Medical Marijuana Debate Summary

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Marijuana is a frequently misunderstood drug. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit substance in the United States. Many assume that smoking marijuana can be hazardous, but little do the people know about the benefits it has to offer. Marijuana is a naturally grown plant that has been known to help those sick with cancer, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, mental and physical illnesses, and many more. In the article, “Medical Marijuana: Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection 2015” written by an anonymous author, the author mentions that the legalization of medical marijuana would give patients the free right to ease their pain in the own comfort of their home. The author of the article is persuasive because the readers will find …show more content…

The article stated that, “medical marijuana has yet to be legalized in the United States due to health risks and for not having any medical value”. (Opposing Viewpoints, 2015) Marijuana is a “drug” one cannot overdose on and that is why doctors have been pushing for the legalization of marijuana because it is safer to intake than a bunch of prescription pills. In 1978, Robert Randall was diagnosed with glaucoma and he referred to marijuana to help treat himself and take away the pain. Randall ended up facing criminal conviction because he used the illegal drug to help himself. During his prosecution, Randall vs. US, Randall argued that marijuana was a medical necessity for him. In the end, Robert Randall won his case against the use of medical marijuana. As of 2012, sixteen states, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, and the District of Columbia have legalized the use of medical marijuana. With the legalizing of medical marijuana in these 16 states, there are strict regulations as to whom is prescribed marijuana and how much the patient is given. The patients who are prescribed the drug are forbidden from planting and growing in their own home. Both federal and state laws make it a crime to use, grow, sell, or possess