Legalizing medical marijuana

Second Point Medical marijuana is a more effective treatment than all other conventional treatments.

3. Cannabinoids can help treat symptoms related to AIDs, MS, glaucoma, epilepsy, and cancer. 4. In a patent given to the American Department of Health and Human services, it states that cannabinoids have been known to be "neuroprotectants," and help reduce the effects of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, depression, psychosis, and protects the brain against alcohol poisoning. 5. As opposed to prescription drugs which have high overdose rates (in 2010 it was responsible for approximately 23,000 deaths), marijuana has no reported overdoses. B. Medical marijuana can combat the side effects of existing treatments. 1. According to research done at St. George's University in London, some cannabinoids can not only kill cancerous cells and slow their growth, they do not have the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy or radiation because they do not affect all rapidly growing cells 2. Marinol is a pharmaceutical drug that is a legal, synthetic form of the cannabinoid THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) used to counteract the side effects of chemotherapy and AIDs treatments. a. Marinol has been known to be ineffective, extremely expensive, and difficult for patients to consume. b. THC consumed through genuine marijuana plants have been reported to be much more effective and less expensive compared to Marinol pills. C. Medical marijuana can be used without psychoactive effects. 1. A study done by the Institute of Medicine concluded that "the benefits of smoking marijuana were limited to the effects of the smoke, but nonetheless recommended that the drug be given under close supervision to patients who do not respond to other therapies." 2. CBD (or cannabidoil) is the nonpsychoactive chemical within cannabis which counteracts THC (a psychoactive component) and is the main medically significant chemical within the plant. 3. Medical cannabis can be administered in liquid form, so as to not be harmful to the lungs, such as the case of Jayden David.

VI. Conclusion

A. Legislators at the federal level should take the time to recognize the benefits of the natural composites found in medical marijuana. B. Among us are thousands of individuals who are suffering every day, when they could be experiencing affordable relief from a tremendous amount of pain and weakness which is attributed to illnesses from cancer, HIV, MS, and glaucoma. C. There has been research which already has proven how marijuana has multiple benefits economic and medicinal wise, therefore it should not be withheld from patients any longer. D. These days' pain and suffering should not be something patients should be living with simply because of a law which was put in place with disregard for medical purposes.

Third Point Economical gain from Marijuana

Another valid reason for legalizing medical marijuana is its potential to boost the U.S economy to its former glory. According to Jonathan Leavitt, the director of the Maine Marijuana Policy Initiative, since "marijuana is the state's most valuable cash crop, worth an estimated $122 million a year" (Murphy), taxing the product would only benefit the government. One of the biggest positive impacts that the legalization of marijuana would produce is the reintegration of hemp-an element of marijuana into our society, and more importantly in current times, our economy. Hemp provides many advantages over a great deal of current resources that America utilizes.The most common use for hemp is in the production of textile based products. The most important attribute of hemp is its ability to produce a substantial amount of cellulose. It can be produced more frequently than cotton, and it yields four times the amount of cellulose you can get from a corn stalk. Domestic hemp production stop the pumping of American dollars into foreign farmers' pockets, but it would create a mass amount of jobs for otherwise unemployed Americans. The only way for the government to benefit from the profits of growing and using marijuana is to make it legal to use and grow it. Leavitt also said "the state's illegal marijuana crop is worth more than iconic products such as potatoes and blueberries" (Murphy). Not only would this subsidize the government and boost the economy, but it would also allow innovative technology to be affordable.

Transition

Because of the recent focus on marijuana legalization, many people are looking back to why cannabis was criminalized in the first place.

Intro/Preview

C. Due to skewed perceptions, propaganda, misinformation and the stereotypical view of what the typical average "pot smoker" is like, the issue of legalizing marijuana remains a controversial issue in society. D. Without this skewed perceptions people will realize legalizing medical marijuana as a therapeutic drug can help our economy significantly by taxation, creating an influx of employment, and not to mention the other benefits it can bring.

Intro/Thesis

E. Marijuana should be legalized for the sole benefit of individuals with terminal and debilitating medical diseases, as well as to help stimulate a boost in the United States economy. Most disputers of marijuana legalization are private interests spreading propagandas and misinformation because they need cannabis (marijuana) illegal for their own personal gain.

Transition

Further studies also show that marijuana is possibly better than other legal treatments.

Transition

I can go on to discuss further reasons why medical marijuana will be beneficial health wise but unfortunately time is not on my side, so if after all that I've discussed you are still not convinced perhaps this next reason will most likely persuade you.

Transition

I'll begin by telling you about marijuana's interesting history.

Introduction/Hook

Jayden David is a six-year-old boy who used to suffer from extremely frequent and severe seizures due to a rare form of epilepsy. Because he and his father live in the state of California, when all other forms of medication failed them, Jayden's suffering was able to be treated with medical marijuana. Within days he had gone from not being able to eat solid food, bathe, or walk, to running, playing, and talking.

History

Marijuana for medical purposes is not in the least a recent discovery, as it dates as far back as 7000 B.C. In fact, in 1619 the Jamestown Colony, Virginia, passed a law that allowed all farmers to grow cannabis sativa, or hemp plant, for its unusually strong fiber that is used to make fabric and clothing (Staff). They acknowledged back then the benefits the hemp plant posed. Western medicine embraced marijuana's medical properties in the mid-1800s, and by the beginning of the 20th century, physicians had published more than 100 papers in the Western medical literature recommending its use for a variety of disorders (Medical Use Introduction 1). Disorders such as movement disorders, HIV/AIDS, cancer, epilepsy, chronic pain, nausea, glaucoma are among the few discovered. If legalized further research can be done to find other disorders marijuana can treat.

First Point

Recently, patients are aware of medical marijuana and how they can use it as an effective method of treatment for any ailment they might have. This is in some ways possible because 29 states have acknowledged cannabis' effectiveness and legalized its consumption for medicinal purposes with the consent of a licensed physician. Forty-one others have legislation that permits medical marijuana in some form (Leonard). However, these patients do not have the freedom to possess cannabis under federals laws so they are at risk of being detained by authorities when in possession of the drug.

History cont. if time

The drug was listed from 1851 to 1941 in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). Cannabis was listed as an acceptable medical product for many years here in the U.S. In fact, preparations containing marijuana were often prescribed in the late 1800s. It then began to be replaced by synthetic medicines in the 20th century. After the 1937 Marihuana Tax act was passed, it became very difficult to prescribe the drug, and people began to forget about it. Cannabis was finally removed from the USP back in 1942 and has remained that way ever since.

Intro/Audience Connection

What if someone you personally know is fighting a similar situation as Jayden? Wouldn't you want the best possible treatment for them via a natural plant versus multiple prescriptions that sometimes even make your illness worse?

At this point I would like to emphasize the use of medical marijuana not recreational will greatly benefit the American people as well as our economy. Medical not recreational because valid arguments have not been made towards legalizing recreational marijuana, event the state of California who set the precedent for legalizing medical marijuana not convinced of the benefits of recreational use. Medical weed usually contains a higher CBD content than recreational. This means when you're taking it, you don't feel the "high" the medical edible potency is higher than its recreational counterpart. You need a recommendation for medical marijuana. This means it will only be administered to patients that need it. You need to be over 18 (unless under different circumstances) to purchase medical marijuana from a dispensary as opposed to recreational's 21 limit.

With that being said I'll leave you with this...