The Debate Concerning Medical Marijuana Essay - 1885 Words

In Nov. 1996 the people of the State of California approved proposition 215, the initiative that could make marijuana legally available as a medicine in the U.S. for the first time in 60 years. Under this initiative the government will not prosecute patients or their caregivers who possess or cultivate marijuana for medical treatment. The medical recommendation may be either written or oral and doctors cannot be penalized by the state of Arizona at the same time. However at this time it is still illegal to posses, administer, sell or use marijuana in any of the other 48 states across the U.S. Why haven’t the rest of the country followed the lead of these two states? What this paper attempts to do is provide an argument that it†¦show more content†¦In 1996, voters in California and Arizona went to the polls and in sweeping victories, told Washington that federal drug policies - at least as they applied to sick people – were wrong. Voting on proposition 215, Californian’s â€Å"approved the medical use of Marijuana by a 65 to 35 margin. † In Arizona a solid majority (65%) voted to give the doctors the right to prescribe a range of drugs, including marijuana, heroin, and LSD. However, federal law prevents states from making marijuana supplies legally available. In effect thousands of â€Å"Americans use marijuana as a medicine illegally, putting themselves at risk of arrest and prosecution. † Unfortunately other who might benefit from marijuana are deterred by its illegality. Since 1986, synthetic THC (Marinol) has been available as a Schedule II drug, which allows physicians to prescribe it under highly regulated conditions. â€Å"It is only recently in July of 1999 that Marinol was moved from Schedule II to a Schedule III drug. † The change makes it much easier for doctors to distribute the drug and keeps the DEA from looking over their shoulder each time they write a prescription. Marinol is labeled as officially as an anti-nauseate and an appetite stimulant, but doctors can and do prescribe it for other conditions such as depression and muscle spasticity. Even though THC delivered orally by Marinol isShow MoreRelatedEssay on Legalization of Marijuana1545 Words   |  7 PagesGovernment prohibition of marijuana is the subject of ongoing debate. Many have pursued the legalization of marijuana for a variety of reasons – some seek legal marijuana for personal use, while others hope to legalize in order to reduce our Nation’s debt. P eople argue over the moral implications of permitting the widespread recreational and medicinal use of a ‘schedule 1’ drug. Lately, there has been a great deal of focus on the monetary value in the form of taxation revenue with respect to theRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Marijuana861 Words   |  4 Pages Marijuana is sweeping the nation. How might this affect people’s everyday lives? 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