We are now on a new level of truth and understanding of Cannabis. The lies held in the past are now exposed; Cannabis is not a demon, but rather a medicinal herb. Cannabis does not transform individuals into homicidal maniacs; it safely treats a wide variety of physical and emotional illnesses. It is not a passage to addiction but rather a plant that individuals use to treat stress; it is much more safe than alcohol and tobacco. This fear of Cannabis is in view of society’s fear and lack of awareness.
As a country we should be moving forward and have these laws replaced by those based on knowledge and scientific integrity. As a third year-medical student at Monash University, I have done thorough research on using Cannabis medicinally. I not only believe this should be legalized medically but recreationally as well, but today I have come to represent my colleagues and share why marijuana should be legalized medicinally. Medical marijuana, as is the recreational use of marijuana is a controversy in todays society. Currently the community is divided upon it.
Questions are always being thrown around such as “How does it affect the body? ” and “What good does it do for a person? ” Having the opportunity to research this myself I have answers to those questions from studies and I can show you how positive medical marijuana can be. Most of you would know of Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC for short, which is the ingredient in Marijuana that gets users high. Recently for many the attention has shifted to another compound in marijuana called CBD or Cannabidiol. Evidence of Cannabidiol’s medical benefits continues to grow.
Today I have brought four unique facts about this compound to share with all of you. 1. CBD is a key ingredient in cannabis CBD is one of over 60 compounds found in cannabis that belong to a class of molecules called cannabinoids. CBD and THC levels tend to vary among different plants. Marijuana that is grown for recreational purpose often contains more THC than CBD. However, by using selective breeding techniques, cannabis breeders have managed to create varieties of the plant with high levels of CBD and next to zero levels of THC. 2. CBD is non-psychoactive
Unlike THC, CBD does not cause a high. While this makes CBD a poor choice for recreational users, it gives the chemical a significant advantage as a medicine, since health professionals prefer treatments with minimal side effects. CBD is non-psychoactive because it does not act on the same pathways as THC. These pathways, called CB1 receptors, are highly concentrated in the brain and are responsible for the mind-altering effects of THC. A 2011 review published in Current Drug Safety concludes that CBD “does not interfere with several psychomotor and psychological functions.
” The authors add that several studies suggest that CBD is “well tolerated and safe” even at high doses. 3. CBD has a wide range of medical benefits Although CBD and THC act on different pathways of the body, they seem to have many of the same medical benefits. According to a 2013 review published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, studies have found CBD to possess the following medical properties 4. CBD reduces the negative effects of THC CBD seems to offer natural protection against the marijuana high.
Numerous studies suggest that CBD acts to reduce the intoxicating effects of THC, such as memory impairment and paranoia. CBD also appears to counteract the sleep-inducing effects of THC, which may explain why some strains of cannabis are known to increase alertness. Both CBD and THC have been found to present no risk of lethal overdose. However, to reduce potential side effects, medical users may be better off using cannabis with higher levels of CBD.
The International acceptance of medicinal cannabis is growing because it can provide the relief for people who can’t be sufficiently helped with current pharmaceutical drugs. Even though CBD in marijuana shows much promise as a medicine, it remains illegal in Australia. Early in March, a 59-year-old South Australian man with leukaemia was sentenced to two years in jail for cultivating cannabis.
He had also been caught previously growing the plant to help his wife endure the side effects of chemotherapy for her lymphoma. Doesn’t it fascinate you that something our government restricts and makes illegal could in fact save and help many people who suffer and are in need of help?
Recently Fairfax Media discretely put the call out to parents who had chosen to treat their children with cannabis oil. Using an alias, Mark had come forward, his seven-year-old daughter developed epilepsy when she was about 15 months old. Mark explains ‘She was starting to talk and, since her epilepsy started, she’s regressed to a stage where she can’t do anything. ’ Mark’s daughter used to have up to 200 seizures a day, he said, and the prescribed medications she was on had either stopped working or had terrible side effects.
Can you imagine if you had a daughter, son, relative or friend that’s tried many different medications but the only one that has seemed to help is a drug that is classed as illegal? What would you do? Without any treatment she will slowly get worse and one day, the inevitable will happen and she’ll basically die from what’s wrong with her. Are you willing to let that happen to those that need the help? We must now end the use of police and law enforcement in our marijuana policy. There is absolutely no reason to treat marijuana as a criminal offense.
Individuals deserve the right to make choices for themselves. The government only has a right to limit those choices if the individual’s actions endanger someone else. This does not logically apply to marijuana because marijuana is far less dangerous than some drugs, which are legal, such as alcohol and tobacco. We cannot deny the truth that medical marijuana works. We cannot deny the truth that marijuana prohibition is a cruel policy. We cannot deny the use of marijuana to those that need it.