Legalize Medical Marijuana

The war against drugs in the United States aims at arresting individuals who smoke Marijuana. Since 1990, about 5.9 million Americans have been arrested due to marijuana charges; this population is higher than the entire population of Alaska combined with Delaware, Columbia district, North Dakota, Vermont as well as Wyoming combined. As it has been the case in the whole of 1990s, the overwhelming majority of individuals who were judged with marijuana violations were for simple possessions. The remaining percentage which is about 12 percent, were for sale, an FBI category, which includes marijuana grown for personal use or purely medical services. The current FBI statistics indicate that, after every 45 seconds, a marijuana smoker is arrested in America. Taken together, the tiot6al marijuana arrests for the year 2000, far exceeded the combined number of arrests for violent crimes including manslaughter, murder, forcible rape, aggravated assault, as well as robbery, (Legalizationofmarijuana.com, 2011).

Like any other person in America, individuals who smoke marijuana pay taxes, love and also provide support to their families. In addition, they also work very hard to ensure the life's of their children is better off. But suddenly they are arrested, jailed and taken as criminals, simply because of their recreational drug of choice. State agencies have frequently moved in and sometimes declare children of marijuana smokers to be in danger, and as a result, many children have been placed into foster homes as an effect. This has been causing enormous pain, suffering as well as financial hardship for many American families. In addition, it also engenders distrust and disrespect for the la and for the criminal justice system as a whole. These termed as responsible marijuana smokers have been presenting neither threat nor danger to their children and America as a whole, hence, there is no reason as to why they need to be treated as criminals, or take their children away from them.

The society need to look at other ways of discouraging personal conduct that is abusive or harmful to others. The problem is not the responsible marijuana smokers; hence it is time to stop arresting them. Once all facts are brought to the table and looked into, it will be clear that, America's marijuana laws need reforms. This issue has to be discussed and debated upon openly, by the use of facts only. Groundless claims, meaningless statistics as well as the exaggerated scare stories that have been peddled both politicians as well as the prohibitionists for the past 60b years, has to be rejected.

Just like any other substance, marijuana can be abused. The most common problem associated with marijuana is the frequent overuse, which can lead lethargic behaviors, but does not lead to serious health problems, apart from short-term memory loss while under the influence. The drug does not impair long-term memory. In addition, marijuana does not lead to harder drugs. Marijuana does not lead to brain damage, genetic damages, or damages to the immune systems. Not like alcohol, marijuana does not kill brain cell. Though long term consumption of marijuana leads to bronchitis, however the probability of contracting bronchitis from casual marijuana smoking is minuscule. Respiratory hazards can be eliminated totally through consuming marijuana by the use of non-smoking methods. According to the studies carried out by medical schools, argue against the concept that continual heavy marijuana usage is a significant risk factor for the development of chronic lung diseases. Neither continual nor intermittent marijuana consumers exhibited any significant different rates of decline in lung cancer or other diseases. Death occurrence due to marijuana overdose is much impossible, in the world history, in the world history, there has been never been a single human death that is attributed to a health problem caused by marijuana.

On the other hand, marijuana has been identified as having potential therapeutic effects based on the current scientific knowledge. It has been demonstrated that, marijuana has analgesic effect in pain conditions secondary to injuries of the nervous system. This suggests that, marijuana might be in a position of providing treatment options for the individuals who do not respond or even respond inadequately to current available therapies. "His efficacy of cannabis in treatment-refractory patients also may suggest a novel mechanism of action not fully exploited by current therapies" (Fraser, 2009).  On top of nerve pains, some patients suffering from muscle spasticity in multiple Sclerosis might not respond well from the existing treatments, however, research has shown that, cannabis reduces MS spasticity at least in the short run, beyond the benefits available from usual Medicare. On itself, marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutic active elements that man has ever known. By any measure of rational analysis, the drug can be used safely within a supervised routine in schedule II. In medical terms, marijuana is safer as compared to most of the foods consumed.

Marijuana contains chemicals like THC, which is an alternative treatment for nausea, along with vomiting caused by chemotherapy. There have been several organizations that have been in support of medicinal marijuana, such medical as well as scientific that are not based in the U.S. that have been supporting the access to therapeutic cannabis. Such organizations include Canada aids society. Whole these based in the U.S. include American academy of HIV medicine.

The marijuana plant (Cannabis sativa), produces more than 420 chemical compounds including around 80 terpeno-phenol compounds that have never been detected in any other plant. The most obvious attention has been directed to psychotropic component which binds specific receptors. In general, cannabis has been discovered to be containing cannabinoid endogenous ligands that activate them, while the mechanism of endocannabinoid biosynthesis as well as the inactivation constitutes the endocannabinoid system. These chemicals has the ability to modulate several psychological as well as the pathophysiological processes like the neurotransmitter rel4ease in the central as well as the peripheral nervous system, pain perception, and the cardiovascular, as well as the liver functions. The encocannabinoid system represents a potential target for the pharmacotherapy.

Different States have led the medical marijuana movement mainly because federal policy makers have rejected petitions consistently to authorize the prescription of cannabis "a Schedule II controlled substance that has both a risk of abuse and accepted medical uses." (Izzo, et al, 2009).The federal law along with federal law enforcement has hamstrung research as well as the medical practices involving marijuana. Medical professionals on their part have reiterated the need of reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule II controlled substance for the facilitation of real research that evaluates potential therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids and come up with the optimal dose, as well as the delivery routes for the circumstances under which efficacy can be established. Since 1996, the law permitting cultivation of medical marijuana laws has been enacted by different states. This is meant to protect patients who are found in possession medical marijuana with doctors' certification from criminal penalties.

There have been different studies which have recommended that, drug products that contain synthetic dronabinol in sesame oil as well as "encapsulated in a hard gelatin capsule, have a similar potential for abuse as Marinol" (Hoffman, & Weber, 2010). Based on recommendations, FDA-approved generic dronabinol products both naturally along with synthetic produced, din sesame oil and encapsulated in hard gelatin or soft gelatin capsules meets the criteria set for the placement in III schedule . Most of the medical recommendations on marijuana have shown that medical marijuana laws ranges from illness such as cancer as we as AIDs to symptoms  such as severe pains. The problem is that, information has not yet been collected on the circumstances under which marijuana has been recommended both in Alaska as well as California. On the other hand, the information from Hawaii's registry has shown that, the recommendation that has been previously made for the conditions for the severe pains.

Available evidence does not only indicate the support to the use of medical marijuana; I some conditions, but also gives many indications for the chemical could by the name cannabinoids. However, there is need for further studies that will tent to clarify the therapeutic value of cabnnabiniods and comer up with optimum routes of its administration. Another important factor is that, "medical marijuana should not be obscured by the debate surrounding the legalization of marijuana for general use" (Hoffman & Weber, 2010).The recent developments have suggested that, non-psychotropic phytocannabinoids exacts a wide range of pharmachological impacts. Among them, most of them are potential therapeutic interests. In addition, the most focus has been shifted to CBD compounds. This compound has effects which can be explained at least in parts. CBD has a safe profile din humans, as its clinical evaluation for the treatment of anxiety, movement disorders as well as the psychosis. There has been good pre-clinical evidence that warranties clinical studies into its use for the treatment of ischemia, cancer and diabetes. It has been shown that, the effectiveness of CBD is too high as it has very few undesired effects as compared to other medicine. The sublingual spray which is the standardized cannabis extract contains equal amounts of CBD and sativex, which have been dictated to much effective during neuropathic pains in the Multiple Sclerosis patients (Tuller, 2009).

The D9-THCV is also at the same time intriguing since it has the potentiality of application in disease like chronic liver and even obesity. This happens when it is in association with inflammation, in which CB1 blockade together with some CB2 activation is much beneficial. The plant cannabis can be used as a source of other several neglected phytocannabinoids like CBC and CBG. Though the pharmacological spectrum effects of this compounds is largely unexplored, their potent action at TRAPAI and TRPMB might end up making these compounds new and very attractive tool for the management of pain (Ren, et al, 2009).

According to the studies that are still on going, there are unique properties of phytocannabinoid CBD a long with the underscore the contrasting traits of the key components of Marijuana in relation to addiction vulnerability. Comparing this with the documented impacts of THC in the enhancement of heroin self-administration, the current data is demonstrating that, CBD is particularly inhibiting the reinstatement of cue-induced heroin searching. The cue-induced specificity of CBD, reinstatement has also been emphasized by the observation that, this compound still inhibits drug relapse behavior in animals extinguished to the context of the environment previously associated with heroin. The results of this project are striking provided the very selective along with protracted effects of CBD (Ren, et al, 2009).

In conclusion, the process of determining the exact number of patients using medical marijuana with state approval is much hard. So the prosecution of key traffickers of illegal drugs, even marijuana included, as well as the disruption of illegal drug manufacturing networks has continuously been the main priority in the efforts by the departmental efforts against the narcotics as well as dangerous drugs. In general, the pursuit of different priorities needs not to concentrate federal resources in any state on individuals whose actions are unclear and unambiguous agreements. As an effect, due to the significance of medicinal marijuana to the society, it will be nice if it can be legalized.

Research questions

1.      What is the current situation in US in fighting against marijuana?

2.      What is the people's take about marijuana?

3.      What are the overall effects of marijuana?

4.      What can be done to curb marijuana abuse?

5.      What problems are associated with marijuana abuse?

6.      What are medicinal values of marijuana?

7.      What can be done to legalize marijuana?

8.      What do researches say about marijuana?

Data collection plan

The collection of the data will be done through pre-visiting medical service centers as well as other strategic points such as institutions for learning as youths are the most susceptible to drug abuse. These pre-visiting will be for sensitization process of the public as well as for pilot data collection process. There will also be distribution of questionnaires to the targeted group. This will ensure that structured questions regarding marijuana are filled. Interviews will also be done to the relevant authorities like the health personnel as well as leaders of the ministry regarding the same. Collection of data is supposed to be comprehensive to ensure arriving at appropriate conclusion.

Research Timeline

Force field analysis

The method that the research has used to identify the hindering factors towards achieving of its goal is through involvement of the relevant authority and getting the right information about the repercussion of conducting the research. The community has also been sensitized prior to the research to ensure that any hindering factor has been discovered. There was visiting of the archives and information centers that was done to ensure that the there was full information about the behaviors of the environment that the research was about to venture in. The research team was also able to ensure that they got relevant authority to carry out the research on the designated areas. This was done for security purpose and to win the confident of the respondent, as they would be aware of their whereabouts and the objective of the research making the data collection to be collected and comprehensive from all divide. The questionnaires that were posted online were made to be easily accessible to ensure that the respondent would have no problem when tackling them.

Unanswered questions

Most of the questions that we posted for our research were answered. Nevertheless, the issue of how marijuana could be legalized is still a thorny issue that the research feels it should be addressed comprehensively. This is because there were different issues that did not come out well due to the federal laws that had put it illegal. The other question that needs more research is about the medicinal value of the marijuana as some of them are still under siege. Therefore, according to the research, those two questions require to be addressed further.

Negotiations

The research is urging the federal government to ensure that they harmonize the state marijuana law and the states laws to ensure that they come up with a better method of controlling its abuse. This is because there ha been more arrest of those who use marijuana more than any other crime. There should also be better way put in place to ensure that legalization of the marijuana do not lead to its abuse. Just like any other drug, marijuana can have adverse effect on ones health when abused.

Improvement

The research is out to improve the perception that people have towards marijuana. Through research and discussion about the drug showing its statistical effect regarding medicinal value as well as health effect, the research is capable of prompting further and intensive research towards marijuana. This can help to come up with better and advantageous way of using it to treat diseases as well as improving human and animal health.

Hope for outcome

The research is hoping that after discussion and conclusion of the project, there will be more awareness towards the drug usage regarding its usage. This research project aims towards making awareness to the member of public the advantages of proper marijuana usage and the repercussions of the abuse. In addition, the research may prone the drug manufacturers to make use of the medicinal value that is gotten therein to increase their medical practice by increasing drugs in their disposal through marijuana usage in drug manufacture. The research is out to compel legalization of the marijuana for increased economic gain, as there will be increased marijuana production in the country. Finally, the legalization of marijuana will increase is control as the government will work towards known producers.  The government will also be able to put in place quality control measures to ensure that the contents of marijuana are right for human consumption. Through this, it will have been able to control its abuse to a better percentage.