Position paper: Marijuana

Marijuana, a drug we see as completely shunned by society. Although it may receive a bad reputation because of media coverage, it has its benefits as well as downfalls. Science will never be proven, but people should be aware of what science is discovering about medicinal marijuana. It is best to be informed about what marijuana is, what conditions it treats, it's history, and the scientific evidence that may shine new light on the use of marijuana.

Marijuana is scientifically known as cannabis sativa. It goes by the aliases of Pot, Dope, Grass, Weed, Hemp, Chronic, Reefer, and many other street names. Marijuana that people smoke or eat comes from the plant cannabis sativa and is dried and then shredded, ground, or rolled. People then smoke the dry substance rolled in paper; marijuana can also be added to food and have the effect of getting you high.

Depending on the person and conditions, smoking marijuana has different effects. When first smoking it, you start to feel relaxed and goofy. After an extended time smoking marijuana, some people's mouths will get dry. Their eyes may become blood shot because the marijuana causes blood vessels in the eye to expand and appear more intense. THC in marijuana will cause short-term memory loss and changes the way your brain is functioning. Users lose their coordination and balance. Some users become paranoid and anxious, and, with marijuana use comes the munchies, when you get very hungry. The final stage of being high is getting very tired. Your heart rate increases to twice its normal rate and your blood pressure increases.

Many health conditions have been found to be treatable with marijuana. In some cases, the chemicals of marijuana reverse the effects of a certain illness or ailment. In other cases, the marijuana just minimizes the incredible pain that a person is suffering through. Marijuana is currently legal for medicinal uses in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Arizona, and Nevada. For certain people, cannabis works medical wonders, but for others, it works disasters due to adverse reactions.

Glaucoma is a common disease treated with marijuana. Glaucoma is a disease of the eye caused by inflammation of the inner eye that can cause damage to the optic disk and cause you to slowly go blind. The chemical ingredient THC is a cannabinoid. Cannabinoids have been found to be very similar to the neurological chemicals in the eye called anandamides that are blocked by the swelling caused by glaucoma. Smoking of marijuana has been found to relieve intraocular pressure that blocks the anandamides from reaching their destination; allowing the anandamides to continue passing through the eye.

A dangerously low appetite caused by AIDS or many other common eating disorders like bulimia or anorexia nervosa can sometimes be treated with cannabis. People suffering from a stage of AIDS when their appetite will not allow for necessary and essential nourishment can smoke marijuana to help. People suffering from eating disorders caused by mental conditions can use the chemical agents of marijuana to fight back ...