Medical Marijuana Should Not Be Illegal - 1040 Words

For Five millennia Cannabis sativa (more commonly known today as marijuana) has been used throughout the world medically, recreationally, and spiritually. (Bostwick, 2012) The growing availability of medical marijuana in the United States today is helping many people’s lives as alternatives to traditional pharmaceuticals, when traditional medications do not alleviate their medical issues. Unfortunately, the full potential of medical marijuana will not come to fruition because at the federal level, which out ranks that of each individual state’s laws, marijuana is illegal. Its’ Classification as a schedule I drug- one with a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use keeps it as what can be considered just a ‘street’†¦show more content†¦Seventeen FDA approved drugs were compared to marijuana to see how many of the drugs were the primary suspect of death. Twelve of the drugs chosen were because they are commonly prescribed in place of medical marijuana. The other five were randomly selected because they are widely recognized and used by the public. What the comparison found is the total deaths of the seventeen FDA approved drugs where each drug was the primary suspect of death is Ten thousand and eight. Unlike where the primary suspect of death from marijuana is Zero. (Procon.org, 2209) Looking at that comparison shows that marijuana for medical use is a safe alternative. Medical marijuana can be useful. Even though here in the United States federally marijuana is illegal scientist here and around the world are conducting preclinical and clinical trials with marijuana and its’ extracts to treat numerous diseases and conditions, such as: HIV/AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Inflammation, Pain, Seizures, and Metal Disorders. (Abuse, 2015) This means that if medical marijuana was legal scientists in the United States could get federal funding for research and development. This would lead to numero us tests and trials that would allow for medical marijuana’s full potential of use. Medical marijuana is something even doctors are on board with further exploration. The AMA (American Medical Association) has adopted a resolution urging review of marijuana as a