Marijuana is seen as a gateway drug by the majority of today’s society, a drug that starts a growing addiction and leads to a downfall. This is not entirely true as marijuana for medicinal purposes is an effective and safe way of treating long term chronic and temporary illnesses or injuries. Legalizing medical marijuana will greatly decrease the thriving opioid prescription and consumption world that we live in today, a better and healthier alternative. Marijuana can also greatly increase and aid the economy of countries due to their ability to tax the drug. Chronic pains and symptoms can be near to eradicated with the use of medical marijuana, something opioids are unable to do. The legalization of medicinal marijuana will path the future for a positive and healthy way of treating pain.
A positive effect that will come with the legalization of medical marijuana is the decrease of opiate consumption and prescriptions. The problem with opioids is that they usually cause addiction, although they are extremely effective in alleviating pain, there have been cases of death due to overdose. The usage of marijuana as a painkiller could fix this situation. According to one NIDA-funded study, there is a connection between medical marijuana legalization and the decrease of deaths caused by opioid overdose, opioid prescribing, self-reports of opioid misuse, and treatment admissions for opioid addiction, as well as the reduction of doses of prescribed opioids. Although additional studies on this may be required, medical marijuana can be a healthier alternative to traditional opioid painkillers. Further, it is impossible to overdose on marijuana, something that can easily and almost accidentally be done with opioids, leaving patients with negative effects that could carry through their whole lives. The use of medical marijuana is a safer and more effective way than using opioid painkillers.
The legalization of medicinal marijuana can provide states or nations with a large amount of money per year just from taxing the drug. In states located in America that have legalized marijuana, it is evident that it has provided a beneficial source of income for the government. Washington, one of the largest marijuana smoking states in the US, profited over $300 million annually just in marijuana taxing. This is a similar trend that occurs for most states that tax marijuana and can be seen as an easy source of income. This number will increase in the next couple of years as it is estimated that by 2020 countries will be profiting $5 billion annually from the drug. If this was to be utilized in Australia, a nation of over 20 million people, the money influx would be remarkable. If just a single state of seven million can almost produce half a billion dollars annually, Australia could easily bring this number into the billions. Further, the money made from the drug goes to positive impacts concerning the nation, giving back to the people in need. Legalizing marijuana can bring financial up rises within countries just from taxing the drug.
As seen previously, opioid painkillers are the main drug used to treat chronic pain and illnesses, yet marijuana could simply be used for a more positive and safe effect. Marijuana is outstanding for treating inflammations such as chronic pain. Unlike opiates, which are better when there is a need for rapidly acute pain, marijuana is a safer and more effective method in decreasing long-term pains. Further, patients with neurological disorders such as sclerosis or spinal cord injuries appreciate marijuana for its painkilling effect and its ability to reduce muscle spasticity caused by damaged nerves. Many studies have been conducted showing that drug aids patients with severe epilepsy, almost eliminating their effects. Legalizing medicinal marijuana will help provide a safer and less harmful method of treating chronic pains and symptoms without providing the risk of addiction that many opioids do today.
Although marijuana is seen as a lazy and overused drug, it provides many positive outcomes for users and even nations. Marijuana does not carry the risk of addiction that opioid painkillers do. Legalizing the drug can further provide nations with considerable amounts of profit just from taxing its sale, also being one of the only drugs that can get near to curing chronic pains and symptoms for patients that suffer due to the short release time of opioids. The legalization of medicinal marijuana is a step into the future that patients will be greatly thankful for.