne Harding, n.d., p1.) drug facts “There is a growing interest in the marijuana chemical CBD to treat certain conditions such as childhood epilepsy, a disorder that causes a child to have violent seizures.” It is also stated that scientists have been specifically breeding marijuana plants and making CBD in oil form for treatment purposes. This type of marijuana is non-intoxicating, which is an important aspect of medical marijuana. Kim Zimmermann (2015) wrote about a

It is grown quite different from that of recreational marijuana. The psychoactive chemical, THC, is much less present in medical marijuana and therefore cannot get the user high. Administering this type of marijuana to any patients, even children, can greatly reduce their pain or help treat their illness. Other medications such as painkillers can be addictive to some people. Medical marijuana does not have addictive like properties because certain types lack the mind-altering THC. It can be very beneficial to patients who have a variety of illnesses. Some forms of medical marijuana still have THC present, but only if the THC is necessary for the treatment of the illness. Many doctors believe that medical marijuana should be legalized everywhere. Robert Preidt (2014) analyzed a recent survey that showed more doctors than consumers believe medical marijuana should be legal. It is stated “Support for medical marijuana was highest among cancer specialists (oncologists) and blood disorder specialists (hematologists). For those two groups, 82 percent said marijuana can provide real benefits to patients. The same percentage said marijuana should be a treatment option for patients, according to the WebMD/Medscape