Thesis: Some preliminary research and studies have indicated that marijuana legalization might help in reducing opioid prescription use and deaths associated with overdose, but researchers don’t have conclusive evidence linking marijuana legalization and the findings. Therefore, can medical marijuana legalization help in reducing prescription opioid health problems?
i. Scientific researchers and studies have not proven a link between medical marijuana legalization and opioid problems.
a) NIDA-funded research indicated that there is a link between the medical legalization of marijuana and the opioid prescription problem. However, the study did not show how marijuana legalized marijuana decreases overdose deaths.
b) There is still a continuation of research and studies trying to identify the use of marijuana in the medical field.
ii. The risks of marijuana legalization and medical benefits should be identified.
a) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not recognized the use of marijuana as medicine. Nevertheless, scientific research on chemicals in marijuana known as cannabinoids made the FDA approve medications containing marijuana chemicals. Therefore, further studies may lead to more discoveries and, thus, more benefits.
b) The FDA has not fully recognized marijuana as a medicine since the risk of the plant causes more harm than good.
iii. Scientists should conduct preclinical and clinical trials on marijuana medicine and try to find the illness the medicine will cure. Therefore, the research must continue to help identify more medicines.
iv. Social risks and health benefits of marijuana legalization assessment should be done to understand which outweighs the other.
a) Studies have shown that the use of marijuana can lead to addiction and loss of memory and can make students attain low grades, although the research is still inconclusive.
b) Also, research has suggested marijuana users have an increased risk of being injured due to a lack of concentration in their work.
c) The study has suggested that marijuana has medical benefits.
Works Cited
NIDA. “Marijuana.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 12 Feb. 2018, https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana. Accessed 23 Mar. 2018.
NIDA. “Marijuana as Medicine.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 28 Apr. 2017, https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana-medicine. Accessed 23 Mar. 2018.
Sample, M. L. A. “The Research Process.”
