Research, Test, Legalize
As American culture shifts, morals change, new policies are made, the economy adapts, and medicine evolves; what was once unacceptable or dangerous can be done safely and responsibly. Transportation has become safer, cars have become more energy efficient, cell phones have become a staple in modern lives, and the internet has not only provided unlimited access to resources, but also thousands of job opportunities. Everything changes; medicine is no different. Possessing countless medical benefits and positive effects on cancer sufferers, the usefulness of cannabis cannot be ignored. However, the risks and unpredictability of the drug can also not be looked over. As of right now, there is not enough information on marijuana to deem it entirely safe, but with research and time; the legalization of medicinal marijuana could prove to be a vital entity in the development of America
Medicinal and National Benefits
Cannabis is a plant originating from Central Asia which produces a “resin containing compounds called cannabinoids” (National Cancer Institute, n.d.). The main cannabinoid in cannabis is delta-9-THC, which causes “drug-like” effects, relaxing muscles and relieving pain (National Cancer Institute). However, this compound also causes the high that marijuana users feel, which may cause a desire for the drug, leading to dependency. Per contra, another major cannabinoid in marijuana is cannabidiol (CBD), which “may relieve pain and lower inflammation without causing the ‘high’ of delta-9-THC” (National Cancer Institute) . These cannabinoids have the ability to ease symptoms of several illnesses and diseases, including cancer.
Ultimately, the medical benefits of marijuana specialize in symptom relief and prevention of disease spreading. According to Dr. Jon LaPook during an interview with CBS, “There’s pretty solid evidence that it can be helpful in alleviating chronic pain in adults, nausea from chemotherapy, and muscle spasms in people with multiple sclerosis.” There are undeniable advantages to medicinal marijuana. In “The Benefits of Medical Marijuana” by the Quit Smoking Community, cannabis can be employed to “cure many diseases and physical problems.” From “fighting Glaucoma to controlling epileptic seizures to reducing Hepatitis C side-effects to treating inflammatory bowels to relieving arthritis pain.” Marijuana can give people relief from the pain that they so deeply endure, which is not something that should be made illegal. If there is a way to treat searing pain in other human beings, time and effort should be devoted to creating a secure and consistent way to administer it. However, the advantages of legalizing medicinal marijuana are not only found in the medical field. The Quit Smoking Community also speculates that “most organized crimes, terrorists and drugs dealers generate their revenue by selling hard drugs” and if medical cannabis was to be made legal, the issue of the “revenue in the wrong hands” would reduce dramatically. Granted, drug lords and illegal dealers will not be stopped all together, but people would not have to purchase marijuana illegally, which ensures these people are getting safer substances. Also, once legal, the government would be able to reasonably tax the drug. This would “generate considerable revenue” for the United States government and allow the government to regulate the sale of the drug to ensure that the people are getting what will help them the most (The Benefits of Medical Marijuana, n.d.). This projected revenue could have a respectable effect on taxes and the drastic debt of America, which is something the country sorely needs. The benefits of legalizing medicinal marijuana are extensive, and continue even further when specifically applied to cancer patients.
Cannabis’s Effects on Cancer
Being diagnosed with cancer is something a lot of people cannot even imagine. The emotional pain, the physical pain, the worry, the anxiety, and all that comes with it, is incomprehensible. Cannabis can have astounding effects on the symptoms that cancer patients experience. When diagnosed with cancer, one must undergo several stages of chemotherapy which brings with it terrible side effects including nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and neuropathic pain. Marijuana can relieve some, if not all, of these symptoms. According to the National Cancer Institute, several small studies “found that it (cannabis) can be helpful in treating nausea and vomiting from cancer chemotherapy.” Patients who used marijuana also had an increase in appetite, and “tended to need less pain medicine” than those who did not (Marijuana and Cancer, n.d.). Less pain medicine means less medicine that the hospital would have to buy, possibly reducing the expenses for those who suffer from cancer. Less medicine also eliminates side effects from those medicines, allowing patients to at least of some relief.
Marijuana not only relieves the symptoms of chemotherapy, but prevents cancer itself from spreading and even kills cancer cells. Studies show that delta-9-THC and CBD can “slow growth and/or cause death in certain types of cancer cells growing in lab dishes” (Marijuana and Cancer). Being able to prevent the spreading of cancer is such a critical ability. No amount of medicine or research can help someone suffering from cancer if the disease cannot be contained, or at least somewhat controlled. The importance of finding a drug that can do this cannot be overstated. With the proper research, marijuana could be used to ease the physical pain in the lives of those who experience the physical and emotional pain of cancer. However, the words with research must be emphasized.
The Risks
What’s the problem then? Why is medicinal marijuana still illegal in some territories? Well, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Marijuana is still terribly unpredictable and carries with it several risks. According to The National Institute on Drug Abuse, those who take marijuana in any fashion may experience “impaired memory”, “impaired body movement”, impaired “long term learning function”, a decline in “general knowledge and verbal ability”, “temporary hallucinations”, and “temporary paranoia.” These are all side effects that have been reported in those who used marijuana in some way. These side effects cannot be overlooked, as they are severe and have some consequences worse than that of what the drug is supposed to be treating. Not to mention, the chemical delta-9-THC can be addictive which may lead to dependency in those who utilize marijuana, bringing about an all new set of problems for the individual and possibly ruining aspects of their life. “Increased heart rate”, “decreased blood pressure”, and “breathing problems” (Marijuana, n.d.) are also among those side effects of medicinal marijuana. In cancer patients especially, side effects include disorientation, anxiety, paranoia, and dangerous movements in heart rate and blood pressure (Marijuana and Cancer, n.d.). In cancer patients however, the side effects are not just great discomfort.. The immune system of someone with cancer is weaker than that of a healthy person, making these side effects very drastic, even fatal. The American Cancer Institute says: “Because marijuana plants come in different strains with different levels of active compounds, it can make each user’s experience very hard to predict.” Seconded by Dr. Jon LaPook, who revealed during a CBS interview that “It’s so hard to figure out exactly what the risks are because a lot of this is based on self reporting.” This unpredictability could be the difference between life and death in some users. Due to the fact that every plant is different, doctors are not able to prescribe a certain amount of the drug. If someone is given too much or too little of the drug, the consequences could range from a waste of hard earned money to the start of a horrific addiction. This makes it impossible for the drug to be trusted and for the doctor to treat symptoms with marijuana with a good conscious.
Conclusion
The purpose of the third section was not to undermine the benefits and potential of medicinal marijuana described in the paper, but rather to provide insight on the fact that while the drug has the possibility to do wonderful things, it also has the ability to harm, even kill those who take it. Because there are so many benefits and potential advantages to using the drug for cancer prevention, more research is not only recommended, but necessary. There are too many lives that could be saved by marijuana to ignore it completely, but also too many risks for it to be legalized as it sits. In time, medicinal marijuana could help and save countless people.