Analgesics vs. Medical Marijuana. Yes, I Went There

                                        



Ok, before i delve into information, facts, and my opinions, i want everyone to understand something about me. I have never been one to just go along to get along, at least not indefinitely. I prefer to get a comprehensive understanding of what it is I proclaim as my beliefs. Ethics play a huge role in my proclamations as well. If you don't intend on reading this blog in it's entirety, reading bits and pieces will probably do more harm than good. Ok, lets get started. :)

Lets first gets some basic definitions out there.

Analgesic: : A drug or medicine given to reduce pain without resulting in loss of consciousness ( such as acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, and aspirin, just to name the three most commonly used analgesics we will be focusing on today).


Medical Marijuana: Medical marijuana is used as a form of herbal therapy which is recommended for chronic pain or nausea. 


many of us are familiar with Tylenol which contains the active ingredient acetaminophen, Advil which contains ibuprofen, and Bayer which contains aspirin. What many of us don't know are the health risks involved in taking these drugs. Well, i've decided to do the research for you guys. Thank me later.






Acetaminophen: According to the American Medical Association overuse of acetaminophen is the leading cause of liver failure in the United States. While an overdose of about 7000 mg/ day can send you to the hospital, most people don't even think about consuming that much in a day. What we fail to realize is smaller doses can still cause damage to the liver and kidney overtime.


Ibuprofen: used to treat pain-causing inflammation can increase the risk of heart and circulation problems (stroke and heart attack). It can also increase a person's risk of acquiring intestinal bleeding and perforations (form of a hole) in the stomach and intestinal tracts. 


Aspirin: used to reduce and relieve minor aches and pains, reduce fever, and is a moderate anti-inflammatory. Some common effects of usage is nausea and vomiting. The more sever effects include but are not limited to hearing loss, black or bloody stools, breathing issues, and confusion. 








Don't shoot the messenger. 


Now, lets explore some facts about marijuana.

• There is no convincing scientific evidence that marijuana causes psychological damage or mental illness in either teenagers or adults. Some marijuana users experience psychological distress following marijuana ingestion, which may include feelings of panic, anxiety, and paranoia. Such experiences can be frightening, but the effects are temporary. With very large doses, marijuana can cause temporary toxic psychosis. This occurs rarely, and almost always when marijuana is eaten rather than smoked. Marijuana does not cause profound changes in people's behavior.

• Moderate smoking of marijuana appears to pose minimal danger to the lungs. Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains a number of irritants and carcinogens. But marijuana users typically smoke much less often than tobacco smokers, and over time, inhale much less smoke. As a result, the risk of serious lung damage should be lower in marijuana smokers. There have been no reports of lung cancer related solely to marijuana, and in a large study presented to the American Thoracic Society in 2006, even heavy users of smoked marijuana were found not to have any increased risk of lung cancer. 

•  Marijuana has been shown to be effective in reducing the nausea induced by cancer chemotherapy, stimulating appetite in AIDS patients, and reducing intraocular pressure in people with glaucoma. There is also appreciable evidence that marijuana reduces muscle spasticity in patients with neurological disorders. A synthetic capsule is available by prescription, but it is not as effective as smoked marijuana for many patients. Pure THC may also produce more unpleasant psychoactive side effects than smoked marijuana. Many people use marijuana as a medicine today, despite its illegality. In doing so, they risk arrest and imprisonment.

• None of the medical tests currently used to detect brain damage in humans have found harm from marijuana, even from long term high-dose use. An early study reported brain damage in rhesus monkeys after six months exposure to high concentrations of marijuana smoke. In a recent, more carefully conducted study, researchers found no evidence of brain abnormality in monkeys that were forced to inhale the equivalent of four to five marijuana cigarettes every day for a year. The claim that marijuana kills brain cells is based on a speculative report dating back a quarter of a century that has never been supported by any scientific study

AND WE CAN GO ON AND ON. 


oh yeah, before i proceed i will note, i am NOT an advocate for lawlessness AND IF ANYONE CONSUMES AN ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES DESERVES WHAT THEY GET IF THEY DO GET IN TROUBLE FOR IT. 


So, after doing the research, reading the scientific studies, and reviewing findings, i will say that i may be more of an advocate for MEDICINAL marijuana smoking. Some will argue that it can cause a chemical dependence, but HELLO!!! have you seen most of the population of the USA? most of us are hopped up on coffee, Mac Donald's, and the like. The abuse of anything will cause problems. I don't think it is the drug itself but more so the user. This is why we have binge eating disorders,  Also note that i used to word drug. I do indeed believe it is a drug because by definition, a drug affects the process of the mind and/or body and marijuana, alongside aspirin and cocaine do just that whether positively or negatively. 
     Overall, marijuana seemingly has more long term health benefits than detriments in contrast to pharmaceutical pain killers which seem to do the opposite. I am all about logic, morale, and the betterment of all people and if marijuana is a better choice for the AIDS patient suffering from AIDS related anorexia or if it combats the nausea associated with chemotherapy for the cancer patient without long term negatives, I say all systems go (as long as laws permit and if they don't, i think they should be amended). That's just me though...