FREE ESSAY ON LEGALIZATION OF MEDICINAL MARIJUANA

LEGALIZATION OF MEDICINAL MARIJUANA

Legalization of Marijuana
During the Carter, Reagan, and Bush administrations, eight people in the United States
were allowed to use marijuana for medicinal purposes under the Compassionate
Investigative New Drug program. However, since the Clinton administration no new
applications have been accepted. Therefore, other patients who need marijuana to
alleviate the nausea and loss of appetite associated with the AIDS viruses and cancer
chemotherapy, as well as to treat glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic pain,
and other ailments must continue to suffer without the use of marijuana. Is this fair?
What could the reasoning behind this needless suffering possibly be? I thought that one
of the purposes of government was to promote the well-being of its individuals. Is that
not why our country spends billions of dollars towards advancements in medicine every
year? 
So, why aren't there any FDA approved studies testing the actual effectiveness of
marijuana in progress? If it is proved that marijuana does indeed help ease the pain and
suffering of these poor people, then why not allow it to be prescribed to help them. It
is illegal to consume any prescription drug not prescribed to you. Which makes all
prescription drugs illegal, how is this different from marijuana? Sure it may be
addicting, but so can caffeine pills. Sure it may be harmful if someone misuses it, but
so can Ritalin. I just do not understand how prescribing a drug to help someone could be
harmful. 
The least the government could do is research the subject a little more. Instead, they
seem to be doing the opposite. In 1994, The Assistant Secretary for Health postponed the
final meeting that would have decided whether the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services would require government-grown marijuana to be used in the first medicinal
marijuana research project in over a decade. The government seems to have no problems
arresting sick people for using marijuana, telling them that there has not been enough
research to verify its medical benefits. However, they are doing nothing to assist in the
studies.
A small non-profit organization called MAPS has been working for two years to raise
money, develop study protocols, and obtaining the Food and Drug Administrations approval
for the study of marijuana. Only one thing holds them back. They have no legal way of
obtaining marijuana, and the government will not give it to them.
If a medical missionary in the Rain Forest proclaimed that she had found a new miracle
drug to help ease the pain of many sufferers, you can guarantee that a government
approved study would be launched almost instantaneously. How is that any different than
marijuana? 
Why is Clinton so anti-marijuana? The Clinton administration is apparently so afraid of
being associated with the 'M' word that they are even willing to block research that
could prolong AIDS patients' lives, stated a spokesperson for the MAPS organization. A
poll showed that a whopping total of 65.5% of California's registered voters support the
legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Not only do the citizens support the
research, but many Congressmen support it also. 
"I continue to believe that those who can benefit from the medical use of marijuana
should be able to get the drug when prescribed," said U.S. Representative Gary
Ackerman.
"I share your support for the medical use of government-supplied marijuana and understand
the potential to ease the side effects of many diseases and illnesses, including AIDS,"
said U.S. Senator John Glenn.
So, if the Senators, Representatives, and the Citizens are all in support of medicinal
marijuana research, why is nothing being done?