Legislation of Marijuana

For many years, the United States government has prohibited some drugs, such as Marijuana, from being sold in the marketplace. Yet, even with prohibition, Marijuana use has only decreased minimally. Because of its illegality, only the bad aspects of Marijuana use have been made known. But there are many positive aspects of Marijuana legalization, including its application concerning to medical cures. As of today, in most of the states, Marijuana is classified as an illegal drug. Due to its proven medicinal purposes though, the drug should be made available for people to use.

Marijuana is a mixture of leaves, stems, and flowering tops of the Indian hemp plant, which is called in Latin "Cannabis sativa". Cannabis is a genus containing a coarse, tall, hairy annual herb that provides fiber from its stems, oil from its seeds, and drugs from its leaves and flowers. The only species of Cannabis, also called hemp or India hemp, is a native of Central Asia but is widely cultivated and found as a weed throughout North America (Encarta). Marijuana can be taken by smoking or eating it for its hallucinogenic and pleasure-giving effects. The psychoactive ingredient of Marijuana, Tetrahydrocannabinol also known as "THC", is concentrated in the flowering tops of the plant. Hashish, a drug prepared from the plant resin, has about eight times more THC than Marijuana. Known in Central Asia and China as early as 3000 BC, Marijuana was already used as a folk medicine. China played an important part in Marijuana's history. The first known record of marijuana use for medical purposes was in 2737 B.C. by a Chinese emperor by the name of Chen-Nung. He recommended it for the treatment of malaria, constipation, rheumatic pains, absent-mindedness, and female disorders. After Chen-Nung discoveries, many cultures acquired the emperor's knowledge and accepted the therapeutic benefits of the medicinal plant. For example, in India, "Cannabis has been recommended to quicken the mind, lower fevers, induce sleep, cure dysentery, stimulate appetite, improve digestion, relive headaches, and cure venereal diseases" (Sarasota and Bakalar). Thailand also used Marijuana to stimulate the appetite of people who were ill. It would make them sleep, and counteract diarrhea (Morgan 36). In 1839, a respected member of the Royal Academy of Science, Dr. W. B. O'Shaugnessy, was one of the first in the medical profession, who presented positive facts dealing with Marijuana and medicine. His work helped open up the medical world to Marijuana's medical uses. These statements prove clearly that the use of Marijuana began as a medicine. From about 1900 then it was used as a pleasure-inducing drug and by the 1960s and 1970s its use was widespread. It became, after alcohol, the second most popular drug. Although Marijuana has not been proven physically addicting and no physical withdrawal symptoms occur when use is discontinued, psychological dependence can develop with consistent, long-term use. Marijuana use had been prevalent since the mid-nineteenth century, however primarily for medicinal purposes. Marijuana grew fervently throughout the United States, and was therefore, readily available. By the 1930s Marijuana's use as a drug began to decline. Man-made drugs were being created in the laboratories as a safer alternative. In 1937, the use of Marijuana became illegal when the Marijuana Stamp Tax Act was passed (Morgan 50). This act prohibited the use, sale, and growing of marijuana. It was made illegal because no one understood why smoking marijuana made people feel the way they did, and because it was associated with Indians and other so called "immoral people." The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 was passed to officially mark Marijuana as an illicit drug. Ironically, at this time two new medical discoveries were made. The first one was using Marijuana in the treatment for glaucoma, and the second one was the ease it provided for cancer patients. This next portion of my paper will detail the medicinal benefits of Marijuana usage.

The legalization of Marijuana has become a major issue, and the number of supporters and opponents seems to be equally divided. Many physicians feel and they have proved that Marijuana is helpful in the treatment of AIDS, glaucoma, and cancer treatment. They also feel it is helpful for the treatment of arthritis, migraine headaches, multiple sclerosis and spasticity which is also known as muscle stiffness. A good example is that Marijuana has been shown to be beneficial in patients suffering from the eye condition known as Glaucoma. Glaucoma is a group of diseases characterized by the triad of elevated intraocular pressure, optic nerve injury, and visual loss (Sarasota 40). It is very prevalent today and is an important cause of blindness in all populations. Glaucoma is more common in older patients and in certain ethnic groups. Today glaucoma is treated