May 18, 2013 | By Tim Stoddart

The Debate over Medical Marijuana – Good Idea or Bad Idea?

Addiction & Recovery News

Interesting Debate on Medical Marijuana

Currently one of the hottest topics in society and public policy right now is medical marijuana. In the U.S., it’s only been a few years since medical marijuana has gained wider acceptance and since some starts started to legalize it. Some states have even legalized recreational marijuana, but we’ll leave that for another debate. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved medical marijuana, and it’s still illegal according to the federal government.

Medical marijuana is a subject that can really ignite passions, and many people have strong opinions either for or against its use. There are many, however, who remain somewhat apathetic about it, which can be very telling about shifts in public opinion. There are those who ask, “Why not? What’s the big deal?”

Uses for Medical Marijuana

medical marijuana

There has been a lot of research done about the benefits of marijuana for a variety of medical conditions, but there is still so much to learn. Right now, medical marijuana is most frequently used for patients with very serious or life-threatening illnesses. Because marijuana can produce a high that’s relaxing and euphoric, it’s often used to help make terminal patients comfortable in the limited time they have left.

Medical marijuana can also be used for cancer patients; it can help to alleviate the nausea that’s associated with chemotherapy. For cancer and AIDS patients, medical marijuana is frequently used to stimulate their appetites. It can also be used to help relieve pain associated with serious illnesses, including multiple-sclerosis.

Another popular medical use for marijuana is to help people who are suffering from glaucoma. Marijuana has been found to decrease the intraocular eye pressure.

Marijuana has also been used as an effective treatment for mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Medical marijuana can help improve the mood of people with depression by releasing dopamine. It can help relieve anxiety or act as an intervening medication during periods of panic or anxiety attacks.

The Cons of Medical Marijuana

The main argument against medical marijuana is from those who consider marijuana to be a bad drug. Marijuana is classified as a hallucinogen, and for decades it has been one target of “the war on drugs.” There are many people who can’t see past the criminalization of marijuana. They cannot reconcile the juxtaposition of people being put in jail for marijuana use and people being given marijuana as a medical treatment.

Others fear medical marijuana is dangerous. People in an impaired state while under the influence of marijuana might do criminal or unsafe activities and harm themselves or innocent bystanders. Medical marijuana would be too hard to regulate even as prescription-only, and some think of marijuana as a “gateway drug” that could lead to more dangerous drug use.

Medically, there are also concerns that long-term use of marijuana can enhance depression and anxiety. It can also lead to problems such as memory loss, insomnia, weight gain, lack of concentration/coordination, and addiction.

What Do You Think?

Personally, I’m on the fence about this issue. Sober Nation, what do you think? Does marijuana have legitimate medical uses, and should it be legal for those purposes? Would legalizing medical marijuana do more harm than good? What concerns need to be dealt with in order for medical marijuana to be accepted and feasible in society today?

4 responses to “The Debate over Medical Marijuana – Good Idea or Bad Idea?

  • mehercoach

    11 years ago

    One of the problems has be that mj is categorized as a class one, “no medical use,” drug by the government which means that no research can be done on it legally in the USA, so our knowledge of its uses is limited to anecdotal stories. That said, it clearly has medicinal properties and the stories accumulate.

    As a long term 12-stepper I had to think long and hard about using it for the symptoms caused by an auto-immune disease. Basically it came down to having tried everything else I could find, and weighing the comparative pros and cons of mj vs other drugs. I discussed all of this with my medical doctor and my sponsor and began using it about six months ago. It has helped and has reduced my use of other drugs to stop spasms etc. I am now able to sleep and feel a lot better for it.

    Sobriety for me, in terms of using drugs to deal with symtoms, is to take the drugs exactly as prescribed by my doctor. With medical mj there is no prescribed amount, and it is very hard to take a consistent dose since one batch of medical marijuana will be different from the next. I only use it at night and try to chart my use so I can use a little as possible.

    The down side of using mj for me is that it is like putting a lamp shade on your brain. I don’t really like what it does even used in small amounts in terms of my imagination, and also ability to be logical and think steps ahead like in playing chess. But all drug have some side effects, and the ones I am dealing with are worth it, since I feel really crappy when I only get a good night’s sleep once a month or so– and that is what it was like before I began using it. So bottom line, I am grateful for medical mj, and I look forward to celebrating 30 years of continuous abstinence from alcohol next month.

  • mehercoach

    11 years ago

    One of the problems has be that mj is categorized as a class one, “no medical use,” drug by the government which means that no research can be done on it legally in the USA, so our knowledge of its uses is limited to anecdotal stories. That said, it clearly has medicinal properties and the stories accumulate.

    As a long term 12-stepper I had to think long and hard about using it for the symptoms caused by an auto-immune disease. Basically it came down to having tried everything else I could find, and weighing the comparative pros and cons of mj vs other drugs. I discussed all of this with my medical doctor and my sponsor and began using it about six months ago. It has helped and has reduced my use of other drugs to stop spasms etc. I am now able to sleep and feel a lot better for it.

    Sobriety for me, in terms of using drugs to deal with symtoms, is to take the drugs exactly as prescribed by my doctor. With medical mj there is no prescribed amount, and it is very hard to take a consistent dose since one batch of medical marijuana will be different from the next. I only use it at night and try to chart my use so I can use a little as possible.

    The down side of using mj for me is that it is like putting a lamp shade on your brain. I don’t really like what it does even used in small amounts in terms of my imagination, and also ability to be logical and think steps ahead like in playing chess. But all drug have some side effects, and the ones I am dealing with are worth it, since I feel really crappy when I only get a good night’s sleep once a month or so– and that is what it was like before I began using it. So bottom line, I am grateful for medical mj, and I look forward to celebrating 30 years of continuous abstinence from alcohol next month.

  • Annette Craddock

    10 years ago

    Natural herb, rest, exercise and a healthy lifestyle is the way of life. Man made medicine is a corporation, for the greedy. All about money not the health of the human race. I believe in living off the earth. Look at our ancestors

  • I’m acually doing a project on it, and so far it seems legitly good for health. .-.

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