Medical Marijuana Reducing Spasticity in Multiple...

Medical Marijuana: Reducing Spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients What is Multiple Sclerosis? Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. MS affects approximately 3.0 million people globally, with about 300,000 cases in the United States. Twice as many women as men have MS. The average ages for onset of MS is 20-40 years. In MS, cells in the immune system attack and destroy myelin, the fatty tissue surrounding nerve cells (http://www.phylomed.com/MS.html). Scar tissue replaces the myelin, interfering with the transmission of nerve signals and leading to numbness, fatigue, spasticity, loss of muscle control, and various other debilitating symptoms. There are four broad theories†¦show more content†¦Phasic spasms disrupt the balance of the patient and can cause severe pain. Steady increases in muscle tone inhibits ambulatory abilities, forcing patients to rely on walkers and wheelchairs for transportation (Sibley, 106). The Medical Marijuana Controversy The use of marijuana for medicinal purposes is a long-standing controversy. For centuries marijuana was prescribed to alleviate symptoms associated with a variety of illnesses. Anti-medical marijuana sentiments began with the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. In 1970, the Controlled Substances Act banned the use of marijuana completely, categorizing it as a drug with no medicinal value, high abuse rates, and detrimental health effects (http://www.farmacy.org/prop215/apha.html). Since 1996, numerous states including California, Alaska, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington have passed medical marijuana initiatives supporting the right to prescribe marijuana for seriously or terminally ill patients (http://www.marihemp.com/marimed.html). The American Public Health Association and the Institute of Medicine represent two organizations that have recently researched and endorsed advancements in the study of medical marijuana. Both groups support the use of marijuana for specific treatments, such as reducing nausea in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, stimulating the appetites of AIDS victims, and limiting spasticity in MS patients. How MarijuanaShow MoreRelatedResearch Proposal On Medical Marijuana1094 Words   |  5 PagesFlorence Mbah Faculty Advisor: Dr. Flora Estes Topic: Medicinal Marijuana a growing field of interest Title: Chronic Pain and the use of Medicinal Marijuana vs Opioids Introduction and Purpose of study: Medicinal marijuana has been garnering a lot of attention as 29 states and Washington D.C have legalized medical marijuana and most recently in 2016, eight (8) states have now approved recreational marijuana. Medicinal marijuana is currently being used for the treatment of many diseases such asRead MoreThe Medicinal Uses of Marijuana Essay examples1084 Words   |  5 PagesMarijuana as medicine has been studied for many years. In some cultures, it is already used as medicine, and it stems back from many generations. There are many good uses for marijuana to be used as medicine which will be discussed in following paragraphs. The problem is that in order to be used in America as medicine, marijuana must be legalized. Marijuana has a long history of medical use. It is one of the oldest living plants and, in ancient times, was used as various forms of medicineRead MoreHistory of Medicine1796 Words   |  7 PagesThe technology and money that is spent on medical research and development is astronomical. I am going to start with a few questions, maybe they would pertain to yourself or possibly a friend or family member. What if you could have a medicine that was natural and could be organic and you could choose how you would like to ingest your medication as well? What if there was a medicine out there somewhere that would not just work for one ailment but multiple ailments? What if you could make your ownRead MoreLegalization of Marijuana Essay1606 Words   |  7 PagesMarijuana is a shredded mix of dry flowers, stems and the seeds of a plant called cannabis and people usually smoke it in the form of cigarettes for relaxation. Ever since marijuana hit mainstream America over 30 years ago, governme nt prohibition of it has been the subject of an ongoing debate. Should marijuana be legalized? Proponents of marijuana argue that there are numerous medical benefits and that the drug is not more harmful than tobacco or alcohol. Therefore, prohibiting it intrudes on personalRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legal For Medical Marijuana?1180 Words   |  5 PagesSince the passage of the CSA, many campaigns to have marijuana rescheduled under a less restrictive category have failed. However, popular opinion began to sway in the 1990’s and California became the first state to legalize the use of medical marijuana in 1996 with the passage of the Compassionate Use Act (Reinarman et al., 2011). Unfortunately, the federal response was swift and threatened to be severe. General Barry McCaffrey, the drug czar under the Clinton Administration, advised the federalRead MoreEssay on Legalizing Medical Marijuana1254 Words   |  6 PagesShould medical marijuana be legal across the United St ates? Imagine a world where individuals who have chronic pain did not have to suffer anymore. Envision a cure for cancer, a disease many Americans are killed by daily. Picture people with severe, violent mood disorders being treated. Most people think the answers to these problems are simple and could be solved by over medicating patients. Today, there are twenty states in America who have legalized medical marijuana for specific health and medicalRead MoreEssay about Medical Marijuana1525 Words   |  7 PagesMedical Marijuana Marijuana is medicine. It has been used for thousands of years to treat a wide variety of ailments. Marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.) was legal in the United States for all purposes - industrial and recreational, as well as medicinal until 1937. Today, only eight Americans are legally allowed to use marijuana as medicine. NORML is working to restore marijuanas availability as medicine. Medicinal Value Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically Read MoreShould Marijuana Be Treated With Proper Care?754 Words   |  4 PagesI found this week’s documentary to be very informative and powerful. The video opened my eyes to the way in which people view marijuana versus other drugs and the stereotypes they have related to drug users. The video also demonstrated that many individuals do not see marijuana users as real addicts or as the stereotypical â€Å"addict†. Most people view marijuana use as less serious and as a second-class drug problem. I believe that those who have a problem whether it is with drugs, alcohol, or any otherRead More The Debate Concerning Medical Marijuana Essay1885 Words   |  8 Pagesinitiative 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 statesRead MorePositive Aspects to Leagalizing Marijuana1428 Words   |  6 PagesENC1101 14 February 2013 The Positive Effects of Legalizing Marijuana The word marijuana has been a concerned topic in almost every American home today. Marijuana, whose botanical name is cannabis, has been used by humans for thousands of years. It was classified as an illegal drug by many countries in the 20th century. Over the past two decades, there has been a growing movement to legalize marijuana, primarily for medical purposes. Opposing views on the subject of decriminalizing the plant