The legalization of marijuana for medical purposes Essay

The legalization of marijuana for medical purposes - Essay Example Several studies have revealed that persistent intake of marijuana accelerates the occurrence of the diseases that the proponents of its legalization assert that it cures. Another controversy entails the method of treatment used with marijuana. Smoking is not a very good method for taking medication since it accelerates and causes other conditions. This paper will analyze and discuss in detail the reasons why legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes should not occur. The paper will provide the premise that states should not legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. It will first provide a history of the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes as well as the nature of the debate surrounding this issue. There has been a vigorous debate about legalization of marijuana for the last 40 years. Some of the policies supporters argue that marijuana is a safe drug hence individuals should possess small quantities. They also assert that criminal sanctions against personal use and ownership characterize at worst extremely harsh and unnecessary penalties. On the other hand, the opposers of the policies claim that alleviating of present laws contradict that marijuana is not a benevolent drug, particularly according to new psychopharmacologic information shows that marijuana shares many characteristics with other illegal drugs. (Joffe & Yancy, 2004). Although researchers acknowledge the medicinal value of marijuana since time in memorial, there are other traditional drugs that cure the same conditions that marijuana can treat since monitoring the dose of marijuana is hard (Koger, 2006). There is unreliable evidence that marijuana may be useful in treating a number of medical conditions hence a v ital force behind efforts to change the legal position of marijuana (Joffe & Yancy, 2004). However, doctors have used the plant for arthritic pain, treatment of pus-forming infections and fever (Koger, 2006). In addition, marijuana may have benefits on these conditions: wasting related to AIDS, nausea after chemotherapy, spastic disorders, and relief of interocular pressure related with glaucoma. However, despite the benefits the dose of marijuana used could risk a patient a prison sentence (Conboy, 2000). The debate on legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes remains very controversial. While the health professionals are ethically required to offer the best possible treatment, they also have to follow the state and federal laws. Consequently, there has been extensive research to establish the mechanisms, potential uses, side effects, and alternative delivery methods of the contents of this drug (Yambura, 2008). Political buzzwords such as â€Å"War on Drugs† have del ayed the legalization of marijuana in the U.S. In addition, the role of states’ rights complicates the matter further since it is not directly involved in the ethics of the policy as much as the country’s federalist structure (Rabbani, n.d). History of the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes In the modern world, marijuana is one of the most well known and diversified of plants. It was native to central Asia but only recognized for its medicinal purposes five years ago during the reign of the Chinese Emperor Chen Nung. However, marijuana’s medicinal properties were evident much later in the West. In the United States, marijuana was widely used for