1.0 Introduction
United Nations states that 3.8% of the planet’s population roughly about 158.8 millions of people use marijuana. Marijuana, also known as cannabis, can cure diseases but there are also people who misuse it as an illicit drug. According to Drug-Free World (n.d.) in adults aged 26 and above who used marijuana before 15, 62% continued to use cocaine at some point in their lives; 9% experimented with heroin at least once; and 54% made some non-medical use of this mind-altering prescription drug. In countries like the United States, Australia, Canada, Colombia, Germany, and Italy cannabis is legal for medical use, however, in countries like Brazil, People’s Republic of China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Hong Kong, Japan and Malaysia it is illegal. According to physician, David Casarette (2017), most people only know of the risks of using marijuana and are unware of its benefits. This research will determine whether the benefits of taking marijuana outweighs its risks.
2.0 Benefits of taking marijuana
2.1 Slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease
There is study from Scripps Research Institute showed that Alzheimer’s disease can be weakened by marijuana (Janda n.d.). Alzheimer’s disease causes memory loss, thinking and behaviour problems and in severe cases, it affects one’s daily life. Tetrahydrocannabinol and other compounds found in marijuana may decrease the beta amyloid in the brain, according to the study from Salk Institute in La Jolla, California. Beta amyloid is a trademark characteristic of Alzheimer’s and had been thought to contribute to the neurodegenerative disease. The difference of the normal brain and Alzheimer’s patient
is shown in Figure 1 (Journal Molecular Pharmaceutics, 2006). In a minor study in 2016, 11 patients of Alzheimer’s disease were given marijuana and results showed that THC aids
in reducing symptoms of delusions, agitation or aggression, irritability, apathy and sleep in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (Scutti, 2016).
Figure1: Difference between normal and Alzheimer’s patient brain
Source: Journal Molecular Pharmaceutics, 2006
2.2 Relieves anxiety and pain
In chemotherapy, marijuana is used to relieve side effects such as pain and nausea. Medical marijuana users have declared that the drug really helps. Studies prove that CBD which is a non-psychoactive compound which has a lot of therapeutic benefits can lower even eliminate anxiety. A study published by the Institute of Psychiatry proved that it has been determined that CBD provides great psychiatric potential, as it contains an antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like compound. In the research, animals were tested with swimming and puzzle mazes, and results shown that animals who had been given CBD encountered lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to others animals (Ptasevich, n.d.). Researchers proposed that with suitable dosage, marijuana can actually act as a soothing
agent that calms and relaxes the patient (Harvard Medical School ,2010). Cannabis has
been used as pain control among 10-15% of patients in a chronic pain clinic (Ware, n.d.). According to physician David Casarett (2016), there is a woman who suffered from rheumatoid
arthritis for the last 20 years, testified that medical marijuana actually helped with her anxiety and pain which enabled her to sleep well.
2.3 Helps cancer
Cannabidiol(CBD) a chemical found in marijuana also stops cancer from spreading (California Pacific Medical Centre in San Francisco, 2007). CBD protects healthy cells and is cytotoxic to breast cancer and certain other types of cancer cells (Whiteley, n.d). CBD turns off the production of a gene called ID-1 which cancer cells generate this gene and spread all over the body. When breast cancer cells with high levels of ID-1 were treated with Cannabidiol, the results matched this hypothesis as the cancer became less aggressive (Journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, n.d.). Moreover, studies in the U.S, Spain and Israel claimed that cannabis could even kill cancer cells (Gupta, n.d.). Also, a compound called Dronabinol helps in reducing nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy while Nabiximols can help people with cancer pain which cannot be be overcome by strong pain medicines (The American Cancer Society, 2017).
2.4 Soothes people with Parkinson’s disease
The dying of dopamine generators is the main factor that contributes to Parkinson’s disease and it can cause pain to the patient. Figure 2 clearly shows the dopamine levels in a normal person and Parkinson’s patient. Research from Israel proves that Parkinson’s patients feel less pain and tremors and even have better sleeping quality after smoking marijuana
(Welsh 2014; Loria 2014). In 2014, 22 patients who suffer from Parkinson’s disease were chosen by researchers from Tel Aviv University to be treated. They were asked to smoke a cigarette in order to get the baseline performance and after 30 minutes they were treated with cannabis and the results were recorded and analysed using the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale. The results of the study showed that the patients who were treated with cannabis had enhanced motor abilities and less tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia (Butterfield, 2017).
Figure 2
Source: anti-agingfirewalls.com
3.0 Risks of taking marijuana
3.1 Increase the risk of stroke
A study that examined over 20 million health records claims that cannabis consumers have an increased risk of stroke compared to a normal person (Butterfield, 2017). In 2009 and 2010, marijuana was illegal in most of the states in the U.S but according to data from Nationwide Impatient Sample, medical use for cannabis was shown in about 1.5 percent of people ranging from young and middle-aged patients, aged 18 to 55 years old. After
adjusting the results from the analysis and taking of the extraneous factors into account, the researchers claimed that marijuana use was independently correlated with a 26 percent increase in the exposure to stroke (Napoli, 2017).
3.2 Cause cardiovascular disease
Marijuana increases the heart rate of a person for up to 3 hours after smoking marijuana (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2017). The effect of high heart rate may increase the risk of having a heart attack. Those with heart problems may be at a higher exposure to heart attack. A study by Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre and Harvard Medical School claimed that the possibility of having a heart attack after smoking marijuana for first timers in the first hour is extremely high. Within the second hour, the risk declines to 1.7 times normal and goes back to normal rate after that (Malick, n.d.). Using marijuana can increase the exposure to cardiovascular disease such as obesity, high blood pressure, smoking and alcohol use. A research in cell cultures detected the presence of cannabis receptors in the heart muscle cells which are related to the heart’s contractility or squeezing ability, which is one of the mechanisms through which marijuana use could affect the cardiovascular system (Kalla, 2017).
3.3 Addiction
When a person cannot stop using marijuana, it affects his or her life as he or she is said to be addicted. This is called Marijuana use disorder. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2010 said that marijuana was voted as the main drug abused as more than 360,000 people were committed to treatment for addiction. The main reason they went for therapy is because the side effects of marijuana caused harm to their bodies and
minds (Narconon International, n.d.). About 4 million people in the United States claimed to be addicted to marijuana in 2015 and 138,000 of them voluntarily sought treatment. Long haul marijuana consumers who are attempting to drop out report mild withdrawal symptoms that make quitting difficult which include grouchiness, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and cravings (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2017).
4.0 Conclusion
The benefits of taking marijuana does surpass its harms Marijuana benefits the Alzheimer’s patients by slowing the progression of the disease. Moreover, it relieves the anxiety and pain of the patients, as well as, helps cancer patients. It also soothes tremors and pain for people with Parkinson’s disease. In contrast, marijuana usage can increase the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. Lastly, it causes addiction in people. According to survey by Gallup Poll, 2013 58% of people support the legalisation of marijuana white 39% of them oppose it and 3% of them have no opinion on legalising marijuana. It appears that more countries might legalise marijuana in the future.