Medicinal Marijuana: Should it be legalized?
For many years the United States government has prohibited the use of some drugs even for medical purposes. Today, in most of the states, marijuana is classified as an illegal drug. Yet, even with prohibition, marijuana use has only decreased but its necessity to suffering patients is still support its production. Because of its illegality, only the bad effects of marijuana use have been made known. However, there are many positive aspects of marijuana legalization, mainly its use in medical cures. Thus, public opinion on the medical value of marijuana has been sharply divided. Even doctors have expressed opposite opinions, making this issue very controversial. Some consider medical marijuana a drug that has a high potential for abuse with no marvelous medical effects and thus replaceable and unsafe for use even under medical supervision; others claim it is a uniquely soothing medicine that has been withheld from patients through regulations based on false claims. Due to its proven medicinal purposes, the drug should be made available for sick people to use.
The historical background of marijuana shows that it was meant to be used as a cure for suffering people. Marijuana, which was known back then as cannabis, has been used for multiple purposes prior to the birth of Christ. Although cannabis originated in the Middle East, China played an important part in marijuana's history. Hoatho, the first Chinese physician, used marijuana for medical purposes as a painkiller and as an anesthetic for surgery. China was not the only country that used marijuana as a medicine. For example, in Thailand it was used to stimulate the appetite of people who were ill. It would make them sleep, and counteract diarrhea. Clearly, we can see that the use of marijuana began as a medicine, and with more research we can find better uses of marijuana as for medicinal purposes.
For many illnesses, marijuana is considered...