Medical Marijuana

Marijuana is becoming legal in many states across the United States. Medical marijuana has also proven to be extremely helpful for many conditions and ailments. Have the writers at Paper Masters custom write a research paper on the current state of medical marijuana.

One of the most important and growing issues in the United States today is that of medical marijuana. Since at least the 1990s, there has been a movement among segments of the population to recognize that cannabis has specific uses as a medicine, especially in the area of pain management, and legalize its use as medicine.

It has long been recognized that marijuana reduces nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy. It is has been shown to be effective in the treatment of chronic pain from such conditions as diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis. Research is often scant, as marijuana remains a Schedule I substance under the federal government, classified alongside cocaine and heroin as having no value.

Medical marijuana can be administered in several different ways:

1. Smoking remains the most common.
2. Vaporization is becoming a popular alternative due to the perceived notion that fewer harmful effects will result.
3. Edible forms of marijuana are easily administrated.
4. Skin creams are also available.

In 1996, California became the first state in America to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. By 2015, some twenty-six states plus the District of Columbia have passed medical marijuana laws. Many of these laws come into conflict with the continuing federal ban on all marijuana, but the Obama Administration has signaled that the government will not interfere with state laws.

Medical Marijuana in the United States

The research indicates that there is a dramatic increase in the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, a trend that leads to the assumption that its acceptance as a medication contributes to the acceptance of its use in general. According to the literature, marijuana is used in a variety of cases for relieving pain and in other cases for increasing the appetites of patients for whom weight loss has presented a significant health threat. The problem however lies in the fact that there is no clear scientific evidence that marijuana has any true effectiveness in medical application.

The use of marijuana for medical reasons is not a new concept in the United States. On the contrary, the drug has been used for almost a century, garnering attention in the 1930s when the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was enacted to discourage both medical and recreational use by requiring "an expensive tax stamp and extensive paperwork". The rush to use marijuana for medical purposes came largely as a result of California's Compassionate Use program, which advocated the use of marijuana for AIDS patients who needed relief from nausea and the loss of appetite associated with the disease.

Although there was a slight lull in the demand after 1992, it flourished once California and Arizona passed legislation permitting the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Although almost half of all states have followed suit, these laws still conflict with federal laws, where the possession of marijuana, "even for medical purposes" is considered a federal offense. Interestingly, this has done little to reduce the use of marijuana for medical or supposed medical purposes.

Opponents of medical marijuana were arguing as long as a decade ago that medical marijuana was a hoax and only worked to systematically desensitize the public as well as law enforcement of thee problems that it contributes to in society. An article in The Washington Times detailed numerous accusations by legal watchdogs who charged that medical marijuana will work in the long-run to informally legalize and/or decriminalize the drug. According to the article, the medical marijuana hoax had already led to the acceptance of marijuana as "de facto legal" in the nation's capital.

An examination of the research reveals that federal legislators are still holding firm regarding the passing of legislation legalizing the medical use of marijuana. As late as August of this year, the Supreme Court had ruled that state laws permitting the use of marijuana for medical purposes does not provide immunity from federal prosecution. Nevertheless, as many as ten states have currently removed criminal penalties for growing or possessing medical marijuana, a trend that might work to further intensify the desensitization of the public and marijuana users on the serious problems that smoking marijuana present.