The Morality of Medical Marijuana

There are many controversial debates that are bombarding the society and there is one that has caused division over families, friends and lawmakers the aspect of the morality of medical marijuana. It is a known fact that marijuana has been used as a medicinal drug and has been prescribed by many in order to stimulate the appetite, treat asthma and relieve pain. Despite the advantages of the said drug, there are still several questions lingering in the minds of many people as to the legality as well as the morality of marijuana usage (Roth). Sick and suffering individuals contend that the use of marijuana eases their pain and the side effects of their treatments. On the other hand, the federal government contends that the benefits of marijuana are far too less than its damning effects and as such, they will take a very big risk in its legalization. Chronic marijuana usage produces both positive and negative effects and as such, it is recommended that the benefits must first be weighed against the risks.

The controversy about the use of marijuana originated from the legalization of the drug for medical use. Records show that medical marijuana stretches 2,000 years back. After hundreds of experiments and reports about its effects, there still remains no consensus about it. There have been many lingering questions as to the safety and effects of its use. It is a fact that marijuana has been used for intoxication and medication and until today, there has been conflicting views about its positive and negative effects. According to U.S. Drug Czar Gen. Barry McCaffrey, there is no scientific evidence that smoking marijuana can be useful but DEA Judge Francis Young contends and states that marijuana is th safest therapeutic substance that is known to man. He believes that it is much safer than other foods that is commonly consumed by the public (Roth).

These debate about medical marijuana and its use for medical purposes has been going on for many years and as of June 2005, the Supreme Court ruled that medical marijuana must not be used, however, they stressed out that this decision as to whether or not marijuana is effective and legal for pain relief is far from over. The medicalization as well as the legalization of marijuana for other purposes are two separate issues. In a 6-3 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that individuals whose physicians have prescribed marijuana due to health purposes may be arrested and tried. This decision serves as a federal ban on the use of marijuana and as such, it does not permit people to seek the protection of their state laws (Eustice).

There are several health risks associated with marijuana usage and most of these risks are related to smoking. Smoking is a drug delivery devise and one of the consequences of smoking is that it gives  a rapid-onset effect of drugs. In just a few minutes, the effect of smoked marijuana can be immediately felt and this exact effect is ideal for treating pain and nausea. If marijuana will become a component of conventional medicine, it is important that medical experts must enhance a rapid-onset delivery process that will be safer and more efficient than just the act of mere smoking the plant material (Roth). IOM report said that there are active components in marijuana that can treat pain and vomiting. The therapeutic effects of smoking marijuana are typically modest and there are other cases wherein there may be more effective medicines ( Should Medical Marijuana be a medical option ). A man named Rocky Hoveland suffers from extreme neck and spine pain. He took painkillers for a very long time, however, the drugs often left him in a state of daze. Ten years ago, he began using marijuana in order to ease the pain. After using it, he found out that it did not erase the pain but made it it more bearable. Many men like Mr. Hoverland are petitioning North Carolina in order to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes. As of November 2008, Michigan became the 13th state to declare the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes. The state representative D-Guilford introduced a bill in the legislative session in order to look into the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes. He is of the belief that Congress will do the right move once they have seen the benefit that it gives to the public and once they have been fully educated about it (Alexander).

Smoking marijuana may be contrary to law but it does not mean that it is a sin. This argument seems to circulate among Christians who have encountered any dealings with youth who are involved in the use of marijuana. Many religious associations are hesitant to give a straight positive or negative answer to the use of marijuana because they claim that the medical evidence about its harmfulness is not yet complete. However, an advocate of situational ethics Dr. Joseph Fletcher of the Massachusetts Episcopal Theological School claims that the morality of marijuana is on a case to case basis. Social drinking is not considered as immoral and neither is smoking unless they are used excessively ( Churches The Morality of Marijuana ). In the same way, the advocates of the legalization of marijuana argue that it is wrong to deprive the patients of relief from the pain they feel because of their debilitating disease. According to the Institute of medicine, marijuana holds a promise for allieviating the pain and nausea felt by the people who were undergoing treatments like chemotherapy. It likewise shows a potential for the improvement of severe weight loss that is caused by AIDS (Joy and Watson).

A number of religious denominations gathered and made a call to Congress in order to end the persecution of patients who use medical marijuana. The United Methodist Church, the National Baptist Convention, as well as the Unitarian Universalist Association have all signed a statement and according to them, seriously ill patients must be exempted from the criminal sanctions for the use of marijuana if their doctors told them that its use is beneficial. Politicians who are against medical marijuana often make moral arguments yet there are a number of religious denominations that are advocates for the use of medical marijuana and there are no denominations that have taken a stand against it. According to IDPI director Charles Thomas, the main issue in the usage of medical marijuana is mercy. Patients who are infected with serious diseases have already suffered enough stress and those patients who want to follow their physicians advice to use marijuana must not have to live in fear of being arrested and prosecuted. Religious denominations have a duty to stand up for the weak people whom they feel are being wronged and this is exactly what they are doing. Rev. Stewart of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Nevada commented that there are facts that show the medicinal uses if marijuana. These sick people found relief in using marijuana which they were not able to find elsewhere and this fact must be prioritized by the government. It is definitely the priority of the church and as such they feel that they have to take the initiative of supporting these people. Religious denominations strongly feel an ethical and a religious obligation to stand up for those who are unable to stand up for themselves because if they do not do so then nobody else will help these people ( Most Religious Denominations Increase Pressure on Congress for Medical Marijuana ).

In the words of St. Augustine,a law that is unjust is not a law at all (Ross). Perhaps the reason why politicians and men of religious importance cannot reach a reconciliation about the legalization of marijuana is because of the difference between ethics and morality. The morality centers on the moral character of the person while ethics centers on a social system wherein the morals may be applied. Therefore, ethics point to the standards or behavioral codes that is expected by the group wherein the individual belongs (Kayne). It is not difficult to comprehend the arguments of those who are against marijuana because of their implicit claim not only to moral but on legal grounds. There are a million and one ways to prohibit its legalization but on the other hand, there are also valid reasons to allow its usage. Asking the question as to the morality of marijuana is useful because even if the federal government argues based on high moral grounds, they often fail their own word when it comes to the aspect of treating every individual justly. It is ironic that they who based their claim on high moral ground chose a path that is antagonistic to these people who they swore to protect ( Morality of the Drug War ).

The use of marijuana for medical purposes is moral on the ground that every individual has a moral obligation to take care of himself for as long as what he is doing will not be injurious to others. Legality does not necessitate morality. To say that medical marijuana is immoral because it is illegal is not true. The hatred and antagonism of those who battle against the legality of marijuana is hard to understand if it will be taken into context with the fact that it will help sick people. Based on this premise alone, there can be no question about its morality. The fact that the patients may have acquired the medical marijuana from an illegal source is a separate issue. Just because there are those people who abuse prescriptive drugs does not mean that all prescriptive drugs must be completely forgotten in order to eradicate its illegal usage. One thing that people must always remember about medical marijuana is that the issue is not about giving consent for people to get high with drugs, it is about helping those who are in need in order to help them get through their treatments one day at a time and at least make their way of life a little bit bearable.

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