Not only would legalizing marijuana be helpful for our
economy, but it would also be helpful for people who use marijuana for certain
mental disorders and physical injuries. I used to be on Xanax, an anti-anxiety
and anti-depression medication. Xanax
made me emotionless and I hated being on it. When I tried smoking marijuana I
found that I was less stressed, and my depression wasn’t nearly as bad, all
without taking away my sense of emotion completely. I was still able to laugh
and socialize without being a zombie, and without being too anxious to do so. I
have also had cancer, nothing too extreme, but let me tell you it was not fun.
Currently my doctors think that I may have cancer again, which would mean a more
extensive treatment than before. Instead of putting me on extremely addictive
pain pills the first time I had cancer, I would smoke marijuana in order to help with the pain. I think
this is a much safer way to handle this. Of course this is not the ideal
situation for everyone. Just like every pain pill or anti-depressant, marijuana
won’t work for everyone. It would just be another way to help people who have
certain mental illnesses and physical injuries.
For example, I found one study that resulted in marijuana being helpful
for patients
suffering with eating disorders, such as anorexia. Because marijuana can
increase your appetite, it can increase weight gain and help the patient feel
more relaxed when eating. Of course, there are concerns with patients becoming
dependent on marijuana, but isn’t that the risk with every other prescription
drug out there? Are there really any prescribed drugs that people aren’t worried
about patients getting addicted to? If anything, I believe that marijuana is
one of the least addictive drugs out there. This is why I believe it would be
extremely helpful, and less harmful, as a prescription drug compared to other
drugs that can be prescribed currently.
This post is really very insightful. I don't smoke, but my neighbor has had cancer for a while and I can always smell marijuana from their house. I know it's because he has cancer and I always assumed that it had to be making him feel better, because that's what I heard from people who have had cancer. It really is great that now I know that its relieving his pain! I also never thought to relate marijuana and anorexia. But it makes sense! I have friends who don't have any illnesses or anxiety issues and who smoke and all I hear about is "the munchies." It's nice to know that marijuana can be used to relieve people of pain or to help them cope with their serious problems. Very informative and interesting article!
ReplyDeleteAccording to an NIH study (referred to in another blog post), there is a 9% chance of marijuana addiction. I'm not sure if that qualifies it to belong to the category of "least addictive drugs out there."
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a valid point. My choice of wording may not have fit exactly as intended. Regardless, I would still put marijuana in the category of drugs that aren't as addictive as others, especially when referring to prescription pain medication. Maybe for the situation I should have said something more along the lines of one of the less dangerous drugs, considering there have been no recorded deaths caused by marijuana in any way. Also, a 9 percent change of marijuana addiction is pretty low, in my opinion. When you look at the big picture, people are so concerned about marijuana when there are people dying because of prescription drug overdoses. But I would like to thank you, because you just gave me a great idea for another blot post.
DeleteI look forward to your upcoming Rorschach Test :-)
DeleteWhen I was a teenager in the late 70s / early 80s, weed was ubiquitous. You could get a contact high from one of the bathrooms in high school, and frat parties at college served both weed and beer. (Although that wasn't illegal because the drinking age was 18 at the time.) So I've never demonized marijuana. Personally, I think nicotine and caffeine should be controlled substances and THC regulated the same way as alcohol.