Medical Marijuana; A Controversial Issue
Have you ever thought that marijuana could medically help you? Ben Dickinson, author of “What if weed is exactly what you need?” in Esquire, writes, ”Whatever the risk, many AIDS patients with treatment-induced nausea, appetite lose, and wasting syndrome claim that marijuana,” also known as pot, weed, Mary Jane, and cannabis, “has literally saved their lives” (Dickinson). In the current debate over medicinal marijuana use, the medical benefits of using marijuana to increase appetite and relieve pain are not in dispute. However, the question of whether or not this Class I controlled substance should be made available on a national basis despite its equally well known negative side effects remains unresolved. A comparison of Martha King’s article for Inside MS, Ben Dickenson’s article for Esquire, Jane B. Marmor’s article in the Western Journal of Medicine, an article in Heart Disease Weekly, and a summary of current policy released by the Office of National Drug Control Policy reveals the depth of this debate, with each article describing how marijuana affects the body, some in a positive manner and others negatively.
Martha King wrote “Marijuana Update” for Inside MS. In her article she first talks about a scientific review of the use of marijuana for medical uses by the Institute of Medicine, a branch of the National Academy of Sciences. King tells us about the benefits weed provides to people who have multiple-sclerosis and that because pot does have some harmful side effects, we should work on providing a safer way of consuming marijuana. In the Institute of Medicine’s findings, “Marijuana smoke delivers most of the same hazardous toxins as tobacco smoke.” On the upside, “A smoked drug acts quickly, which is an advantage for control of these symptoms” of multiple sclerosis. Also, data suggests cannabinoid drugs may offer relief to some of the pain from symptoms caused by AIDS or cancer, such as loss of appetite,...