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Hubert L. Black Sociology 105 Sembach April 10, 2001 Section A Should Marijuana Be Used As A Medicine? If we are think about people who have a serious medical problem that inflicts constant physical and mental pain do we ask ourselves theses questions? How much pain are they going through? What is their threshold? What is its frequency?
How doest it effect their life, and are they terminally ill? How can we help them? Theses questions helped researchers arrive at one conclusion of using Marijuana for treatment of medical illnesses. Researchers believe the drug to be useful in treatment of glaucoma, nausea accompanying cancer chemotherapy, asthma, and nervous systems disorders such as multiple sclerosis. Patients with serious illnesses that are exacerbated by stress and loss of appetite such as people with AIDS have sometimes found marijuana helpful. (1) There were several factors that steered some researchers to use Marijuana as a medical treatment. Marijuana contains an ingredient called tetrahydrocannabinol or TCH.
The amount of potency of TCH in marijuana determines the effect it has on the body. When marijuana is smoked or ingested orally it often causes stimulation of the central nervous system and increased conviviality. The user experiences a pleasant heightening of the senses and relaxed passively. (1). Other methods like pills, suppositories, eye and ear drops and even talk of creating a marijuana vapor have been on the research table. One of the disadvantages of oral (Marine or the synthetic THC pill) ingestion is it can require up to an hour to know whether the dosage is too much or too little, but the fastest method to induce Marijuana (TCH) into a persons system is when it is inhaled (smoked), which comes into play when trying to control nausea. This method raises a red flag with The American Cancer Society.
It is known that smoking any tobacco product or marijuana is bad on your lungs, so The American Cancer Society is funding a three-year, $ 361, 000 grant for research at the Albany College of Pharmacy to develop a marijuana patch for medical use. (6) The ultimate goal of the research is to see if the patch would be feasible. The patch will be designed to work using the same principles of the nicotine patch and deliver a controlled release dose of medication. Most people feel marijuana is not a lethal drug nor is there any documented cases of deaths directly attributable to unadulterated marijuana, which suggest that lethal overdoses are highly unlikely. Some say marijuana is not physically addictive and users do not suffer compulsive cravings, and most individuals may at any time cease to employ the drug without suffering physical discomfort. (1) With all of this in mind the only addiction questionable is psychological. Can the user detach if they needed to?
The National Institute On Drug Abuse (NIDA) held a two-day conference to discuss drug prevention, treatment, and research. Topics discussed were expressed opinions of the actual speaker, and are not official policies of NIDA. According to the Billy R Martin a 22 -year specialist on TCH who spoke at the National Conference on Marijuana stated, that marijuana can produce dependency and the level of dependency is directionally proportional to the dose or quantity used and frequency of exposure. (3) These findings were derived from animal models using standard proven methods that are used to demonstrate dependency on other drugs of abuse. The effects of marijuana on the Brain, Immune, and Endocrine system were also topics in the meetings held by NIDA There is a unique system in the brain by which marijuana produces its behavioral effects. Laboratory test has shown that THC and compounds like it bind to brain receptors. The location of these receptors is consistent with the type of behaviors associated with marijuana use.
Areas of the brain where there are high concentrations of marijuana receptors include the hippocampus, relevant to altered levels of cognition, and the cortex and the cerebellum, relevant to interruption of normal motor function and coordination. (4) The Immune system is weakened according to a accumulating body of research data indicates that marijuana and some of its components influence the immune system and affect the bodys ability to resist microbes, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, and decreases the bodys antitumor activities. These effects are compounded because marijuana use has occurred concurrently with the increased spread of sexually transmitted diseases like type B viral hepatitis, genital herpes, and AIDS. Because these diseases also target the immune system, marijuana users who are already vulnerable to infection may be especially compromised in their bodys ability to fight infection. The Endocrine system includes organs and glands that produce hormones and is effected according to several studies, animal and human, conclude that chronic and acute use of marijuana alters the secretion of hormones from the endocrine system, which may have an effect on the reproductive system and the individuals ability to respond to different metabolic changes and stress. (4) A conclusion on the use of marijuana for treatment was given by MD Reece T.
Jones from the University of California of San Francisco stated, Some suggested medical applications of marijuana are as an anti emetic, anticonvulsant, appetite stimulant, analgesic, muscle relaxant, or a treatment for glaucoma, asthma, or migraine headaches. Although marijuana may work as an anti emetic or as a way to reduce ocular pressure in glaucoma, problems caused by THC on the immune system or the pulmonary system or other systems may outweigh any positive effects. For many of the other medical applications listed above, there are very few or weak scientific data about efficacy, or there are many other effective drugs, such as analgesics, that are already available. To allow widespread use of marijuana for medical treatment, it must be evaluated like any other investigational new drug, and the same efficacy and safety standards must apply. (2) After reading statements from people who studied the effects of marijuana in a lab, and comparing then to someone who derived their answers through the research others. I decided to hear from someone who had been down that long road.
I visited a Marijuana Rehabilitation web site first to hear real comments from real people. I generally focused on hyper links concerning detoxing from marijuana and its side effects. Keep in mind that most of these people are heavy marijuana smokers and are usually driven to smoke excessively, because of some type of social problem encountered in their life. After numerous years of being told that there are no physiological effects from marijuana addiction, many of our recovering members have had definite withdrawal symptoms. Whether the causes are physical or psychological, the results are physical.
Others have just had emotional and mental changes as they stop using their drug of choice. There is no way of telling before quitting who will be physically uncomfortable and who will not. Most members have only minor physical discomfort if any at all. (5) The physical symptoms show your body is trying to recover from the smoke inhaled and your body trying to remove the remaining TCH out of your body. The most common physical symptom is headaches. They can last for a few weeks up to a couple of months, with the first few days being very intense. The most common physical symptom is night sweats, sometimes to the point of having to change nightclothes.
They can last from a few nights to a month or so. Sweating is one of the bodys natural ways of getting rid of toxins. Hand sweats are very common and are often accompanied by an unpleasant smell from the hands. Body odor is enough in many instances to require extra showers or baths.
Coughing up phlegm is another way the body cleans itself. This can last for a few weeks to well over six months. (5) Unlike most other drugs, including alcohol, THC is stored in the fat cells and therefore takes longer to fully clear the body than with any other common drug. This means that some parts of the body still retain THC even after a couple of months, rather than just the couple of days or weeks for water soluble drugs. The next most common physical symptoms experienced were tremors or shaking and dizziness. Less frequently experienced were kidney pains, impotency, hormone changes or imbalances, low immunity or chronic fatigue, and some minor eye problems that resolved at around two months.
My conclusion is nothing is harmless for everyone, under all circumstances, and at all doses. Consider the meaning of the words harmless, safe, and dangerous. These are relative terms as we use them in everyday life. Riding a bicycle is safe, but many people are killed in bicycle accidents every year. No one can imagine how some one else suffers when they are faced with these illnesses so no one should regulate your how much you suffer. Yes marijuana has side effects, but every drug does when take them for long periods of time.
I can agree with them about not wanting anyone to smoke it, but there are many other ways to get it into your system besides smoking it. Besides the patch inhaling it as a vapor as an alternative method. There are substances in cigarettes that are used in pesticides. Why not band that too! I also understand the concerns of presenting a bad image to the youth of today or people abusing the system getting phony prescriptions to smoke it. I think if anyone who had a legitimist illness they wouldnt be smoking it just for fun.
It would be more for relief. As far as AIDS patients it seems like smoking marijuana is a double edge sword for them. Its a no win situation no matter how you look at it. I can only suggest if it makes their situation less painful do it. Bibliography Bibliographies 1. Kenneth J.
Neubeck, Mary Anne Neubeck. Social Problems: A Critical Approach, Fourth Edition, McGraw-Hill 1997 2. Reese T. Jones, M. D, University of California at San Francisco, National Conference on Marijuana Use: Prevention, Treatment, and Research Consequences of Marijuana use, N 01 DA- 2 - 2213 page 23 - 24, 1996 http: // 165. 112. 78. 61 /PDF/Mjconf/Mjtitlepage. html 3.
Billy R. Martin, Ph. D. Professor, Medical College of Virginia, National Conference on Marijuana Use: Prevention, Treatment, and Research Marijuana: What It Is and What It Does, N 01 DA- 2 - 2213 page 17, 1996 http: // 165. 112. 78. 61 /PDF/Mjconf/Mjtitlepage.
html 4. Allyn C. Howlett, Ph. D. Professor, St. Louis National Conference on Marijuana Use: Prevention, Treatment, and Research University Effects of Marijuana on the Brain, Endocrine System, and Immune System, N 01 DA- 2 - 2213 page 19, 1996 http: // 165. 112. 78. 61 /PDF/Mjconf/Mjtitlepage.
html 5. Marijuana Anonymous, Author unknown, 1992 web 6. Michael Gormley, Pot patch the best method? ? The Associated Press 20 Jan 2000 web
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Research essay sample on American Cancer Society Anti Emetic
