Laura Butcher

HLTH 1050
April 24, 2016

Marijuana Good, Bad or Both?

In the media and in general conversation, many discussions have been made about
Marijuana and the benefits, or dangers of this specific plant. However, are any of these claims
actually true? I am Lakota Sioux and in my culture Marijuana or cannabis, is called Peyote, and
it is used for special spiritually ceremonies and medicinal purposes, but nothing more. In todays
popular culture it has become a topic of great debate for its influence in society and its medicinal
purposes. In this class I have learned new information about the history behind Marijuanas bad
reputation and the controversial arguments surround it. In this paper I will discuss the dangers,
benefits, medical uses, if any as well as the myths surrounding this controversial drug/plant.
Marijuana is derived from the leaves of the plant Cannabis Sativa which originated in
Asia. It is a plant that can grow in almost any kind of terrain and climate such as, tropical,
subtropical, and temperate regions. Cannabis Sativa, also known has Hemp, was used for many
things throughout the years such as rope, twine, shoes, sailcloth and containers. It is estimated
that about 200-300 million peoples from all around the world have used Cannabis or Marijuana
in some form or another. Even to this day you can find many green hemp products in stores such
as lotions, soaps and clothing. This fact alone is a large part of why so many people know about
this plant and have formulated many opinions, myths and ideas on the uses of cannabis or
marijuana and its effects on society.

In America and throughout the world Marijuana is largely known for its intoxicating and
mid altering effects when used recreationally but that wasnt how the plant was first put to use.
As mentioned before many people used the plant for simple things like rope and clothing but it
was also used medicinally. According to our text the first known use dates back to China 2737
B.C. while the people knew about the mind altering effects the plant had, the real focus of use
was for medicating individuals with rheumatism, gout, malaria and absent mindedness. Today in
the year 2016 there is great controversy about the use of Marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Many people believe that marijuana should be legalized for medicinal use, however, The
Drug Administration or (FDA) has yet to recognize or approve the use of the marijuana plant as
medicine in the United States. Scientific studies of the chemicals contained in the plant
marijuana also called cannabinoids have been done, leading to new evidence that do show that
the plant itself does contain certain chemicals that could potentially aid in the treatment of many
illnesses and symptoms. However, only two medications have been FDA-approved that contain
cannabinoid chemicals in a pill form. This lack of approval from the FDA no doubt stems from
the extensive research and studies the FDA requires before any new medications can be approved
for safe use in the general public. Further research is still being conducted about all the medical
possibilities of medicinal marijuana but because it is still such a new practice not much is known
about potential side effects or dangers related to the use of the drug. Despite the lack of approval
many states have begun to legalize the use of medical marijuana causing even more controversy.
Taking into consideration all the bad media attention marijuana has received its no surprise that
there are many whom still believe its nothing but an addictive drug and should remain illegal.

Despite marijuanas newly discovered medical benefits, the large majority of the
populace associate marijuana with its infamous mind altering effects and bad propaganda from
the past. However, there is a big difference in medical marijuana and the marijuana produced for
recreational use. As stated before Marijuana is derived from the dried leaves of the plant,
Cannabis Sativa, it comes from the sticky substance that accumulates on the leaves, but not all
forms and varieties of cannabis sativa contain the chemicals responsible for the mid altering
effect. Only certain strains of the plant carry a potent amount of the psychoactive compound
delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol(THC), other plants may produce less resin. Even though many
other properties of the plant exist besides THC, THC is the only compound of the plant that
causes the mental affects. As the popularity of Marijuana grew so did the level of THC produced
by breeding plants in special conditions in order to produce the desired amount of resin from the
plant. This form and use of the plant is referred to as weed, reefer, hash, pot, and many other
street names I have not listed. When marijuana is used recreationally individuals typically smoke
the plant's dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds. However, marijuana can also be added or
cooked into food (like brownies or cookies, made into a tea, or inhaled. As stated in out text
smoking marijuana produces a feeling of euphoria and well-being, reports vary based on the
users experience but many claim it increase awareness and the senses of sight and smell. In
reality marijuana has great effects on the parts of the mind that control attention and memory and
other tasks like driving or speaking. This is the darker side of this plant and why its so widely
known. However, THC has also been proven to aid with certain medical condition like nausea,
which is why the FDA has approved one drug containing the THC compound. Despite all
research done on potential and proven benefits of marijuana, this plant cant seem to lose its
perceived reputation among the general public.

According to our text Marijuana spread from Asia, to the middle east, then Europe and
eventually came to American but it wasnt till the twentieth century that marijuana really began
to make a name for itself. This was the era of prohibition, jazz and the rise of marijuana which
was original seen as a norm such as cocaine or opium once was. It wasnt until the media set out
to portray marijuana as a killer weed or as a flyer in the text clams the smoke of hell did people
begin to view the plant as a problem that needed to be stopped. Even today I see ridiculous
claims about marijuana use being the main cause of child abuse just like the claims that parents
with tattoos ruin childrens lives most of it is biased unintellectual claims or myths. Much of the
hype behind the fear of marijuana, I believe was simply situational due to economy troubles and
other factors that played into the demonization of the plant itself. With most drugs throughout
history such as cocaine opium and narcotics many people used them and took them normally
unaware of the danger they caused. It wasnt till later that the ill effects of the use of these drugs
were discovered and then regulated. Marijuana is the same it this aspect except for the fact that it
has been proven to aid in certain medical conditions. Despite everything that has been discovered
about the plant and the continued research undergoing its potential benefits marijuana seems to
retain this image of evil. So should marijuana be used for medicine or should it remain as illegal
as all the other illicit drugs on the street? I believe its a little bit of both.
Unlike other vices on the streets such as cigarettes, alcohol, opium, LSD, and the like
marijuana has less known life threatening dangers than any of the others. Marijuana also has
some properties that aid with specific medical conditions with more of its properties still under
investigation. Despite all the controversy surrounding marijuana or cannabis, is a plant that
scientists are still studying. Based on this fact alone it would be hard to say whether or not it
should be legalized or remain illegal or weather it necessarily good or bad to use marijuana.

Obviously there is a great deal of research to be done about the potential medical aspects that the
plant could process. Yes, marijuana has some medical properties and yes it also has some ill
effects on the mind and body when used recreationally. However just like all prescription drugs
too much of a good thing can be bad. Just as taking too many vitamins that are good for you can
be bad for your body. Its a fine line when talking about any kind of drug in general but I dont
believe marijuana is any more evil, than any other illicit or legal drugs that an individual can
take.

Bibliography
Levinthal F. Charles, Drug Behavior and Modern Society Ch. 7
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana-medicine
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3403100100.html
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/marijuana-use-and-its-effects