Introduction
Federal legitimatization of marijuana usage is a topic that has raised a heated debate all over the USA. Several states have permitted marijuana for medicinal uses, others for both clinical and entertainment purposes, while others have totally prohibited it. However, in the entire US there are both opponents and proponents for legalization of marijuana. When used as a drug, different concerns have been raised on administration of the medicinal cannabis to patients. The discourse on this particular topic is underpinned on the legal, moral, and societal implications that are associated with the use of medicinal marijuana. For instance, among the issues that are always raised include the nature of administration of the drug, packaging and dispensing, hazardous health outcomes that are linked with intoxication of bhang. The concerns notwithstanding, cannabis has positive outcomes especially when used as a drug and therefore should be legally permitted by the US federal government.
Control and Treatment of Diseases
Bhang as it is commonly known, and its related products such as cannabinoid agents are used to avert disease signs and also cure some maladies. Some clinical trials conducted on marijuana suggest that it has an effect on alleviating chronic noncancer pains (Bridgeman & Abazia, 2017). More specifically, the cannabis consumables that are found to reduce the pain are smoked cannabis, oromucosal extracts of cannabis based medicine, and dronabilone, among others (Bridgeman & Abazia, 2017). Examples of the pain conditions that cannabis may eradicate include rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, mixed persistent pains, and neuropathic pain (Bridgeman & Abazia, 2017). From the deductions of the scientific researches, it is clear that cannabis can be used for control of various noncancer-related complications.
Cannabis is also used in management of other diseases such as neurological disorders. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is marijuana product is known to be highly effective for alleviating patient-reported spasticity scores (Bridgeman & Abazia, 2017). Another scientific survey was conducted on some forty-eight epileptic patients to measure the effect of cannabidiol (CBD) on them. The results obtained indicated that there were insignificant effects linked with CBD (Bridgeman & Abazia, 2017). Moreover, cannabis-based medications are important in curing the chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting that responds ineffectively to the known antiemetics. In addition, therapeutic agents based on THC such as dronabinol, have been permitted for use as an antiemetic in the US for long periods (Bridgeman & Abazia, 2017). Arguably, the federal government needs to decriminalize usage of marijuana as the drug has medicinal importance.
Medical Guidance and Safety of Patients
Also, cannabis should be legalized by the federal government to allow patients to obtain professional guidance from the medics who are currently not at ease given marijuana’s illegal status. Some scientific studies show negative reports of how some patients use marijuana without the doctors’ prescriptions (Burling, 2021). Strikingly, the patient’s behavior can be attributed to either fear or embarrassment of how to escalate their issue. Failure to raise the issue increases the risks of marijuana interfering with their initial treatment (Burling, 2021). This is a matter that can only be reverted when medicinal usage of marijuana is proclaimed as rightful within the US.
Legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes is also crucial in guaranteeing safe use of marijuana by immunocompromised patients. Secure usage of the cannabis products in drugs can only be enforced through removal of legal barriers attached to its use. Patients with weak immune systems are sometimes misguided on where they acquire their illegal cannabis which poses a great danger to their health through the impurities (Burling, 2021). In fact, many people do not understand or are ignorant of the fact that standard of cannabis-based products varies (Burling, 2021). Therefore, legitimatization of cannabis usage in drugs grants the federal government an opportunity to monitor the quality of the marijuana that is consumed by its immunocompromised patients.
Working Relationship between Government Institutions and Enhanced Research Capacity
Ideally, it is the function of the US federal government to strengthen its institutions in their constitutional mandates. It means that if the government permits usage of medicinal cannabis, then that helps in reinforcing the responsibility of an agency such as Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Already, FDA has endorsed the usage of THC-based medications in treatment of some diseases (NIDA, 2020). In particular, Cesamet which is a THC-based drug has been approved by FDA in prevention and treatment of nausea and vomiting (NIDA, 2020). Ratification of the law to permit usage of medicinal marijuana means DFA works collaboratively with the legislature arm of the government to deliver effectively.
Furthermore, approval of the medicinal cannabis is of great benefit to boosting the research capacity of the US central government. Validation of the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes by the federal government facilitates advanced research to manufacture safe drugs (NIDA, 2020). Because of the concerns raised by opponents of inclusion of cannabis-based drugs to medicine, legalization of bhang as part of the medicines ensures that better administration methods of the drug and prescriptions are researched. In effect, FDA will be able to efficiently discern safe doses that marijuana-based drugs should have (NIDA, 2020). Accordingly, the expansive research space stabilizes the health sector which is an important segment in the federal government of the US.
Harmonization of Legislations and Full Realization of Benefits
Most significantly, use of medicinal cannabis should be permitted by the federal government to harmonize the legislations that exist among various states concerning the drug. In actual fact, various states have permitted the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes while others have not. As such, individuals cannot move freely because of legal restrictions across state borders and jurisdictions with cannabis-based drugs (Tishler, 2021). It also means that a person can obtain much needed drugs but cannot carry them to the next state. Therefore, it becomes more important to eradicate the confusion that is existing concerning the use of cannabis-based medications, because under the federal law, free movement with medicinal marijuana is guaranteed.
Again, legalization of the cannabis-based drugs is crucial in ensuring that the medicinal benefits of medicinal marijuana are realized fully by all US citizens. Advantages that are associated with the medicinal cannabis cannot be fully realized because of the confusions that exist from the differences in the cannabis’ legislations among states (Tishler, 2021). The variations are manifested in the standards governing packaging, production, and selling of the marijuana drugs (Tishler, 2021). Numerous states have legislations addressing concerns such as ingredients, but the guidelines vary across states. National standards are therefore inevitable to harmonize the subsistent laws concerning medicinal cannabis. Decriminalizing marijuana for medicinal uses makes all patients within the geographical borders to acknowledge the advantages of the drug in a more functional way.
A Case Example
An existing case to exemplify the effect of medicinal marijuana on a patient also stresses the importance of legalization of cannabis-based drugs by the US federal state. This case is an interview of that gives first-hand information of the effects of taking cannabis-based medication. From the video, the interviewer studies how a man who had Parkinson’s disease behaves before and after taking the medicine containing the medicinal marijuana (Ride with Larry, 2016). Before taking of the drug, the patient appears to have dysfunctional motor skills and his fists are trembling (Ride with Larry, 2016). These observations are what he uses to register the changes which are attributed to use of medicinal cannabis.
After the patient has taken the drug which contains the medicinal bhang, some observations are recorded. Dyskinesia is noticed to have receded after a droplet of the drug was administered to the patient through the mouth (Ride with Larry, 2016). Scientifically, the medicine works in the Parkinson’s disease patient in eradicating the symptoms by improving some branches of the endocannaboid system that is needed for motor activity. Interestingly, the patient is in a more stable condition compare to the initial status after ingesting the medication (Ride with Larry, 2016). The patient’s testimony together with the way he expresses his frustrations shows that the federal government needs to permit usage of cannabis for medicinal uses.
Conclusion
In summary, medicinal marijuana has many benefits, more so, when used in the clinical field in the treatment of some diseases and the federal government should legalize it. An advantage that emanates from medicinal cannabis is that, different scientific studies have shown that it alleviates symptoms of some diseases as well as curing them. Another specific benefit that can come from legalization of medicinal marijuana is that patients can be able to acquire useful information and guidelines from the health professionals without any fear or embarrassment. Indeed passage of laws that permit usage of cannabis-based drugs by the federal government shows a collaborative working relationship between different government agencies within the US. Aside from the evidences that show an improved condition of a Parkinson’s disease patient after taking medicinal cannabis, the drug’s legitimization can regularize the laws of different states concerning the medication’s usage. Undeniably, legalization of cannabis-based drugs would have more benefits to the entire populace of the US as compared to the current situation.
References
Bridgeman, M., & Abazia, D. (2017). Medicinal marijuana: History, pharmacokinetics, and implications for the acute care setting. Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 42(3), 180-188. Web.
Burling, S. (2021). Many breast cancer patients are using cannabis without telling their doctors, study finds. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Web.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (2020). Is marijuana safe and effective as medicine? Web.
Ride with Larry. (2016). Medicinal cannabis and Parkinson’s segment 3 of 3. [Video]. Web.
Tishler, J. (2021). Cannabis legalization must address medical use, not just recreational use. StatNews. Web.