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Marijuana: A Drug or Medicine?

Or is it just an herb?

By Denise WillisPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
Top Story - September 2017
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Abstain, or smoke marijuana? That is a question many are grappling with today, as marijuana becomes legal in more states, at least 23 currently.

Most older members of society still feel that marijuana is a drug, and a gateway drug to other, harder drugs. They make this observation based on false media advertising, portraying marijuana as a drug that is destructive, and also what they heard from their parents while growing up. It isn't just the drug that is bad, but the people who use the drug are considered undesirables.

A large portion of society are people who drink every day, maybe socially, or maybe to relax after work, but it is still an every day habit, and yet, they do not consider themselves alcoholics. They do consider marijuana smokers to be addicts, however, even though you are not likely to get addicted to marijuana, unless you are a very heavy, constant user of the drug, and then it is possible to have withdrawal symptoms.

Marijuana is made up of two components, THC and CBD. THC is the chemical in marijuana that causes a euphoric feeling, temporarily impairs motor skills, and causes problems with memory. CBD, which is cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive portion of marijuana, and the part that helps heal the body. Marijuana can also be of different strains, one being sativa, and the other indica. The sativa strain tends to make the user feel more up, and they are still able to function better than those who smoke indica. Indica tends to cause the user to be very sleepy and not feel like making conversation. Both strains can cause what is referred to as "the mad munchies" and the person using the drug will continuously seek food and enjoy it ten times more than when they are not smoking.

People with cancer find many benefits to smoking marijuana, including pain relief and help settling their stomachs when they feel sick from chemotherapy. Marijuana does not destroy brain cells, is not harmful to your heart or liver, and doesn't give you a hangover.

The medical community is becoming more and more aware of the benefits of medical marijuana for patients with chronic pain. Marijuana can also cure an astigmatism in the eye, and return it to normal. Recently, I saw a post showing a middle aged man with Parkinson's disease and he was in his apartment, his body jerking from the disease. A friend came to the door, and once inside, the friend placed some oil from marijuana inside the mouth of the man with Parkinson's. Within a few minutes, the man with Parkinson's had stopped twitching and jerking around. The post did not say how long the effects lasted, but any relief has to be wonderful.

As is true with anything, people can misuse marijuana and give it a bum rap because of their irresponsible behavior. Driving while smoking, or after getting high, is not recommended, any more than it is recommended for someone to drink and drive. Marijuana tends to let the mind drift around on its own, so operating equipment is also not a good idea after smoking. It is a matter of using good judgment and common sense, as you would with anything that effects your thought processes.

Marijuana can be made into a salve that treats skin irritations, and also into an oil that is taken for different ailments, and also to feel more energetic and focused. The salve and the oil is made of CBD, and there is no THC found in them.

In conclusion, states that have legalized marijuana are enjoying the benefit of additional revenue to their state, and also benefiting their citizens by allowing them use of a natural remedy, instead of having to rely on pharmacy drugs that have terrible side effects, even causing death in some cases. Hopefully, more states will legalize marijuana in the future, and maybe legalize it on a Federal level.

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About the Creator

Denise Willis

I love art as much as writing, and when the world feels dark, I get out my paper and colored pencils and draw while listening to music. When my husband and I were going through a divorce, journaling is what got me through that..

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