Medical Marijuana and the Mind, Essay Example for Everyone

Medical marijuana can be described as the use of marijuana/cannabis for the treatment of an ailment or for improving the symptoms. There is a lot of controversy regarding whether this is true or not. Some degree of evidence exists on the use of marijuana in lessening nausea and pain after undergoing chemotherapy, acting as an appetizer for people living with HIV and AIDS, treating muscle spasms and chronic pain. The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes goes way back in many cultures.

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The paper will involve a general discussion of marijuana and how it affects the mind. The paper will also entail a brief summary on the topic above.

Medical Marijuana

In America, the intention of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes has been received with mixed reviews. This is concerning how the brain can be affected by cannabis and whether psychiatric disorders can be treated by the drug. The surveys carried out concluded that marijuana was mostly used by people for recreational purposes. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in America has not warranted usage of marijuana for any medical purposes as the efficiency and safety of the drug has not been guaranteed. However, some of the states in America have already legalized marijuana for medical use. They include Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nevada, Rhode Island and Washington just to name but a few.

There is limited evidence on the use of marijuana for psychiatric disorders. Psychiatric disorders are mostly compared with mental sickness. In psychiatric cases, the use of marijuana has no conclusive evidence. The risks seem to outweigh the benefits. The risks of using cannabis, whether for medical or leisure purposes include: 1) Addiction- regular consumption of marijuana often leads to dependency. Cannabis is addictive, particularly when it has been used for a long period of time.

2) Mood disorders- there is little evidence on the effects marijuana has on patients who have bipolar disorder. The patients use marijuana frequently and its effects are depression and maniac incidents.

3) Anxiety- anxiety and panic attacks are the most prevalent side effects of using cannabis. Most of the people who use cannabis state that the drug has a calming effect on them. But for some, 20%-30% of cannabis users, it causes anxiety, which is the opposite of being calm. This happens mostly to first time users of marijuana.

4) Psychosis- the use of marijuana brings out psychotic symptoms, especially in teenagers and patients who suffer from schizophrenia.

5) Mild effects include diarrhea, pneumonia, vomiting and additional respiratory issues.

Summary

Marijuana has both negative and positive effects on its users. I dont think it should be legalized for medicinal or recreational use. However, if a patient really requires it for medicinal purposes, the quantity and reasonable causes should be thoroughly identified before administering the drug as the risks clearly outweigh the benefits. Using cannabis can cause both short-term and long-term consequences. The short-term consequences include fatigue, dizziness, hallucinations and vomiting. Long-term effects are more serious and range from loss of memory, schizophrenia, and cognition problems to thinking problems.

The government should raise awareness on the use of marijuana and its effects. This will help to educate people, especially the younger generation who have become ardent users of the drug. Rehabilitation centers that are cost-friendly should also be set up to help curb this rising problem.