Abstract: 

This scientific controversy position paper argues a position on the topic of the marijuana debate and whether it should be considered a healing herb. It talks about why and how this controversy is important. It will further talk about both sides, explaining the different points made. Some ideas are that “smoking is a terrible delivery system” That besides potential risk of lung damage, the potency of smoked marijuna is difficult to measure due to the tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC,  levels varying widely from one plant to the other. However, some defend marijuana as a healing herb by stating “When you inhale something into the lungs, it’s very rapidly absorbed—you get an effect in five minutes”. “When you take a capsule, it may take an hour and a half.”  So it comes as more efficient. 

What is medical marijuna? Medical marijuna is using the whole, unprocessed plant to treat symptoms of illness.The use of marijuna as a medical herb is very controversial and can stir up strong different emotions within doctors, scientists, researchers, and the general public. This debate stirs up many questions such as is it safe? Should it be legal? Is the effect of marijuna proven? What is it actually useful for? Is it addictive? How can we use it medically, but keep it away from teenagers? Is the idea of medical marijuna just to help legalize mariguana for the public? Why do patients find it useful? Experiments have been done throughout the years to answer all these questions. The use of marijuana as a medical herb can be either beneficial or harmful, however not enough information is known to be able to support one side, more research and testing needs to be conducted.

Currently, marijuana is legal in 29 states. President Donald Trump says that he promises to not interfere with people who use medical marijuna to help cure themselves. Most of America (85%) support making marijuana legal,and several million Americans use marijuna. (Grinspoon, 2019)  Scientific data on controversial subjects, such as the marijuna debate, are usually misinterpreted, overinterpreted, and misrepresented. The goal is to help understand the scientific data, and the logic behind the conclusions made of there is not enough information and experiments done to make marijuana a medical herb used to treat all different kinds of patients. 

Even though marijuana is viewed very lowly by some individual , one reason many favor the legalization of medical marijuana is that it does in fact have the benefit of opening up your appetite. “The businessman, who is in his 40’s, says he does not like the sensation of marijuana and is so embarrassed to be using it that he would not allow his name to be used. However, he says, it eases his chronic pain and nausea and stimulates appetite. “Without this,” he said the other day, “I wouldn’t be able to eat.” (Trester, 1993) This idea, or mentality of being embarrassed is common within some individuals. Even though marijuana was helping him with his appetite, he still did not like the idea that it was “marijuna” that was helping him because of its known stereotype. Still however, it is not understood why exactly the marijuna helps with his chronic pain, nausea, and stimulating his appetite. It can be due to many other factors, more testing and experimenting has to be done to prove that marijuna is the cause of this. 

Another reason is, for many years, individuals who had AIDS, cancer and other diseases explained how marijuana helped them cope with what they were dealing with. “ … drug has helped them cope with nausea and muscle spasms and has reversed drastic weight loss by giving them the desire, once again, to eat. “It’s a crime to keep this medicinal herb from people,” said Beth Moore, an AIDS patient who helps distribute marijuana with a group in San Francisco. ‘It Brightens Your Life’ “ (Treaster, 1993) Many people see very positive effects due to the usage of marijuna in different ways such as the desire to eat, or helping with troubled diarrhea and cramps. People also claim that “it motivates you. It energizes you.” (Treaster, 2017) Individuals also say that even though marijuana is not strong enough for severe pain such as a broken bone, it is effective for chronic pain people face on a daily basis. “ Part of its allure is that it is clearly safer than opiates (it is impossible to overdose on and far less addictive) and it can take the place of NSAIDs such as Advil or Aleve, if people can’t take them due to problems with their kidneys or ulcers or GERD.” (Grinspoon, 2019) Marijuna can be used for PTSD in veterans  who are returning from combat. However, this information is not based off of scientific experiments and testing it is based off of different individuals experience with the drug and it is not known whether this effect will occur with all other individuals. 

Experiments have been performed on animals that have shown that marijuna extracts can help kill certain cancer cells and decrease the size of others. “Evidence from one cell culture study with rodents suggests that purified extracts from whole-plant marijuana can slow the growth of cancer cells from one of the most serious types of brain tumors. Research in mice showed that treatment with purified extracts of THC and CBD, when used with radiation, increased the cancer-killing effects of the radiation.” (Marijuana as Medicine, 2019) Proving that this drug has worked on mice but has not been further experimented on with a wider selection such as pregnant, ill, or older mice who can be more vulnerable to the herbs negative effect, so much more research needs to take place. It is not recommended to use marijuana for pregnant women due to the serious issues it can lead to. 

Marijuana has also been used during pregnancy and after pregnancy to be able to treat severe nausea mothers might undergo during their pregnancy. However, there is no research done that shows this is safe and as of now it is not recommended by medical professionals. Pregnant women are not recommended to use marijuana due to the animal studies that show that a certain amount of THC given to the pregnant as well as nursing women could have a long lasting effect on the infant leading to abnormal problems, such as learning issues. 

It was noted by some that some patients prefer smoking marijuna to taking pills because the effects are a lot quicker. “When you inhale something into the lungs, it’s very rapidly absorbed—you get an effect in five minutes,” he said. “When you take a capsule, it may take an hour and a half.” (Gillman, 2005)  The drug can be more efficient time wise, however the long term effects of this drug are unknown and need further testing to prove that it is both efficient and is not harmful. 

For the most part, medical marijuana has good efficient use for pain relief, not to cure any diseases. Studies show that patients that have cancer and undergo chemotherapy may experience side effects such as vomiting and nausea. A study in 2015 that involved patients with cancer showed that side effects of chemotherapy decreased in 47% of the patients using marijuna compared to patients who took a placebo and only worked for 20% of the patients. Another study was conducted involving 600 cancer patients that showed that the compound called nabilone which is a synthetic form of THC helped with those side effects compared to the already existing anti- nausea medications.(National Institute on Drug Abuse,2019) These studies however need further investigation however to determine if this herb can have a greater effect than any newer types of anti- nausea medication. 

Some argue that “smoking is a terrible delivery system” and that besides potential risk of lung damage, the potency of smoked marijunaa is difficult to measure due to the THC levels varying widely from one plant to the other. (Gillman, 2005) Marijuna can lead to many problems. Recent data shows that 30% of individuals using marijuna have some type of degree of marijuana use disorder. This disorder is based on dependance, when the drug is not being taken anymore the individual will feel withdrawal symptoms. As shown marijuana is an addictive substance, which has its effects. “People who use marijuana frequently often report irritability, mood and sleep difficulties, decreased appetite, cravings, restlessness, and/or various forms of physical discomfort that peak within the first week after quitting and last up to 2 weeks.” (Volkow, 2019) Studies also show that 9% of marijuna users will most likely become addicted to it. 

Researchers as of now do not know the full consequences of the brain and body being exposed to high levels of THC. Due to the fact that there is not enough information and testing being done it is not safe to allow the use of marijuana to patients due to the unknown effects that it may cause. Animal research shows that marijuana exposure during the development of the infant can cause lifelong changes in the brain. The rats in the experiment that were exposed to THC during their development show signs of problems and specific learning and memory disabilities. Therefore, with the research that has been done so far it is not known the consequences that will occur. The research that has been done is not enough. 

All of these articles positions need further evidence and testing. Not enough evidence is available to be able to support a side. Marijuana should not be used as a healing herb until further testing and all doubts and questions are better answered. When a drug such as marijuna, is highly addictive as stated above, it can be very toxic to the human body. This drug has to be looked upon in all views and tested far more than it already has been tested so far. This controversy is very important because it deals with the lives of many humans now and humans to come. 

Individuals are looking at this “medical” drug as an in-the-moment medication, however, they don’t know for sure what the long term effects of this drug are. It can be highly addictive, and it can affect your lungs immensely. It is stated that the state approved medicinal use of marijuna is a new practice that hasn’t been tested on enough. For that reason, marijunas effect on individuals who are not as strong due to age or illness are still not known. These individuals can just be more vulnerable to the herbs negative effect, so much more research needs to take place. 

With all these points that are for using marijuna as a medical drug and against using it as a medical drug it all comes down to not enough information is known to determine whether it is approved. Many individuals look at the use of marijuna medically as a more efficient, and quicker way to get the results they need. However, many are not noticing that it is unknown what the effects of this drug are in the long run. Also, it is unknown what the effects are for pregnant women, or how it would affect older or younger individuals.  Researchers need to know and understand the full consequences of the brain and body being exposed to high levels of THC to be able to further use marijuana medically with all and any kinds of patients, whether old, sick, or pregnant. 

References:

• US), Institute of Medicine. “Introduction.” Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Jan. 1999, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK230713/.
• Grinspoon , Peter. “Health.harvard.edu.” Health.harvard.edu, 2019, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/medical-marijuana-2018011513085.
• “Healing Herb? Marijuana Could Treat These 5 Conditions.” LiveScience, Purch, www.livescience.com/55750-medical-marijuana-conditions-treat.html.
• National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Is Marijuana Addictive?” NIDA, www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/marijuana-addictive.
• Volkow, Nora D. “National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Marijuana.” 2019.
• National Institute on Drug Abuse. “What Are Marijuana’s Long-Term Effects on the Brain?” NIDA, www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/what-are-marijuanas-long-term-effects-brain.
• Treaster, Joseph B. “Healing Herb or Narcotic? Marijuana as Medication; Underground Networks Supplying the Sick.” 1993.