Example research essay topic: Marijuana As Medicine Affective Disorder - 1,242 words

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... usa plants. However, within one plant there are more than 60 different attributes. Between the sixty, there is basically only one component that is being investigated (Talarico). This component is called THC, also know as delta- 9 -THC (Nahas 249; Talarico). Lori Talarico describes THC as the resinous oil in marijuana that can be extracted from the plant.

There is already a THC counterpart on the market that is known as dronabinol. This is duly noted. You could say this is called 'medical marijuana'. The dronabinol is made into sesame oil and supplied in gelatin capsules (Talarico). This is how the drug is described: Dronabinol is a controlled substance, which affects the receptors in the brain and spinal cord. It has been marketed for anorexia and AIDS patients for weight loss and cancer patients for vomiting and nausea.

Some physicians also use it alone or with other drugs to treat epilepsy and glaucoma, and to relieve MS patients. However, it is not a go-to drug; it is not the first drug that doctors recommend. It is only used when all else fails. But, it has proved itself most useful to treat the vomiting and nausea and stimulates the appetite when the other medications can not help (Talarico). Besides all the things marijuana has been suggested good for there is still a negative association when it come to the drug. Some researchers say it causes brain damage, low sperm count, and lung cancer (Nahas 139; Abel 179).

However, though it is true that the sperm count is lower in some marijuana users, however the infertility rate is the same as non-users (Dickinson). Though when it comes to background studies on the reproductive system and marijuana usage, it is mostly done on male, a study in 1982 focused on a group of women who had been chronic marijuana users for a least 3 years. During the length of the experiment they were smoking about five to sixteen marijuana 'joints' a day. The study found was there was no change in their sexual hormonal production levels or the length of their menstrual cycle (Nahas 146). As for lung cancer and brain damage, some say: 'If marijuana ever caused a single death, it didn't leave any fingerprints. ' (Dickinson). What these people are basically saying is though there have been claims that marijuana is a killer drug, there is no documented case that someone has actually died from using too much marijuana.

However, some adamantly stand by their beliefs that marijuana is a killer and has no place in medicine. They believe the whole campaign for marijuana to be drawn into medical mainstream is all a big mistake. According to Steve Forbes, 'an insidious effort is under way to legalize drugs' (Forbes). Marijuana adversaries argue that there are other alternatives to marijuana, like Marinol, serotonin antagonists ondansetron HCI dehydrate, and granisetron HCI (Forbes; Talarico). Marinol for example is a synthetic form of the chemical THC like dronabinol. It has already been approved by the FDA and is basically made for AIDS patients enduring chemotherapy (Forbes).

The HCI drugs have fewer side effects and can be also given to children (Talarico). Basically, there are two concerns of having marijuana as medicine. The first, and not to sway from the main concern, has to do with the belief that the drug will be more abused than it already is. That is safe to say, since there have been cases to prove this. For example in the Netherlands where marijuana usage is legal and they have little 'hemp bars', the rate of abuse is higher (Forbes). So for instance, when Measure 57, proposed in Washington DC, which states that all you would need for access to the drug is a recommendation from the doctor, not even a prescription, there must be controversy.

The proposal also allows the patient's primary caretaker, even a 'best friend', could help grow, use, or buy marijuana for the patient (Forbes). Another controversial proposal was Washington State's Initiative 685. It calls for the legalization marijuana along with LSD and heroin (Forbes). Again, no prescription is needed and anyone in the medical field can give a recommendation. Doctors, pharmacists, and even veterinarians can give the okay for the drug. Also the patient only needs to claim a 'serious' illness, no definition of serious is explained.

And oddly enough the proposal calls for all drug-related criminals to be released (Forbes). Seems like it may reap more havoc than be positive in helping those who it actually supposes to. The main concern of having marijuana as an alternative medicine is the effects that it may have on the patients. The adverse effects that have reportedly happened to leisure users are a major concern. Marandino's article reports that marijuana has been accused of many things, such as affecting immune systems, smoke related health problems, and increased heart rate.

Though these side effects are serious, supporters of marijuana as medicine say that these side effects are common when it comes to a number of prescription drug (Marandino). Also, marijuana has been credited with creating psychotic episodes, memory loses and other manipulations of the nervous system (Abel 179). AIDS patients are even discouraged from using marijuana because it is not known the actual extent that the drug may damage their immune systems further than it already is damaged (Talarico). Some of the documented effects of leisure users are disorientation to time and place, and difficulty in controlling bodily parts, along with a great sense of anxiety and panic, a sense of floating-being one with their surroundings, and just mere hallucinations (Abel 182 - 83). One ex-marijuana user describes his experiences while he used the drug: 'First I used to feel good, having the giggles, laughing, etc. It started out as a once in a while thing, then as time went on, I started smoking on weekends, then it went up to everyday, so I could get that 'feeling'.

I had to smoke just to think well and to relax. This went on for 4 - 5 years, just so I won't have to deal with everyday problems. I had to stop because is started to make me paranoid. I taught that everyone was looking at me, examining me, analyzing me, wondering if they could smell my clothes with the weed scent, or if they could see my eyes red. Then I started to lose all ambition and became lazier as the days went on.

I became a dependent on the 'smokes'. Then one, I decided it was either my life or the 'smokes'. and I chose my life. ' (Kwabena Johnson) Though marijuana has been associated with mental illness and just sheer craziness, early reports had to be discredited because of flaws and inadequacies (Abel 189). In 1969 - 70, a study on 100 marijuana users was conducted. Out of the 100, twenty-one percent had a probable affective disorder (affective meaning that there was a disturbance on the emotional state of the person); eight percent had definite affective disorder, six percent probable sociopath, and six percent definite sociopath.

Three percent had asexual deviance other than homosexuality and there was even 1 who had a scipio-affective disorder. All in all fifty-two percent of the group received a psychiatric diagnosis (Abel 193). Some other effects that have been reportedly been connected with marijuana are unplanned change in appetite and weight, sleep difficulty, including hypersonic. Complaints of loss of energy, agitation, irritability, withdrawal

Research essay sample on Marijuana As Medicine Affective Disorder