Medical Marijuana Should Be Legal

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The right to use marijuana for optional medical treatment has been a long drawn out battle between the U.S. Federal Government and the people petitioning for its therapeutic uses. The history on the use of marijuana (also known as cannabis) has been a big deterrent on legalizing this type of drug today. The controversy stems from the medical and legal implications that the U.S. Federal Government has towards the use of marijuana. Others controversies are associated to petitions filed to re-classifying marijuana (a controlled substance) for optional medical treatment. Furthermore, there are conflicts that pertain with the intervention of the U.S. Federal Government preventing patients the use of prescribed marijuana in states that have legislated laws-- allowed for optional treatment (Hall, Degenhardt 689).

The U.S. Federal Government has led everyone to believe that marijuana has no beneficial values in the practice of medicine despite research findings. The process of legalizing marijuana for its therapeutic values has been avoided by our government due to a possible increase in usage for recreational purposes alone. Is the controversy really over the opinions of marijuana having no medical values or is it just an excuse to keep funding our government with billions of dollars each year (Zimmerman, Crumpacker and Bayer 161)? The evidence of scientific research and clinical studies alone should be proof enough to change the current policy governing the use of marijuana. The use of medical marijuana should be an optional treatment for people who are inflicted with a serious illness.

In today’s society the use of marijuana including other drugs like heroin, methamphetamines, and cocaine has been a big concern for every parent r...

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...l Academies Press, 1999. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). EBSCO. Web. 21 Sept. 2011.

Jill, B. Jessie. "The Constitutional Right to Make Medical Treatment Decisions: A Tale of Two Doctrines." Texas Law Review 86.2 (2007): 277-345. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 21 Sept. 2011.

Kane, Brigid. "Medical Marijuana: The Continuing Story." Annals of Internal Medicine 134.12 (2001): 1159-1162. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 25 Sept. 2011.

Manderson, Desmond. "FORMALISM AND NARRATIVE IN LAW AND MEDICINE: THE DEBATE OVER MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE." Journal of Drug Issues 29.1 (1999): 121-133. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 30 Sept. 2011.

Zimmerman, Bill, Nancy Crumpacker, and Rick Bayer. Is Marijuana the Right Medicine for You? : A Factual Guide to Medical Uses of Marijuana. NTC Contemporary, 1998. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). EBSCO. Web. 17 Sept. 2011.

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