Essay Sample on the Use of Medical Marijuana

The use of medical marijuana as a treatment has amassed a lot of attention from the people all over the world. There have been legal, ethical, and even social controversies over the use of the drug as a medicine. Among the controversies include safe administration, packaging, and dispensing, also, health consequences that are adverse and deaths from the intoxication of marijuana are among the complexities that are associated with this kind of treatment. Furthermore, Marijuana is the widely cultivated, trafficked and abused illegal drug around the world and most people believe it should be legalized. Nonetheless, the use of marijuana as medicine continues to evolve as indicated by the growing number of countries legalizing it for specific medical indications. Therefore, the paper will look at the appropriate use of pharmacology related to the use of medicinal marijuana, the relationship between quality outcomes, patient safety, and use of the pharmacology related to the use of medicinal marijuana. Also, how the use of medical marijuana affects both the community and the organization is terms of promoting health and wellness and inequities related to accessing pharmacology of medical marijuana.

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Pharmacology Related to Use Medical Marijuana

Marijuana has always been advocated as the most recreational substance that is safe. Perps there is the truth to this since respectable scientific studies have shown that the use of cocaine, heroin, alcohol, and cigarettes are more harmful to the user compared to marijuana. Among the pharmacological use of marijuana is to treat diseases such as AIDS, cancer, chemotherapy, glaucoma and researches are being conducted to see if marijuana can treat mental anxiety and mental disorders. However, habitual use of marijuana has effects on the immune system, respiratory system, mental health which entails brain function and memory. A disclaimer on the use of marijuana is that it accelerates the very disorders that are being used to treat. For instance, smoking marijuana regularly affects the ability of the smokers body to fight against infection. This is due to it weakens some of the natural immune mechanisms such as the macrophages commonly known as killer cell and the T-cells that are very significant to the body. Smoking marijuana regularly affects the respiratory system especially it leads to pulmonary infections and respiratory cancer. Other health concerns that result from marijuana include chronic bronchitis, impairment pf the small air passages, inflammation of the lung, development of potentially pre-cancerous abnormalities among others. Marijuana also impairs perception, thinking, memory, judgment, and learning. It is the cause of most mental disorders such as panic attacks, flashbacks, hallucinations, paranoia, depression among others (Borgelt, Franson, Nussbaum, & Wang, 2013).

The basis of cannabis is formed by the plant Cannabis Sativa. Cannabis is among the plants that are highly pharmacological, and it has 400 active chemicals (Leung, 2011). Cannabis is highly effective in relieving pain and inflammation. The chemical components of cannabis are referred to as cannabinoids, and they are located around active chemicals, terpenoids, and flavonoids. Several combinations and levels of cannabinoids, terpenoids, and flavonoids are important to the body such as they cause stimulation of the bone, dilation of blood vessels, protection of damaged brain cells, destroying certain kind of cancer cells, prevention of seizure, controlling muscle spasticity among others. Also, cannabis is useful in easing the pain, controlling muscles spasms and seizures, healing destroyed brain cells and protecting against the ravages of Alzheimer. Despite having many types of cannabinoid, the two most famous are the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)d cannabidiol that are part of the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. THC is considered to be the psychoactive part of the cannabis whereas cannabidiol is the non-psychoactive. However, when the two are combined, they assist in dampening the psychoactivity and other side effects that are undesirable to some people. It is believed that both components have a synergistic effect that is when they are both together at the therapeutic level they are more effective than when they are alone.

Pros and Cons Of Medicinal Marijuana

The use of medicinal marijuana has raised different of reactions from people. There people who argue that marijuana is safe and effective in treating symptoms of cancer, AIDS, glaucoma among others. However, some people argue that the use of medicinal marijuana is risky, is highly addictive, leads to use of harder drugs, interferes with fertility, leads to impairment of the lungs, interferes with the brain and the immune system among others (New Health Advisor,2017). Apparently, marijuana has had its positive and negative impact on certain diseases such as AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, muscles spasms just to discuss a few.

Among the AIDS patients marijuana has been known for treating the wasting syndrome which includes nausea, loss of appetite, pain, anxiety among others. On the other hand, marijuana affects the immune system of a patient who has AIDS since it leads to the impairment of T-cells to fight infections. Also, it leads to progression of HIV to AIDS hence increasing mortality among AIDS patients (ProCon.org., 2017). Marijuana is used for treating nausea and vomiting resulting from chemotherapy among cancer patients. Although its use medical marijuana has not yet been legitimized as medicine, there are pills that have THC and are prescribed by doctors. Marijuana can reduce intraocular pressure within the eye which is the treatment of glaucoma. However, the impact is short-lived and needs very high doses, and there are many side effects to recommends lifelong use in the treatment of glaucoma. Moreover, the potentially harmful impact of severe smoking of marijuana outweighs its moderate benefits in the glaucoma treatment. Marijuana has a startling and profound impact on muscle spasms, tremors, balance, bladder control, speech, and eyesight. However, there are no studies that show marijuana helped people with muscle spasm (ProCon.org., 2017).

Promoting Health and Wellness

Recently marijuana has been identified as medicine in promoting the health of people also it is recognized for promoting wellness (Edlin, & Golanty, 2012). As discussed above marijuana promotes health through treating the symptoms of cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, muscle spasm among others. The components of cannabis are known for relieving pain and inflammation. Furthermore, cannabis has cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids that promote health and wellness. Wellness in this sense is the feeling that is enclosed in an improved mindset and well-being, rather than a medical benefit like reduction in the pain sensation. Therefore, marijuana can help someone live the moment and free themselves from their daily burdens. At times people find it hard to classify their feeling especially during hard and trying moments, marijuana can assist them in freeing from the excessive baggage hence feeling relaxed and enjoy the events that are taking place. For instance, people find it hard to concentrate on activities like yoga and meditation fully, but with the use of marijuana, it is possible since it clears the mind from thoughts that are unnecessary and allowing someone to enjoy the moment. Importantly, taking marijuana for health and wellness is different from using it for intoxication. Using it for health and wellness one uses it consciously and gets to understand the products and the form one is using. Also one understands how it can make them achieve their desired goal (Hellomd.com., 2017)

Inequalities in the Use Of Medical Marijuana

The use of marijuana on the federal level has remained illegal in the United States. However, many states have legalized marijuana for medical purposes, but there are states that have legalized it for both medical and recreational purposes (Boire, & Feeney, 2007). Apparently, there are certain requirements one needs to fulfill to qualify for medicinal marijuana. Among the requirements are certain medical conditions and they vary from one state to another but the common ones are AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, muscles spasms. Another requirement is a doctors recommendation, and the patient will get the medical marijuana card that permits them to purchase medical marijuana products. Nonetheless, in states that marijuana is used for recreational purposes the consumer does not need the card. When it comes to the issue of authorization doctors who are registered with the medical marijuana program are the ones who determine who should have access to the drug. Access to medicinal marijuana has influenced choice among a lot of patients especially those to suffer from chronic pain and those who take mental medication. These individuals prefer marijuana instead of their prescribes opioid medication. The major reason why people prefer marijuana to prescribed medicine is that of the reduced side effects, better symptom management, and the thought that marijuana is safer than the prescribed medicine (Villines, 2017).

References

Boire, R., & Feeney, K. (2007). Medical Marijuana Law. Ronin Publishing.

Borgelt, L. M., Franson, K. L., Nussbaum, A. M., & Wang, G. S. (2013). The pharmacologic and clinical effects of medical cannabis. Pharmacotherapy: The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy, 33(2), 195-209.

Diseases / Conditions - Medical Marijuana - ProCon.org. (2017). Medicalmarijuana.procon.org. Retrieved 30 May 2017, from http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.subissues.php?issueID=000029

Edlin, G., & Golanty, E. (2012). Health and wellness. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Leung, L. (2011). Cannabis and its derivatives: a review of medical use. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 24(4), 452-462.

Medical Marijuana Card | Easy Online Process. (2017). Hellomd.com. Retrieved 30 May 2017, from https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/using-cannabis-for-optimal-wellness

Pros and Cons of Weed. (2017). New Health Advisor. Retrieved 30 May 2017, from http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Pros-and-Cons-of-Weed.html

Villines, Z. (2017). Study: People Prefer Medical Cannabis to Other Medications. GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog. Retrieved 30 May 2017, from http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/study-people-prefer-medical-cannabis-to-other-medications-0320171