Marijuana is evil. Since I can first remember, as a child, this is the view that was taught to me by adults. When I was in the fourth grade, our class had police officers come in, as part of the D.A.R.E. program, and talk to us about why drugs were bad. We were taught that marijuana, like all other illegal drugs, did nothing but ruin lives.
Source: Cannabis Culture
The idea that marijuana ruins lives is the exact stance of the United States government. In a journal article by Rebecca Dresser, she examines the legality of marijuana as it is classified as a Schedule I drug, putting it in the same category as heroin and bath salts. Being classified as a Schedule I drug implies that a drug has a high potential for abuse and has no acceptable medical uses. However, there is a growing amount of scientific evidence that refutes this very definition and implies almost the exact opposite. Marijuana may just hold the key to treatment for a wide variety of diseases and disorders.
It is important to first have a basic understanding of what exactly marijuana is in a scientific sense. Marijuana’s proper scientific name is Cannabis. Cannabis is comprised of many different compounds, the main one being the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol or THC which is largely responsible for the high that people feel from consuming cannabis. THC is a cannabinoid, a class of chemical compounds that interact with the body’s cannabinoid receptors to produce a physiological response. Research has identified over 110 different cannabinoids from cannabis besides THC, each with varying effects. These cannabinoids are what give cannabis such a high potential for therapeutic use.
THC molecule Image source: Wikipedia
Studies into the medicinal effects of marijuana have been limited by its legality; however, change in popular opinion about marijuana has led to an increase in studies into its potential uses. Many studies, like the research by Kogan and Mechoulam, have found that cannabinoids do in fact have high therapeutic value. They found that cannabinoids have the potential to provide treatment for a great many diseases, a few of which being anorexia, pain, inflammation, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, and obesity. This is only a sample of the possible diseases that could have possible treatments utilizing cannabinoids. Because of cannabinoids extremely low toxicity and harmless side effects, it is an attractive course of treatment for many different diseases.
Above is a basic introductory video on the different cannabinoids found in marijuana by High Times.
With the impending legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada arriving as early as this summer, the scientific community has been presented with an incredible opportunity. Legal recreational marijuana would pave the way for an unprecedented increase in cannabis research. The vast number cannabinoids that come from cannabis have too great a medical potential to be overlooked any longer. While many Canadians are excited about the coming legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes, I truly am excited about the potential for increased research into the compounds that could hold impactful medical treatments.
By Aaron Reiss
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