Why Medical Marijuana?

McKenzie Henry, Reporter

If there was a way to ease the painful symptoms and suffering  from a fatal disease after all else fails, most would take the opportunity and run with it. Chemical treatments help but do not give the desired result which is a recovery. If all these problems could be solved with one simple thing, shouldn’t the whole country come together and allow it? Legalizing medical marijuana throughout America can be the cure to many symptoms facing cancer patients and diseases like autism and epilepsy. But there are hundreds more diseases and symptoms that medical marijuana could be a benefit to.

The bill to legalize medical marijuana was passed in Pennsylvania which makes PA the 24th state to allow medical marijuana use, including Washington D.C.. Anyone who has the 17 qualifying medical conditions like autism, cancer, epilepsy, and PTSD will be able to use medical marijuana medications without breaking the law, according to PennLive. The entire US should take part in the medical marijuana movement as this drug could cure and aid many symptoms and diseases. Nearly half of the US has taken part in this action, so it is not like the other US states can get away from the drug because it’s already here.

Since cancer is one of the major illnesses afflicting the world, everyone has been looking for a cure, and now that something has come around that has the potential to aid some forms of cancer and their symptoms, people are questioning it. The fact that marijuana has the abilities to stop something that has been so detrimental to society and is not being allowed to cure the symptoms is just unfathomable. When an athlete has amazing capabilities people don’t hold them back. They want to see what they can do and how far they can go, so why should we treat anything else differently? It is understandable how people are afraid of change and using something that defies the normal way to treat diseases like cancer. People will be skeptical of anything that goes against all odds; people will be skeptical of an amazing athlete’s abilities until they get to witness what they have, and the same thing goes for medical marijuana.

Many American citizens are pushing for the legalization of marijuana for recreational use as well as medically. Four states and the District of Columbia have allowed the use of marijuana recreationally. In Alaska, adults over 21 can now transport, buy, or possess up to an ounce of marijuana and six plants. Places like Oregon have allowed adults to possess up to an ounce of cannabis in public, as well as up to 8 ounces in their homes which will take effect in July, according to Governing. Since states have already allowed marijuana use recreationally, and people can buy and sell, there is not stopping the transportation of marijuana to other states.  Marijuana is one of those types of things that people will do whether it is legal or not, so instead of sending thousands to jail for possession of a plant, just make it legal and if people can’t respect the limits that the state gives, then penalties should be given. According to CNBC, the legal U.S. marijuana sale was $5.4 billion in 2015. The government can make a huge profit from the sale of marijuana, which is taking place of tobacco since the estimated sales of weed for 2016 will hit $6.7 billion.

In the next 30 years, medical marijuana will most likely be a positive item used to help aid cancer patients and people who suffer from other harmful diseases. Marijuana will also most likely be legalized for recreational use in almost all states that allow medical marijuana use. The new president elected will most likely have a huge influence on how soon the legalization of marijuana medically and recreationally will take action in all states. As of now it is just a matter of state governments listening to their citizens and not depriving them and their families the use of medical marijuana. Medical marijuana could save thousands of lives being traumatized by fatal diseases, and the United States needs to come together and allow this plant with the potential to cure hundreds of symptoms.