Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Medical Marijuana
Check out this article.
This discussion will center around the issues related to the legality
of marijuana and differences between states' handling of it compared to
the federal stance. Also, how much evidence do we have for the medical
efficacy of marijuana and for what disease states? Feel free to check
on YouTube and search the Internet for interesting and tastefully funny
articles and videos to contribute.
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50 comments:
There are numerous benefits to medical marijuana. It could be used for chemotherapy-induced nausea, glaucoma, plasticity in multiple sclerosis, neuropathy and other pain, and it even can be used as a brochodilator. These are just a few of the indications that marijuana could be used for. On the other hand, of course people will say that this drug would be abused if made legal. But, so is every other drug that has abuse-potential. There will always be a huge controversy with this issue and the benefits will never be discovered until the opportunity is allowed.
-Taylor Morrisette
Medical Marijuana has been a slippery slope in the field of medicinal use for many years and I am happy that it has finally made its way to approval in many states. Cannabis is an effective treatment for many chronic disease states and other disabling states. The side effects are minimal and contain headaches, dry mouth, dizziness, light-headedness, numbness, and cough. In the area of public health, I think this substance should be granted use with limitations similar to other drugs like alcohol. Certain amounts can lead to impairment of cognitive ability just like other drugs that are limited by law.
Overall cannabis should be further researched and findings should be implemented in the areas where they have a beneficial effect. Yes Cannabis may change the way our culture thinks and views certain areas of humanity but who can say that would lead to a negative impact.
“The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problem.” Mahatma Gandhi
Charles Whisnant
WUSOP Candidate of Pharmacy 2017
ch.whisnant@wingate.edu
I believe that medical marijuana should be legalized under certain stipulations. It for one needs to be only prescribed for the benefit of the patient. We need to look out for the patient and that should be the number one concern. If it is legalized it needs to be monitored like any CII drug. The marijuana should only be used to treat certain diseases and that is it. It should be a tight and controlled list. I like the fact that only a certain quantity can only be prescribed but also it is a small amount that can be given. That is a good way to control the amount that goes out. It is a medication that should be monitored just as much as a CII medication. I think if medical marijuana is going to be legalized, the list for all the diseases needs to be the same for all 50 states and not change. It needs to be the same across the border. As with what the uses are, I think that the limit the pharmacy has and what is given to the patients is monitored tightly. There should only be a little amount at a time and be ordered when needed. It is not something to mess around with and it needs to be controlled and maintained very well. That is what is my biggest concern when it comes to legalizing it. There is always going to be controversy it is just a matter of how it will be handled.
Becca Giannetti
I believe that medical marijuana should be legalized. There has been numerous trials and test that show the benefits can help those patients in need. The drugs that are out in the market today each have their own pro's and con's. While these drugs are able to help treat a disease/complication, all of these drugs also have their own adverse effects. As with medical marijuana, the benefits can be greatly beneficial and necessary for patients, such as those in chemotherapy to help stimulate mood and appetite. medical marijuana also has its own con's but it doesn't separate it from other other prescription drugs in the market. The idea that marijuana is also a "gate way drug" to other drugs can also be applied to prescription drugs. Just like opiods and other addictive controlled substances, the intent for abuse and misuse can always be present. Medical marijuana is no different from the prescription drugs we have now, especially since it can potentially be controlled by the government and pharmacies around. This control by the pharmacist and government would help prevent abuse of medical marijuana from misuse.
Chris Chu
I believe that there are many potential benefits of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. From reading the article and learning about the numerous states that have already made it accessible for medical reasons, it is obvious that a large group of people benefit from it. However, because of its long history as something that is bad, illegal, etc, there is not a lot of research that further corroborates the benefits of marijuana. I think that this is where the problem lies. If the federal/state governments allowed for clinical trials/research and the like to be done to actually figure out, once and for all, whether or not marijuana has significant purpose, I believe that this would answer a lot of questions and resolve some conflict. Yes, there is the potential of abuse but as someone else already mentioned, the same is true for virtually all drugs. It can be controlled just as any other scheduled drug. Why should it be any different for marijuana?
-Brenda Simiyu
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate
WUSOP 2017
To start, yes, I think that marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes. It has many medical benefits and has fewer side effects than many medications on the market. In my opinion the only reason that it is not legalized now all over the US is because it cannot be accurately dosed like a medication. With varying THC levels in the plant, it would be hard to control the amount for each dose. If they could control these levels then I believe that many states would hop on board with the legalization. They make marinol, which is a drug that mimics the active ingredient in cannabis. Why not use the natural plant? It is not synthesized in a lab and has been used through out history. I know in North Carolina, it was voted on last year and lost by a small margin. People and doctors see the health benefits, but are at odds with the federal government. To date there have not been any cases were a patient using medical marijuana has died from ill affects of the drug. In comparison to many medications on the market you cannot overdose from too much marijuana. There has not been one person hospitalized from marijuana to my knowledge. There needs to be more research conducted toward studying the effects and uses of marijuana. As far as the drug abuse question goes, every substance can be abused. Every substance has the potential for abuse, and that goes down to the individual level. Anything in moderations is okay, but when you eat or drink or take anything in excess it is harmful. Not just medications, but what happens to a person that eats cheese burgers in excess… they gain wait, have high cholesterol and obviously have a whole slew of health problems that come with taking something in excess.
Robert Byrd
There are many reasons as to why medical marijuana should be legalized and yet many reasons as to why it should not. I think the right way to move with the use of this substance is to legalize it. It has many uses that can be beneficial. Some of these reasons are that it relieves symptoms of nausea and vomiting. This is extremely useful in cancer patients that are experiencing chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting. Another effect of the use of medical cannabis is that it has the ability to relax muscle tension. A study by the American Cancer Society tested patients with MS using medical cannabis. The results were amazing because patients experienced a decrease in muscle spasms and shaking. Another reported affect is that medical cannabis also relieves symptoms of anxiety and insomnia. This could possibly even be used to treat patients suffering from depression. Medical marijuana also relives pain. This could be a problem here since it has a high abuse rate. But the thing is that some states have already approved the use of medical marijuana. It's already a Schedule I controlled drug, but now that it actually has some accepted medical use why not consider changing it to a Schedule II controlled substance? No one has ever died from the use of marijuana. There will always be controversy regarding the use of medical marijuana and even the recreational use, but people should not have preconceived notions without knowing the pros and cons of the usage.
Ashmira Patel
WUSOP Candidate of Pharmacy 2017
I think the controversial topic of medical marijuana being legalized would be helpful to the field of medicine. How is it any different than other drugs used for therapeutic use? I think it should be properly scheduled and monitored closely. It should be placed out of C-I. Although there is a stigma, if it were legalized the stigma would decrease. Medical marijuana has medicinal use and should be made available under certain conditions to improve the quality of life of patients. After all, isn't that our goal as future pharmacists? Therefore, we should be advocates for the legalization of strictly medicinal marijuana.
Carrie Tilton
I believe that medicinal marijuana has true therapeutic use in the healthcare field. I have seen many news stories and read many articles on the benefits patients have seen from the use of medicinal marijuana, most recently in children suffering from nearly constant seizures.
I do agree that more research should be done in order to see the exact mechanism, benefits, and risks of the drug. This will allow proper placement into a drug class and give labeled uses. I do not see any greater abuse potential with medical marijuana than with opiod pain relieves such as oxycodone and hydrocodone. I do believe that it needs to be legalized, regulated, and used in patients with diseases ranging from glaucoma or epilepsy to cancer patients lacking appetite and suffering from constant nausea.
I believe that medical marijuana should be legalized. There are many chronic conditions where marijuana has shown to be useful in patients that had not responded well to other medications. Also, there is not a high risk of harmful side effects that come with this drug. The only downfall is that there has not been a lot of clinical trials conducted because it is not legal right now. Therefore, if it becomes legalized then more clinical trials can be conducted and we can learn more about the drug. I do believe that it should be regulated and if it does become legalized it will probably only be available as prescription only at first and you will probably have to have some sort of debilitating condition. I believe that it will be healthcare providers responsibility to counsel on the abuse potential of this drug, just like many prescription medications that many of the same people that would be candidates for medical marijuana are probably already taking. I believe over all many people could benefit from this drug and improve their quality of life.
Melissa Janis
I believe that medical marijuana should become legalized. As with anything else, there will always be some people who find ways around the laws to abuse it. In my opinion, the benefits outweigh the risks. It would be a great option for people who have nausea caused by chemotherapy. These patients would greatly benefit from this method of therapy. Also, I believe Kim made a good point in class when she said that nicotine is potentially more harmful than marijuana. With that in mind, it doesn’t really make much sense to not legalize it. I found it interesting that different states allow you to have different amounts of marijuana. Washington, one of the states that has legalized it, will allow up to 24 ounces which I thought was a lot compared to some of the others who only allowed one ounce at any given time. I believe this should be something controlled at a higher level. As a result, each state would have the same laws regarding medical marijuana. This would eliminate any discrepancies from state to state. If it were to become legalized, I think it should become a C-II. I feel like it is most comparable to the drugs in that category. Overall, I believe that the legalization of marijuana would be of great benefit to some individuals, while potentially having no impact on others.
Ashley Severt
I think that marijuana should be legalized for medicinal purposes. The article mentions that marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug; however, I think that this classification could soon change to a Schedule II if more supporting evidence is established regarding marijuana’s therapeutic effects. In other words, I agree that marijuana has a high potential for abuse, yet it may prove to have significant medicinal purposes. If medicinal marijuana becomes legal in all states, it would be necessary to have tight restrictions on the drug. There would be the need to decide proper doses, dispensing regulations, and other details regarding patient use. However, before its legalization, I feel that there should be more studies conducted to verify the effectiveness of marijuana, as well as to determine the specific health issues for which it would be prescribed to treat. Abuse is another critical issue when considering the legalization of medicinal marijuana. An important point to make about marijuana’s medicinal use is that, as in all medicinal cases, the drug may have positive outcomes for some individuals whereas in others it may not have the same effects.
Kimberly Pullium
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate 2017
WUSOP
Well unfortunately I'm going to agree with the rest of the class so far and say I think medical marijuana should be legalized. Through the article posted, class comments, and other research I've seen on medical marijuana there are many benefits to it. Just like any other drug on the market there are going to be costs and benefits and I believe that studies have shown that if used properly medical marijuana's benefits far outweigh the negative effects. I still think there is more research that should be done on the long term effects of medical marijuana use but so far I believe the research has been positive. That's just my two cents on this matter.
Matthew Thompson
Personally, I feel that legalizing medical marijuana should be bypassed and marijuana should be legalized for recreational use. I think that it is comparable to alcohol. You can abuse alcohol, become addicted to alcohol, and overdose and die on alcohol, yet alcohol is not a scheduled drug. Cigarettes are highly addictive and detrimental to your health, but they are still legal. There are obviously therapeutic uses for marijuana and studies should be done to figure out what exactly marijuana can be effectively used for. As far as I know, nobody has ever overdosed on marijuana, showing us that marijuana is a fairly safe drug that is probably a lot safer than a lot of the pharmaceutical drugs on the market. Also, marijuana is always going to be available on the black market and we would save a lot of money as a country by legalizing it. Instead of spending money fighting the war on marijuana, we could focus on “harder” drugs like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. We could also tax marijuana and raise a lot of money like states are trying to do right now and like alcohol and cigarettes are taxed. The medical marijuana system is ripe with abuse with some doctors giving out prescriptions for medical marijuana like candy. People who just want to be able to legally access and smoke marijuana doctor shop until they find a doctor that will write them a prescription for marijuana for something like chronic pain, which is practically impossible to prove that they are not experiencing. I think that we should just make it completely legal and leave it up to individuals to decide whether or not they wish to use marijuana either recreationally or medicinally, like we do with alcohol and cigarettes. I do think that big pharmaceutical companies lobby against its legalization on the federal level, because it cuts into their profits and gets in the way of them selling their drugs. I think that pharmaceutical companies could still purify the active ingredients in marijuana and make dosage forms for people that would be consistent doses and safer for patients than smoking marijuana. These dosage forms could require a prescription and be covered by a patient’s insurance. However, I don’t know if these forms should be available to the public because it would be easier for people to abuse excessively. These forms would be safer because you are not damaging your lungs by smoking them, but I just think that people would take more pills at a time than they are supposed to take if they were available over the counter.
Ed Svendsen
Wingate University School of Pharmacy
Class of 2017
I believe that medical marijuana should be legalized. Even though it is scheduled as a C-I due to its high potential for abuse, I believe that it could soon change to a C-II. Marijuana used for therapeutic purposes has some great benefits without causing serious side effects. I do not see any difference in using this for therapeutic purposes than any of the other scheduled drugs that have high abuse potentials. Medical marijuana should definitely be regulated and monitored in order to prevent the potential for abuse. Proper dosing will also need to be decided upon in order to dispense, as well as some more studies conducted to learn more specifics about this drug and how it will affect each individual.
Summer Powell
Doctorate of Pharmacy Candidate
WUSOP Class of 2017
I mentioned in class that I have an uncle that uses medical marijuana. He has PTSD and mood swings every now and again. Since taking the medicinal drug he has showed obvious signs of improvement. Also the use of recreational marijuana is being accepted state by state. I believe that as the medicinal side of the drug is shown through its use in California and recreational marijuana is accepted then abuse will go down and eventually it will be accepted within the medical world and pharmacy. It's a matter of time.
Matthew Ryan Quick
WUSOP co 2017
Medical Marijuana has many important uses and it should be legal in the United States. It could greatly improve the quality of life for many patients. There are many drugs used in healthcare that have far greater abuse potential and negative side effects than marijuana. As long as patients are properly counseled for this drug, they can be as aware of the side effects and abuse potential as they are with other drugs. I believe that marijuana comes with many negative associations that prevent it from being seen as a therapeutic treatment. When we began this topic, I immediately thought of the opening of Pineapple Express as they are testing "Item 9". It is a comical and vulgar example, but it exemplifies that testing for marijuana was not really complete for healthcare purposes when it was made illegal. I hope that more extensive clinical trials can shed some light on the positive medical effects of this drug. However, it may take a very long time for negative stereotypes to be proven untrue.
Mary Parsons
WUSOP PharmD candidate 2017
I’ll have to reiterate what everyone has already stated and agree that marijuana should be legalized for recreational use. Individuals who are undergoing chemotherapy or other medical issues who can seek a benefit from marijuana should be entitled to have it. Who are we to stop someone from easing their pain or feeling of sickness/nausea all the time when we know marijuana could help them. I don’t think it should be our decision to prevent them from having a better quality of life just because we feel that certain people may potentially abuse its use. There are multiple drugs that people are abusing daily. Drug manufactures have list warnings on certain drugs that can cause abuse yet it has been FDA approved and pharmacists dispense those every day. So how is that any different from dispensing marijuana?
Anna Smaragdis
WUSOP Candidate of Pharmacy 2017
According to the conclusion of the article, it seems as if policymakers may not be looking into much of the science of marijuana. I think it'd be best if, to begin with, policymakers spend time asking researchers who know about marijuana about their opinions and what is best. Research and trials have shown that marijuana has use for medical purposes though. It is still important to know all about the drug before it is legalized though. I think it could be very beneficial for chronic disease states and really do some good.
I agree with Ashley, where she says the law should be the same throughout every state instead of varying doses given out in different state. It should be consistent throughout if it were made legalized.
If it were to be given out to people, it should be made in the safest dosage form possible and actually be made a prescription so people can see that it's safe to go to a pharmacist to get it. Maybe this could decrease drug-deals and going to other resources other than health-care professionals for needed drugs. I think it needs to be monitored, like any other CII though, meaning that all patients that it has been dispensed to should be closely monitored and there needs to be consistent follow ups.
I truly don't know how to really approach this issue. Whenever I think about both sides of the issue, I automatically see the positive from both. As much as I don't agree with using any kind of drugs, I can definitely see that Marijuana has its positive impact in the medical field in certain situations. I can see it as being similar to any other herbal remedies that are taken by people. Considering that it is already abused and used regularly by a huge part of society, I don't really see a big impact on people if it becomes legalized. Usually the people that are into drugs, they are willing to take the risk of having marijuana on them and getting caught by the law. The people that don't take that risk and are not interested in smoking up, I don't see them all of a sudden starting to smoke if it becomes legalized. The only significant impact the legalization would have is on how much the police run around catching people with it. That's it. Nothing else will really be impacted in my opinion.
Edward Plugovoy
WUSOP 2017
learning about the various ways that medical marijuana has helped ease the pain of certain patients with dilapidating diseases has convinced me of the benefits. If a drug can help improve the quality of life of a person, then that drug should not be ignored. The issue of abuse and of course misuse will always be a hot button issue in our society. For instance, DEA and other agencies collaborate to help stop the incidence of prescription abuse. The case of marijuana is certainly not going to be different. Any drug that has the ability to take away pain will always be one prone to abuse. So, whether we legalize marijuana or not, we may still have to contend with it as we do the opioids.
Adaobi Obika
WUSOP
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate
Class of 2017
In my opinion the lack of knowledge about the effects of marijuana is the main reason why there are those that are hesitant about the drug becoming legal. As it mentioned in the article the drug needs to be rescheduled in order for more comprehensive studies and trials to be carried out so that we can gain a perspective on the drugs uses. I personally believe that marijuana should be legalized for medicinal purposes federally. As most states have already legalized the medicinal use of this drug what is keeping our federal government from doing so? I feel that if enough states (over half in the country) were to legalize medicinal marijuana the federal government would have no choice but to follow suit. We need research on this drug so that we can establish a basis of knowledge allowing the physicians and patients to be probably informed so that this dug can be used to the best of its ability. I have attached a link to a 3 minute video of about a 7 year old girl with leukemia that is using marijuana for the side effects of her chemotherapy. I think that the doctor on this video makes some very good points on the use of the medication and the fact that we need more research to better understand its uses. I hope that you guys will get a chance to look at it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtrpc_SgtKw
Kim Coe
WUSOP Class of 2017
I don't think we have fully studied medicinal benefits of marijuana. I believe there are a lot of people who can benefit from using medical marijuana, as Taylor Morrisette has mentioned already.
Here is the link to the movie that I have watched and was absolutely amazed on how some people including kids with the rare diseases have received some benefit from it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3IMfIQ_K6U
-Sviatlana Drevila
To my knowledge there are many benefits from the use of marijuana. I am in support of the legalization of it as a medical treatment. This is mainly because it seems like a very safe drug. Now I have not read all of the facts about the drug nor am I familiar with the mechanism of action, but through observation it seems safe and effective. I would be interested in studying this subject to find out what exactly this drug can be used for and how it can be delivered.
Jacob Gibson
PharmD candidate 2017
WUSOP
I think that there are a lot of benefits to medical marijuana. And just like any other medication there are potential negative side effects. It would be a smart idea to legalize marijuana for medicinal use. It has the ability to treat some illnesses that we can't duplicate in the lab. I also think that its always a good thing to use something naturally derived when possible. With the legalization there will most certainly be problems regulating, but I can't imagine that it would be any worse than other C-II's. We need to continue to do research on medical marijuana and start its implimentation for situations that it be a benefit.
Mitch Speer
Medical Marijuana should be legalized, but the usage of it should be limited. Marijuana should be limited to use of medicinal only. Recently there was a debate between using tobacco versus marijuana and how tobacco is more dangerous to health compared to marijuana. Use of tobacco has shown higher chances of cancer, whereas use of marijuana has not shown such risk. Then, why all the hype about marijuana being worst drug? Legalizing marijuana will inhibit usage of other drugs such as cocaine. Yes we know it is dangerous because people tend to get addicted to that drug. However, as a part of healthcare professional, we should not forget benefits of marijuana, hence it treat many devastating health conditions, such as cancer. We can always extract the medicinal use of chemical from marijuana and use it in medication use only. As a part of healthcare professionals, we can try in limiting down the usage of marijuana for medicinal use only, but if people take advantage of using marijuana for some other purpose, then it depends on personal choice. Therefore, at the end of the day it is a debate between want vs. need of marijuana.
Shruti S. Desai
PharmD Candidate 2017
WUSOP
I agree with some of my classmates in that there may be benefits to legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. One of them being the low abuse potential compared to narcotics. I ran across an article on CNN by Dr. Sanjay Gupta a couple of months ago about his change of mind on medical marijuana. He discusses the abuse potential among narcotics and marijuana. He states "We now know that while estimates vary, marijuana leads to dependence in around 9 to 10% of its adult users. By comparison, cocaine, a schedule 2 substance "with less abuse potential than schedule 1 drugs" hooks 20% of those who use it. Around 25% of heroin users become addicted. The worst is tobacco, where the number is closer to 30% of smokers, many of whom go on to die because of their addiction." We already know there will be people who will abuse it, but how many people are already abusing controlled drugs today? If medical marijuana proves to be more beneficial than it is hazardous, why not legalize it? This is the link to the article. http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/08/health/gupta-changed-mind-marijuana/index.html?iref=allsearch
I do not believe that there is enough medical research completed in order to make the use of marijuana use legal, although marijuana happened to have some effects on certain conditions. In my opinion, this is a case based on do the benefits outweigh the possible overall effects that could occur? I believe that there are other alternatives that can be explored in order to treat such conditions that medicinal marijuana is used for. If there was country wide legalization of the use, then I believe that potential abuse and also it would be frowned upon by neighboring world powers. Regardless of the legalization, people will continue to use the drug and complete sells /trade.
Dustin Webster
WUSOP Candidate class of 2017
I think that medical marijuana should be legalized. It has been proven to help patients so why should it be any different from other therapeutic drugs? I think that more studies need to be done on this drug, but I can see it eventually being legalized. It does have potential for abuse so it may need to be scheduled. I feel that alcohol and cigarettes are actually worse for someone than marijuana is.
I think that medical marijuana should be legalized. It has been proven to help patients so why should it be any different from other therapeutic drugs? I think that more studies need to be done on this drug, but I can see it eventually being legalized. It does have potential for abuse so it may need to be scheduled. I feel that alcohol and cigarettes are actually worse for someone than marijuana is.
Courtney Harrell
WUSOP 2017
As time goes on, marijuana has become more and more accepted in the Americas. Slowly, more states are legalizing the use of marijuana (and some even recreational). While I am against the recreational use of marijuana, I do believe that legalization is the proper route to go. This way, not only can the drug be more regulated and taxed, but there would probably be a significant drop in abuse. Once something is legal, it doesn't seem so shiny and amazing anymore.
As far as the medical use goes, I believe this is important. Marijuana has shown to be useful in chemo patients, for epilepsy, and various other chronic conditions. There are also very little known long term side effects from the use of marijuana- it seems to be even less harmful than the ever so common tobacco use.
In order to make this a more acceptable thing, I believe it is important to take away the "smoking" aspect of marijuana and instead take the medicinal aspect and put it into pill form. This way, it becomes more of something people are used to and can be viewed as more acceptable. It also has less potential for abuse in this aspect.
Medical marijuana is something that should be viewed as a turning point in medicine. It is just another controversy that is ever changing with time, just like women's rights or whether or not African Americans can vote. With time, it will be a more common thing- and that is good.
I believe that marijuana should be legalized for medical and recreational use. There are many ways to do the drug so it doesn't degrade your lungs and it has medicinal benefits with little to adverse effects. The drug is already so easily available that legalizing it more than likely won't change the amount of users.
Steven Walls
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate
WUSOP 2017
Personally, I feel that medical marijuana should be legal for medical use; however, I think that there should be a much more regulated system for dispensing the drug. At this time, there are different regulations within the fourteen states that have legalized it for use. I think that it would be better if there is a standard for the quantity, quality, and potency of the drug that is given to patients from a specific distributer. Some states allow that the patient grow, others have distributers that the patient must buy from, and some states don't have a preference from where the patient gets the drug. Overall, I think this a terrible way of having legal marijuana because people could be buying the drug from dealers on the street. If that be the case, the patient isn't just receiving marijuana to help with their diagnosed issues but they could be getting other drugs laced within the marijuana. This could lead to the use of other drugs, addiction, or even death that could have been prevented. There is also a discrepancy with the amount of marijuana that the patient is allowed to use. I feel like if all states legalize marijuana, then the restrictions and regulations could be set nation-wide. This would allow for the medical use to be more beneficial. The prescribers can know exactly how much a patient needs for specific medical diagnoses and prescribe the drug just like they would any other medically used drug. I also agree that changing the DEA schedule in order to increase the amount of research surrounding the drug would be a good idea. It would be unsafe to legalize a drug without adequate research about side effects and risks from the drug. On the other hand, I do feel that using marijuana as a prescribed drug should be the second line choice. If the patient has other medications working for their illness, they do not need marijuana unless it would be an even more effective treatment. Those patients who have diagnosed illness that are not being well managed by other drugs should be allowed to try marijuana to see if it would work better. In the end, I feel that marijuana should be legalized.
I believe that marijuana has many useful indications and should be legalized for medical use. I do believe that with the legalization of marijuana there needs to be many rules and regulations. One of the many concerns is where the marijuana would be grown and how patients would fill their prescription. If marijuana was legalized, there would have to be regulated farms to ensure the sterility and quality of the drug. Distribution of the drug is also an issue; would pharmacies distribute the drug? In the article, it states “State laws do not regulate marijuana’s quality or potency, and most don’t address ways of obtaining the drug.” I think these are very important issues to resolve before legalizing the use of marijuana medicinally.
Maegan Wells
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate 2017
WUSOP
I believe that marijuana should be legalized. It has many medical uses with less adverse effects than a lot of things that are already legal. I think with more research, it could prove to be a great benefit to people suffering from chronic pain, seizure, etc.
One other added benefit, which was mentioned in class today, is that it can be taxed and revenue can be made off of it. If people are going to do it anyways, we might as well help the economy out in the process.
Nicole Free
Medical marijuana has and will always be a very controversial topic. I believe that it will be a controversial topic even if it is legalized for both medicinal and recreational use. I believe that it should be legalized for medicinal use because of the many indications for use. If it truly treats all the symptoms that people say it does, then I think that people should be able to use it. I definitely believe that there should be a lot of research performed on marijuana before legalization for medicinal use. It should go through the same path that new drugs go through to be put on the market. In my opinion, if marijuana is proven through years of research to treat certain diseases, then it should be legalized and prescribed by physicians. I understand that there are negative effects with marijuana, but there are negative side effects with every drug. Every drug is going to have a negative side effects and will harm the body in some way. I feel that with marijuana, the problem is with the public perception of the drug.
Walter Parham
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate 2017
Wingate University
Marijuana has the potential to provide several benefits. Like all drugs, there are pros and cons to it. There is no drug that does not have any side effects or adverse effects. Yes, marijuana can be addictive; however, we have other drugs that have the potential to be addictive and abused, and we have a system to control it. The same should be done for marijuana if it is legalized. Whether marijuana is legalized or not, people will continue to use it.
Sheng Vue
WUSOP Candidate of Pharmacy 2017
I think medical marijuana is something we are going to see more frequently as time passes. As this drug becomes legal, I think it is necessary to place regulations on it. As a future pharmacist, I do not think recreational use is something I should debate, but I think medicinal use could provide some benefits. Before it is widely available, I think more research should be performed on the effects of marijuana. As long as the benefits outweigh the risks, the drug could be useful for several conditions. Along with research, I think the process of making the drug should be monitored, in order to keep a standard of quality. Once all these rules and regulations are in place, I see no problem with legalizing the drug for medicinal use.
Jordan Richmond
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate 2017
Wingate University School of Pharmacy
I really do think that Marijuana should be legalized for both recreational and medicinal purpose. Nicotine and Alcohol are legals and have no known or proven medical use, and they are for recreational use as well. Ironically, healthcare providers have for many years campaign and educated the public on the danger of nicotine, and to some extend alcohol and their negative effects on health, yet nicotine and alcohol are legal and traded accross the nation and internationally. So, my point is legalize it, and regulate it. When legalized, then further studies can follow. I really think that the current status of marijuana at the federal level is strongly influenced by politics and differences in culture all across the country. Whether it is for medicinal or recreational purpose, marijuana should be legalized and with this legalization, comes responsibilities.
Etienne Matanda
I feel that medical marijuana should be legalized to treat chronic conditions in which other, known therapies fail or perform less effectively. Testing has proven the effectivness of marijuana in stimulating appetite, reducing pain, and control seizure activity. Dronabinol has not proven as effective as natural THC, and unless another, more effective synthetic can be designed, pharmaceutics need to push for the use of medical marijuana. If legalized for medical use, the substance should be altered to a more traditional form (ie. capsule, patch, buccal tab) for delivery. Doing so would hopefuly separate the social stigma attached to lighting up a joint and smoking it to get a high and taking a monitored and prescribed medication for the treatment of a chronic illness. If marijuana was first introduced as a medical treatment, instead of a recreational drug, the social perspective would be very different and this debate would not exist to the extent it does today. All controlled medications possess some level of abusive potential and marijuana is not excluded from this drawback of therapy. As such, infrastructure would have to be established to treat marijuana abusers.
Tyler Billings
I believe that you should be allowed to carry a weapon when you are working in the pharmacy. Too many people think it’s easy to rob a pharmacy because they know pharmacist and technician don’t have a weapon and can be easily intimidated if someone comes in to rob them with a weapon. I do believe pharmacist who work the overnight shift and those who work in unsafe neighborhoods should definitely be armed. I think corporate pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS should have a security guard placed in all pharmacies to try and deter robbers from stealing controlled medications. With that being said pharmacy companies should come up with safety precautions to help ensure the safety of their pharmacists.
Anna Smaragdis
WUSOP Candidate of Pharmacy 2017
I find myself leaning both ways on this issue, but I ultimately believe that medical marijuana should be legalized. There is evidence that a large population benefits from the effects of using marijuana for medicinal purposes and if that is the case the how can we not legalize it? I do believe that the narcotics we prescribe on a daily basis have extremely harmful effects and some may even be worse that the effects of marijuana. These narcotics cause people to do crazy things and hurt others, yet we still allow them to be used. What I don’t agree on is when people say that the violence will cease once people can easily access marijuana. There is a huge market for it already and that will continue no matter where you can get it. So there would have to be stipulations on accessing it for medicinal purposes. Overall, I think it is going to be legalized no matter what and whatever the effect on recreational use is, I think we will see a large benefit from a medicinal stance.
I do think it is reasonable to consider the legalization of marijuana for medical uses. It may be beneficial in conditions such as cancer, glaucoma, MS, pain management (e.g. for conditions such as HIV, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer), diabetes and many others. Additionally it is considered to be relatively safe with mild adverse effects (e.g. headache, dry eyes/mouth, cough, etc.). However, I do think more studies need to be done to confirm possible indications and adverse effects of the use of medical marijuana. In order to legalize the use of medical marijuana I think it needs to have proven effectiveness for conditions that do not currently have other optimal treatments. As many other students suggested, I don’t think legalization will affect the current use of marijuana and it may have potential economic benefits as well.
Laura Bowers
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate 2017
WUSOP
I think that marijuana should not only be allowed to be used for medical use, but should also be legalized for recreational use. There are new therapeutic uses for marijuana that are being discovered all the time. It is very diverse is the types of diseases and conditions it can help treat. Of course there are side effects to using this as a treatment, but there are going to be side effects for nearly every therapeutic treatment. In this instance, I feel like the pros drastically outweight the cons. As far as legalizing marijuana for recreational use, I think this would drastically improve some of our country's economic issues. If legalized, it could be taxed and regulated, not to mention it would save this country millions of dollars by reducing the amount of law enforcement that is being used to prevent the growing, selling, and possession of marijuana. Legalization would also decrease the amount of people in the correctional system and thus save the country even more money by not having to spend our tax money to keep someone in jail for having an ounce of weed. Overall, the use of marijuana both medically and recreationally should be made legal and in turn would increase quality of life for people with certain diseases, while also decreasing drug related crime and the amount of people in the correctional system.
- Jamie Warren
WUSOP Candidate of Pharmacy 2017
Hoffmann and Weber’s article on “Medical Marijuana and the Law” was an interesting topic even though North Carolina does not belong to those 14 states that allow medical marijuana for treatments and medication. They ask some important medical questions as well as legal questions: “For what conditions does marijuana provide medicinal benefits? Are there equally effective alternatives? What are the appropriate doses for various conditions? How can states ensure quality and purity?” With these controversial questions, I agree that medical marijuana needs to be allowed for patients until we discover alternative medicine.
The reluctance of using medical marijuana mainly comes from its overuse or misuse. With its addictiveness, medical marijuana needs to be strictly controlled from overuse or misuse. From the legal perspective, it makes sense. However, from the health professional perspective, medical marijuana needs to be understood from the benefits of patients. As there are concerns on overuse or misuse of medical marijuana, physicians or pharmacists should strictly prescribe for necessary dose to those patients who need it as medicine. In fact, there are many other medicines that may have similar side-effects of marijuana. For using medical marijuana, health professionals need to keep higher ethic and strict legal application. Nonetheless, I claim that using medical marijuana needs to be decided by the benefits of patients.
Ae Kyung Lee
WUSOP
D.Pharm Candidate 2017
In the last few years, the legalization of medical marijuana has become a controversial topic of discussion. Each side of the conversation has their own unique perspective that are worth acknowledging. I personally believe the use of medical marijuana has benefits that outweigh its drawbacks. If unbiased studies yield information that supports the efficacy of the treatment, then I think the evidence would be too substantial to disregard. Everything can be broken down to a science and its science that I trust, not taboo nor social stigmas. I believe the combination of medicine and technology will have an immense impact on our future health, enabling us to explore possibilities that were previously unimaginable. If developments in nanotechnology are unveiling new ways of treating and preventing diseases, then why should we handle medical marijuana any different? If I were to develop an illness in which I knew medical marijuana had proven to beneficial, I hope that I would have the right to choose my preferred method of treatment.
I believe that medical marijuana should be legalized, but for medicinal use only. Therefore, I think that it should be moved from a C-I to a C-II because it is would be for therapeutic use only. Marijuana has been able to help many people with a variety of medical conditions, so it should become a legal drug that can be prescribed. One of the things that can be done to make it less harmful is to remove the carcinogens from it and possibly extract the active ingredient and convert to other dosage forms. Overall, I think that making it available for therapeutic use would have a positive effect on the medical field and would improve the lives of many patients.
Trent Tysinger
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate
WUSOP Class of 17
This is a very delicate subject as many people are passionate about this topic. Personally, I think it should be left to the FDA and DEA to make the call base on the evidence and what clinical trials and studies will show. Some people claim that it does help with certain ailments and that is true but so does other drugs like cocaine. The fact that cocaine is a very potent anesthetic does not mean it should be legalized or prescribed to outpatients to deal with pain.
Hence if evidence prove that marijuana has medical benefits, and thus warrant it being legalized, it should be controlled tightly just as cocaine is controlled in that regard.
Medical marijuana is used in many states and has had net benefits to many who have used it. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with legalizing marijuana for recreational use as well as medicinal use. I disagree with the argument that the legalization of marijuana would lead to the legalization of other illicit substances on the basis that it stems from the slippery slope fallacy. One reservation I have is that if there are not reforms to our entitlements, and recreational use is allowed, there could be steep socioeconomic costs to our society.
Michael Russell
WUSOP
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate 2017
I think marijuana should be legal. I don’t think there should be regulations on it. It should be treated like alcohol, legal but with limitations. For example you can’t get high and go to work on it. Someone made a good point about the fact that marijuana users have to deal with shady dealers and if marijuana is legalized this would cut out the illegal drug dealers. I don’t think it should be just for medicinal reasons, because so many people already use it illegally, with medicinal use only it will be easier to obtain it with or without a prescription. It should be acknowledged for benefits it may have, like drinking a red glass of wine. A lot of people use marijuana and when it is legalized people can research it for its benefits and drawbacks with less bias. Patients will be more open about their marijuana use and this will allow doctors and pharmacists to identify possible interactions this may have on their drugs. Furthermore, it can be taxed.
Mimi Le
WUSOP Candidate of Pharmacy 2017
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