Does Marijuana have Medical Value?

Does Marijuana have Medical Value?

You’re sick. Someone offers you marijuana, saying that it will alleviate your suffering. Do you take it? Many patients and doctors have insisted that marijuana is uniquely beneficial, while others say the dangers of cannabis far outweigh the benefits. We know that marijuana is a drug, but is it a medicine?

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Regarding Argument
Marijuana is Not Prescribed By Medical Professionals
- From Drug Free America
No Side
By Drug Free America Foundation

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  • dpasquella
    Instead of Harmful Chemicals, Let's Legalize the Natural Plant!

    Although I do not smoke marijuana, I still believe that it should be legalized, only because of its medicinal benefits. If anything, they should make alcohol illegal, even though it’s been known to have health benefits as well. Everything in moderation, right? Marijuana has been known to alleviate many symptoms, just as it helps decrease the agonizing pain in cancer patients. A close friend of mine suggested that I take marijuana to help relieve my severe menstrual cramps, because my stomach will not allow room for ibuprofen after dealing with an ulcer which it eventually gave me. I declined, only because I don’t like “smoke”. If it were legalized, I could take it in the form of a serum, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), that is used by many pharmacies around the country. Then, I would gladly take part to get rid of these horrendous cramps I get every month. It's also been known to help people with asthma, which I have.

    What a better alternative: a natural substance God given, instead of taking painkillers. It makes sense. We accept and allow so many chemicals to flow through our veins with a gazillion side effects, yet we won’t allow a natural plant to help us as it did many years ago?

    I don’t get it.

    Also, if it were legalized, it would also eliminate most of the "laced" pot we see on the streets---knowing that it came from a trusted source.

    I’m for it.

    - dpasquella September 23, 2008 6:53AM

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  • Brinna Nanda
    It is not prescribed but recommended as per rules

    1. This is such a specious argument. If cannabis wasn't placed erroneously (and maliciously) on Schedule I, many doctors would happily prescribe it.

    2. Out and out lie: Here is a partial list of Medical Associations endorsing medical cannabis and calling for removal from schedule one:
    American Academy of Family Physicians, American Cancer Society, American College of Physicians, Virginia Nurses Association, American Medical Student Association, American Preventive Medical Association, California Academy of Family Physicians .

    And then there is the venerable AMA:
    American Medical Association (AMA)
    DATE: December 1997
    * POSITION: endorsement of a physicians' right to discuss marijuana therapy with a patient
    * SUPPORTING STATEMENT: "The AMA believes that effective patient care requires the free and unfettered exchange of information on treatment alternatives and that discussion of these alternatives between physicians and patients should not subje ct either party to criminal sanctions."
    * POSITION: research
    * SUPPORTING STATEMENT: "The AMA recommend that adequate and well-controlled studies of smoked marijuana be conducted in patients who have serious conditions for which preclinical, anecdotal, or controlled evidence suggests possible efficacy in cluding AIDS wasting syndrome, sever acute or delayed emesis induced by chemotherapy, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, dystonia, and neuropathic pain."
    * REFERENCE: Council on Scientific Affairs Report #10: Medical Marijuana

    3. You don't need to be terminally ill to use Oxycontin, Morphine, Lyrica and all the other addictive and dangerous medications that the pharma industry shoves down our throats.

    4. Doctors prescribe and recommend herbs all the time which are non-FDA approved. You are ones calling cannabis a drug!

    5. Patients rights are negatively impacted by arrest and harassment and cut-off of access, don't you think?

    6. Why is the only 'drug' that can't kill you, illegal? Oh, yes. Because it also makes you feel good.

    - Brinna NandaUS October 20, 2008 1:25PM

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  • sherri
    Move To Canada

    We can get marijuana prescribed to us by doctors, chiropractors, midwives, eye doctors, just about anyone with a script pad. Its never recommended you smoke it but to use an herbal vapourizer (my daughter, husband and i all have one) and inhale the steam or brew it as a tea or make yummy brownies with it.
    It is great for menstral cramps (prescribed to my 14 year old), morning sickness (prescribed by both ob/gyns and midwives), my moms seizures she got a prescription for it...they stopped...stress releif, increasing breastmilk prodcution...and seeing my 12 year old cousin with cancer treatments well underway, bald and giggling and eating, finally eating, after her "special" brownies...that would make anyone want it legal...

    - sherriCA December 10, 2008 7:25AM

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  • Starlon
    Right

    How do you figure a patient's rights would be violated by medical marijuana ? On the contrary, supporting medical marijuana is supporting medical freedom. Medical freedom is almost as popular as freedom itself.

    - StarlonUS February 19, 2009 10:48AM

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  • SamFox
    But medical pros DO endorse MMJ!!

    The American College of Physicians DOES endorse medical cannabis !

    http://tinyurl.com/ck6bwd

    So do many doctors.

    Dr. Ron Paul, the Prez candidate the US will deeply regret not sending to the White House, does not so much endorse drugs or medical cannabis as he does the rights of sates to choose their own approach to the subject..

    If cannabis is such a dangerous drug , WHERE ARE ALL THE BODIES??

    The drug war & MJ prohibition are more dangerous than the substance. More innocent people have been killed by law enforcement than have been killed by MJ in all recorded history. Check out the Drug War Rant website.

    Also people need to know that MJ was NOT criminalized because it is a dangerous drug. In fact, MJ was not the target of WR Hurst & his lap dog, Harry Anslinger back in the 30's. Hemp was the target. Hurst had large investments in timber stands & was invested in DuPont's fledgling synthetic chemical industry.. The reason Hurst went after hemp was to protect his investments. But hemp was not a danger to any one. So Hurst linked hemp to marihuana because though the two are very similar, especially in appearance. Using his newspaper Hurst proceeded to rant about how dangerous MJ was supposed to be. He lied. He deceived by leading he public & law makers into thinking that hemp & marijuana were the same. His Reefer Madness campaign was successful because people thought that "if it's in the paper it must be true". We know better now.

    People need to know the truth of why MJ was made illegal. You can find out by checking the facts & history of cannabis & hemp prohibition. You can start by looking up the website of Jack Herer. Also check out what NORML. Americans For Safe Access & Christians For Cannabis & other sites have to say. For a 'cliff notes' study watch the DVD "Grass" narrated by Woody Harrelson.

    You will find that cannabis & hemp are villified & remain illegal NOT because they are dangerous, but because many big corps think they will lose $ if these two plants are RE-legalized. Did you not know that in the Colonies it was once illegal NOT to grow hemp? Most Bibles of the day & many founding documents were written on hemp paper?

    There is a lot to learn that you have to research. Might as well get started!

    SamFox.

    - SamFoxUS March 30, 2009 3:02PM

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  • SamFox
    Don't like smoke?

    You can get a vaporizer. Using a 'vape' will get you the med from the bud but won't burn the rest of it. THC evaporates at a lower temp than it takes to produce the smoke of burning.

    Vaporizers lay to rest the argument that MJ smoke is bad for you. They are smokeless.

    SamFox

    - SamFoxUS March 30, 2009 3:09PM

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Regarding Objection
Marijuana is a Plant, Not a Pill
- From Amer Alliance for Med Cannabis
Yes Side
By American Alliance for Medical Cannabis - Compassion, Healing, Education

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Regarding Objection
Marijuana is Not Prescribed Because it Can't Be
- From ASA
Yes Side
By Americans for Safe Access - Medical Marijuana Therapeutics/Research

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Is Marijuana a Medicine?

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