“If people let government decide what foods they eat and medicine they take; their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.” (Mathre pp.1) Thomas Jefferson, one of our founding fathers, would be appalled that a plant, that has the possibility of curing some of the deadliest diseases and disorders, is banned from use all over our country. Cannabis is classified as a schedule I drug in the United States and is punishable by law. It is sad that scientists who are inclined on using cannabis as a means of curing a disease or disorder are heavily limited to their studies due to the unnecessarily illegal nature of a possible life-saving plant. (“Integrating Cannabis into Cancer Care” 2016) HIV/AIDS victims have shown to have had an increase in appetite due to some of the cannabinoid based drugs available which is a huge help given many other drug options are off of the table for these people. (“Sensors and Materials” 2016) Cannabis was first written about medicinally around 4,700 years ago and since this discovery the medical benefits have far outweighed the risks; Complete legalization of this plant would ease the symptoms for terminally ill patients and also alleviate our countries economic stress situation.
Cannabis has thrived for thousands of years all over the world and was first written about by a Chinese emperor by the name of Shen Nung in 2727 B.C. This emperor was highly regarded for his agricultural skills and grew hemp not only for food and paper but also as a medicine (Mathre pp. 35) Hua T’o, the man who founded Chinese surgery around 110 A.D., boiled hemp with wine and created an anesthetizing creation that he used on his patients (Mathre pp.35) in India around 600 B.C. Indians around this period of time had a system of medicine called ayurvedic and they state that cannabis is a viable cure to leprosy, a huge concern at the time. This was one of the first proven effects shown by the use of medicinal cannabis. (Mathre pp. 37) Many people’s attention was caught when the discovery of a 2500-year-old mummy known as the “Siberian Ice Maiden” was found, with her a pouch of cannabis was found. A MRI was performed on the maiden and it revealed that the princess had a tumor in her right breast. (Integrating Cannabis into Clinical Cancer Care” 2016) While this discovery did not prove much it did bring up the fact that cannabis has been used for a very long time to try and cure diseases or alleviate the painful symptoms caused by them.
Illegalization of cannabis was brought on by an agenda began by a man named Harry Anslinger. Anslinger was put in charge of the Department of prohibition in 1929. Mr. Anslinger realized that post-prohibition that he was going to have very little to deal with. Quickly he decided that he would begin an anti-cannabis agenda. (“Why is Marijuana Banned” 2016) Harry Anslinger used a particular case in which a child slaughtered his entire family in Florida and associated it with cannabis use, this story happened to terrify American parents of cannabis. (“Why is Marijuana Banned”) Anslinger, realizing that he had no legitimate basis to keep cannabis illegal, asks twenty-nine scientists if they think that it produces a danger to the people. Out of all of the twenty-nine scientists only one said that cannabis posed a threat for Americans. Following the story that Anslinger used to scare Americans combined with the one scientist, out of twenty-nine, that he had talk about the dangers of cannabis, marijuana became illegal. (“Why is Marijuana Banned”) In 1986 tetrahydrocannabinol, the most psychoactive part of the cannabis plant, was approved as a licensed drug due to many analgesic healing properties (“Integrating Cannabis into Caner Care” 2016). This showed many people were once scared by Harry Anslinger’s strong anti-cannabis message that cannabis actually had the ability to ease symptoms of certain diseases. Anslinger and his ridiculous anti-cannabis agenda have since died off and people are joining the movement to legalize cannabis. There are twenty-eight states that have, with restricting laws, have legalized the use of cannabis. Cannabis contains around four hundred active chemicals, sixty of which are chemically unique and are called cannabinoids. (“Dosing Medical Marijuana” 2007) These unique cannabinoids are what scientists have conducted many studies on and have been proven to help with terminal diseases. Potency of cannabis is essential in producing the medicinal effects that are needed to help patients suffering from diseases and disorders. Cannabis can be administered orally and by inhalation (“Dosing Medical Marijuana” 2007). Inhalation is far more effective as it is delivered throughout the body at a much faster rate than oral consumption and more of the cannabinoids are absorbed (“Dosing Medical Marijuana 2007). How cannabis is administered is very important because it determines which parts of the body it will effect and how much of an impact it will have in helping with the curing of a disease or alleviation of that diseases devastating symptoms (“Dosing Medical Marijuana” 2007). Since many physicians are now allowed to prescribe drugs that contain cannabis there is a strong need to enforce rational dosages (“Dosing Medical Marijuana” 2007). While cannabis is a drug that is not known to cause any severe detrimental health problems. Like any other drug that can be prescribed you must abide by all federal laws to make sure that all people consuming the product know the possible side effects of cannabis.
There are many terminal illnesses that, thanks to much recent research, may have the possibility of being put into remission through the use of medicinal cannabis. Neuropathic pain impacts around thirty percent of victims who suffer from HIV/AIDS and cannabinoids have recently been shown to be beneficial for the countless numbers of people who battle this never-ending disease (“Sensors and Materials” 2008). This study, conducted by many medical departments of the University of California, showed that smoked cannabis lowered neuropathic pain intensity considerably in HIV patients (“Sensors and Materials” 2008). Neuropathic pain impacts around thirty percent of victims who suffer from HIV/AIDS and cannabinoids have recently been shown to be beneficial for the countless numbers of people who battle this never-ending disease. Marijuana is currently being used in small cases on patients suffering from various types of cancer. (“Integrating Cannabis into Cancer Care” 2016). There currently one cannabinoid based drug on the market that is helping with the ease of pain caused by cancer and the reduction of nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy (“Integrating Cannabis into Cancer Care” 2016). As of recent studies have been conducted on adolescents with refractory epilepsy disorder and the results are very positive. Medicinal properties of cannabis helping with epilepsy have been known for a few centuries now, recently the idea of using the more potent part of the cannabis plant to lower the risk of future seizures is being studied (“Children with Refractory Epilepsy”). A study performed on a 7-year-old boy with refractory epilepsy showed that, while administered the proper of cannabinoid oil, a year later the boy is in remission of the disorder (“Children with Refractory Epilepsy” 2016). Not only did the boy go into remission from the proper dosage of cannabinoid oil he also is now able to manage the autistic-like symptoms that affect patients with refractory epilepsy (“Children with Refractory Epilepsy” 2016). This is an excellent example of one of the many great benefits that medicinal cannabis has given to those who chose to use it.
Our country is obviously in economic turmoil and there has been much discussion over how the economy will be impacted if marijuana were to be legalized. It is very hard if not impossible to predict the impact of the legalization of marijuana on the economics of the United States, and worldwide, but if money is being derived from companies within the United States walls we can be sure that the economic impact will be positive due to the chain of supply and demand (“Economics and Marijuana” pp. 5). Colorado is a great example of what an economic boom our county would have if it were to legalize the sale of recreational cannabis. On November 6, 2012, Colorado residents approved Amendment 64 which legalized medicinal cannabis for the state (“From Forbidden Fruit” 2016). On January 1, 2014 Colorado approved the sale of recreational cannabis. (“From Forbidden Fruit”2016) Recreational legalization of cannabis has positively impacted so many factors in the state such as: agriculture, public health, law enforcement, and all of these departments have had an increase in jobs which in turn positively impacts our economy (“From Forbidden Fruit”, 2016). In 2015 recreational marijuana sales reached 588 million which shows that clearly cannabis has already made an impact in our economy. (“From Forbidden Fruit”, 2016) Colorado, more than anything, has made the world realize that marijuana is not such a disastrous product that promotes bad behavior, like our buddy Harry Anslinger stated, but instead is a product that can be used for economic gain.
While there are still no know cures for the diseases that cripple millions yearly and symptoms from disorders that will continuously pop up throughout people’s lives, cannabis provides a hope that was once not there for many patients. Research is being conducted daily using the healing properties of medicinal cannabis and perhaps one day this plant will be the end of diseases that have killed and crippled some people that you may know or have known. Having knowledge that this drug can cure not only potentially life-threatening diseases that the world is facing, but also help improve the worlds health, every country ought to consider legalizing this healing plant.