This paper argues that marijuana should be legalized for medical use throughout the United States. Drawing on clinical studies, physician endorsements, and patient testimonials, the paper examines how medical marijuana alleviates symptoms associated with HIV/AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, and other conditions. It also addresses common objections — including concerns about addiction, gateway drug theory, and the FDA's Schedule I classification — and evaluates counterevidence from researchers and advocacy organizations. Additional sections discuss the economic benefits of taxing dispensaries, the importance of medical-grade cannabis strains, and the broader trend toward decriminalization. The paper concludes that mounting scientific and public support makes national legalization of medical marijuana increasingly inevitable.
The paper demonstrates effective use of concession and refutation: it acknowledges the FDA's Schedule I classification, addiction concerns, and gateway drug arguments, then presents specific studies and professional endorsements to undercut each objection. This structure prevents the essay from appearing one-sided while reinforcing the thesis at every turn.
The essay opens with a thesis statement and broad context, then moves through therapeutic evidence, patient access and cost, dispensary quality control, scientific and emotional objections, economic incentives, and finally a forward-looking conclusion about decriminalization. Each section builds on the last, culminating in a call for FDA reclassification and national legislative action. The argument flows logically from medical evidence to policy implications.
Marijuana should be legalized for medical use in the United States. Fourteen U.S. states have already approved the use of marijuana in treating a variety of medical conditions. Studies indicate that marijuana is beneficial in treating many different medical conditions, from HIV/AIDS to Alzheimer's disease, and the harmful side effects that plague many other prescription drugs are minimal. Because of this and other compelling evidence, marijuana should be legalized for medical use across America.
The legalization of marijuana for medical use has been contentious for decades. More and more studies indicate it has many beneficial aspects, and the risks are not as great as many might think. Marijuana can lessen the pain of many severe illnesses, and it has been shown to be effective in numerous conditions. One writer notes, "It has been documented that marijuana is an analgesic for sufferers of nausea related to chemotherapy, appetite and weight loss related to AIDS, migraine headaches, Alzheimer's, muscle spasms, fibromyalgia, arthritic pain, glaucoma and other conditions" (Greene). Fourteen states have now legalized the use of marijuana for medical conditions, and Colorado and California — two of those states — tax dispensaries, adding revenue to their state budgets. Scientists are still studying medical marijuana, but the majority of evidence seems to point to its benefits.
Studies and real-life experiences show that medical marijuana helps relieve symptoms of many different ailments and diseases. For example, marijuana treats the pain and weight loss associated with HIV/AIDS, helps patients with glaucoma, and has been shown to be beneficial in many other neurological and painful diseases as well. Even Consumer Reports magazine recommends the use of medical marijuana in many different cases. One source notes, "Consumer Reports believes that, for patients with advanced AIDS and terminal cancer, the apparent benefits some derive from smoking marijuana outweigh any substantiated or even suspected risks" ("Top 10 Pros and Cons"). With more people supporting medical marijuana than ever before, it seems likely that the issue will receive national support in the future and that it will be legalized across the country. Even at that time, the Obama administration instructed federal enforcement agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to leave enforcement of medical marijuana laws to the states, allowing states that had approved such laws to enforce them rather than having the federal government override their decisions.
Several studies by the University of California (UC) showed that marijuana is extremely helpful in treating multiple sclerosis patients. One reporter notes that UC conducted five major studies: "Four showed that cannabis can significantly relieve neuropathic pain and one found that vaporizers are an effective way to use marijuana. Another study, submitted for publication, found that marijuana can reduce muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis patients" (Hoeffel). Many physician groups and organizations have also endorsed medical marijuana, including the American College of Physicians, which did so in 2008 ("Top 10 Pros and Cons"). Another source notes, "Allowing patients legal access to medical marijuana has been discussed by numerous organizations, including the AIDS Action Council, American Bar Association, American Public Health Association, California Medical Association, National Association of Attorneys General, and several state nurses associations" ("Medical Marijuana"). These organizations have seen the benefits marijuana produces firsthand and have observed how it relieves symptoms in many patients.
An important aspect of the medical marijuana debate is the type of marijuana used for medical treatments. Many people assume any strain of marijuana is suitable, but that is not the case. There are only two strains traditionally used for medical purposes, known as "medical-grade marijuana." One source explains, "While cannabis is a weed and easily grown in many climates, medical grade marijuana comes from only two strains: Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica. These strains, unlike various other strains favored by some recreational users, produce marijuana potent enough to provide medical benefits" ("What is"). Therefore, medical marijuana patients need to verify that their dispensaries are providing medical-grade marijuana for the best therapeutic results.
Perhaps the most compelling evidence supporting marijuana use comes from the patients themselves. One reporter interviewed several patients and compiled their experiences. She describes one patient, a 28-year-old who uses the drug for pain: "Douglas suffers from cerebral palsy, back pain after being struck by a car when he was 14, and pain from a fractured ankle suffered in another accident. 'When I smoke, it's easier to move,' he said" (Miller). Another patient uses marijuana to treat glaucoma and other health conditions, stating, "My eye pressure is gone and I don't have the tearing and watering in my eyes. I did it because I am on all these narcotics through the Veterans Administration" (Miller). He notes that he feels better not taking the narcotics as well. Other patients use the plant for cancer treatment and to halt weight loss after cancer treatment and with HIV/AIDS. Weight loss is very common in these situations, and marijuana helps a majority of patients suffering from "wasting diseases" to gain weight and return to a healthier body.
Medical marijuana is also extremely affordable for many patients who have been paying thousands of dollars to prescription drug companies for various treatments. In most states that have legalized marijuana, patients approved to use the drug can grow a small number of plants themselves without fear of prosecution. This gives them direct access to the marijuana they need without having to visit a dispensary. This is not only convenient for patients with limited mobility; it is also highly cost-effective. It reduces health care costs, makes treatment more accessible, and ultimately saves taxpayers money, because many severely ill patients cannot work, have exhausted their health care benefits, and rely on publicly funded health care options.
A physician must recommend medical marijuana, but in most states it is dispensed through licensed marijuana dispensaries. With the federal government's decision not to prosecute these businesses, dispensaries have been multiplying in states that allow medical marijuana use. Many patients grow their own medical-grade plants, but this is not as straightforward as it might seem. Water, light, and soil are all critical factors, and successfully growing these plants takes skill and patience ("What is"). Because of this, some of the largest growers use hydroponic growing systems and artificial lighting for optimal results — resources that may not be available to the average home grower. For this reason, it is important for states to regulate medical marijuana providers and for patients to ensure the quality of their supply before using it. Different plant varieties also react differently with different patients, so if one treatment does not work, patients are encouraged to try another variety before abandoning treatment altogether.
Medical marijuana has been working in California for over ten years, and it is working in the other thirteen states that have approved it. More studies are emerging every day suggesting that marijuana is helpful for a variety of health conditions, that it warrants closer scientific scrutiny, and that it should ultimately be approved by the FDA. Evidence increasingly shows it is not a gateway drug and that it is misclassified under current federal law. As more physicians and health care experts come out in favor of the drug, public opposition continues to soften. It seems reasonable to predict that medical marijuana will gain approval in additional states, bringing relief to many patients who currently cannot access it.
The next step in the marijuana debate may be decriminalization on a broader scale. Many proponents argue it is less harmful than cigarettes or alcohol, and decriminalizing it could free prison capacity for more violent offenders. It also creates taxation opportunities that could help states struggling with the effects of economic downturns balance their budgets without cutting critical services. A growing number of voices are calling for marijuana to be treated with the same regulatory framework as nicotine and alcohol. Should that occur, the medical marijuana debate will largely become moot — resolved by the broader social and legal acceptance of cannabis itself.
Berg, Jessica. "Smokescreen: The FDA Struggles to Keep Control." The Hastings Center Report 36.4 (2006): 49.
Cohen, Peter J. "Medical Marijuana, Compassionate Use, and Public Policy: Expert Opinion or Vox Populi?" The Hastings Center Report 36.3 (2006): 19+.
Editors. "Medical Marijuana." DrugPolicy.org. 2010. 2 March 2010. <
Editors. "Top 10 Pros and Cons." ProCon.org. 2009. 2 March 2010. <
Editors. "What is Medical Grade Marijuana?" MedicalMarijuana.net. 2010. 2 March 2010. <http://www.medicalmarijuana.net/patient-resources/what-is-medical-marijuana/>.
Glover, Mark. "Rancho Cordova-Based Insurer Launches Medical Marijuana Coverage." 2010. 2 March 2010.
Greene, Wallace. "Dispensing Medical Marijuana: Some Halachic Parameters." Judaism: A Quarterly Journal of Jewish Life and Thought 55.1-2 (2006): 28+.
Hoeffel, John. "UC Studies Find Promise in Medical Marijuana." Los Angeles Times. 2010. 2 March 2010.
Khatapoush, Shereen, and Denise Hallfors. "Sending the Wrong Message." Journal of Drug Issues 34.4 (2004): 751+.
Miller, Marla. "Medical Marijuana: Patients Laud Benefits of Controversial Drug." Muskegon Chronicle. 2010. 2 March 2010.
Richardson, Valerie. "Colorado to Tax Sales of Medical Marijuana; Another Step to Mainstream." The Washington Times (Washington, DC) 18 Nov. 2009: A09.
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.