Legalization of Medical Marijuana in United States Essay

Legalization of Medical Marijuana in United States - Essay Example The medical use of marijuana can be dated long back in the world history of medicine. It has been found to be used in several countries and cultures to relieve chronic pain and in the treatment of various ailments like asthma, nausea, migraine, hypertension, anxiety, insomnia, epilepsy and even cancer. But the wide use of marijuana as the recreational drug was also common historically. The active ingredient in marijuana, the delta-tetrahydrocannabinol, was found to boost mood, perception, and consciousness. This property of marijuana resulted in controversy related to the legalization of its use. The critics argue that legalization of marijuana may provoke its use for recreational purpose rather than medical purpose. Some critics also disagree with the medical benefits of marijuana. The current paper concentrates on the issue of legalization of the medical use marijuana focusing on the pros and cons of its use and on the medical, government and legal approaches regarding the controve rsy.The use of marijuana for medicinal purposes was common historically. Its earliest written evidence was found in Chinese literature from fifteenth century B.C. Several articles were published in medical journals regarding the therapeutic use of marijuana. The modern phase of therapeutic use of cannabis began about 140 years ago when reports on its effectiveness as an analgesic and anticonvulsant were found. At about the same time its use in melancholia and other psychiatric illnesses was also demonstrated.