Pubdate: Wed, 03 Sep 2014
Source: Daily Cougar (U of Houston, TX Edu)
Copyright: 2014 UH Student Publications
Contact: http://thedailycougar.com/write-a-letter/
Website: http://thedailycougar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1374
Author: Shane Brandt

MEDICAL MARIJUANA LESS HARMFUL THAN PRESCRIPTION PAINKILLERS

The medical industry has many tools for treating pain and illness, and
while America has some of the most advanced medical treatments in the
world, treatment is a tricky thing and sometimes has unintended side
effects.

One issue that afflicts Americans in particular is reliance on
painkiller prescriptions.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than
10,000 men and 6,600 women died in 2010 from painkiller overdose.
Women in particular are facing a tremendous increase in the number of
overdoses each year, with a 400 percent increase since 1999 compared
to 265 percent among men.

In contrast to this worrying trend, a recent study published in JAMA
Internal Medicine found that states with legalized medical marijuana
have significantly fewer painkiller overdoses than states where
marijuana is still completely illegal. In fact, they had nearly 25
percent fewer lethal overdoses.

In spite of many states having recognized the medical potential of
marijuana, most have still not legalized marijuana for medical usage,
and all usage is still illegal under federal law. Marijuana is illegal
nationwide according to the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, which
classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug. In comparison, cocaine is
considered a Schedule II drug, making it legal for some very
restricted medical usage.

Fortunately, public opinion of marijuana has moved in favor of
legalization over the years as people become more aware of the
medicinal potential.

Although drugs like Marinol deliver THC - the main ingredient of
marijuana - in a legal manner, such drugs can be expensive and not as
effective as the real deal. While the effects of marijuana have not
been studied in full, prescribed uses for the plant include helping
appetite, curbing pain and most relevantly, dealing with chronic pain.

Many ailments and conditions - such as glaucoma, migraines,
fibromyalgia and other chronic pains - can be treated with both
painkillers and marijuana. Combined with the recent findings, it seems
obvious why medical marijuana seems to cut down on lethal overdoses;
the side effects of marijuana simply aren't as lethal as those of
prescription painkillers.

While opinions have been shifting in favor of legalization and
decriminalization, there are still many Americans against any use of
marijuana. It is hard to imagine medical marijuana being legalized in
Texas; however, even in Texas there are more and more people pushing
for the right to let their doctors decide what is best for their
health rather than politicians.

Many simply don't seem to find marijuana prohibition reasonable,
including some UH students. Undeclared freshman Zack Arrazola said he
believes that medicinal marijuana needs to be encouraged as an option
for those dealing with illness.

"I think it should be promoted more often, but I believe Texas is too
conservative of a state to legalize it anytime soon," Arrazola said.

Although Arrazola said he supports medicinal marijuana options, he
also said he believes recreational use should not be legalized.

"It shouldn't be completely legalized because the benefits that come
from legalizing it, like being able to tax it and collect revenue, are
outweighed by all the costs on healthcare and the money it will cost
citizens to provide governmental help for junkies. And also, that's a
lot of productivity loss," Arrazola said.

Medicinal marijuana has plenty of potential in the medical field;
however, current laws in Texas ignore that potential due to
misinformation in public opinion. Education on the potential medical
benefits will be necessary for Texas to change its mind.

Unfortunately, most education on marijuana tends to be about the
negative effects, and is often intentionally misinformative in order
to "protect" children from drugs. Many are familiar with D.A.R.E. from
their school days. The program is known by many for omitting
information, and often exaggerating the negative effects of drugs such
as marijuana in order to discourage students from abusing drugs.

Even studies during the 1990s found that D.A.R.E.'s methods were
ineffective in discouraging drug usage, and D.A.R.E decided to drop
marijuana from its curriculum in 2012. This may be due to the fact
that marijuana simply isn't as dangerous as people once thought.

Perhaps with time and a balanced education on marijuana's positive and
negative effects, Texas and the rest of the nation will open up to
marijuana as a medicine. More states may decide to regulate marijuana
like alcohol, but certainly people can start to agree that the entire
country should allow its usage for medicinal purposes.

It's time that people allow doctors to decide what is right for their
patients. This doesn't mean one has to support getting high for a good
time's sake, but people need to question whether their tax dollars are
best spent on policing medicinal usage for those who really might need
it. Prescription painkillers are not more moral, and they are not
healthier than prescription marijuana.

Opinion columnist Shane Brandt is a petroleum engineering senior and
may be reached at   
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