The True Remedy

Three of five of the Campbell children inherited a disorder called Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, also known as MLD. The disease has no cure and patients experience slow deterioration of physical and mental function. Tori, their eldest, began suffering symptoms such as depression, mood swings, pain and mobile impairment. After two years she passed away trying to slow the progression with a bone marrow transplant. When Maddie began to show signs of MLD she suffered symptoms of depression, memory loss, pain, seizures, and mobile impairment. They tried a bone marrow transplant, but it helped very little. Her parents then resulted in treating her illegally with cannabis oil, the seizures stopped instantly and the symptoms improved ( Porter par. 2-4-5-6-7 ). In 2700 B.C., "According to Chinese legend, the emperor Shen Nung discovered marijuana's healing properties...1578 A.D. Chinese medical text described the use of marijuana to treat vomiting, parasitic infections, and hemorrhage" (Joy and Mack par.4). In other words, marijuana could’ve been prescribed to promote sleep, appetite, and digestion as well as to relieve pain (Joy and Mack par.5). The article “Medical Marijuana and Legal Law and Definition” defines medical marijuana as “the use of cannabis or marijuana, including constituents of cannabis, THC and other cannabinoids, as a physician-recommended form of medicine or herbal therapy” (par.4). Meaning that any form of marijuana prescribed by a physician for medical use is appropriate when treating cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, or other illness that marijuana provides relief (“Medical Marijuana and Legal Law and Definition” par.4). The data specified in ”State Marijuana Laws in 2016 Map”, states that “Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia currently have laws legalizing marijuana. Three other states will soon join them after recently passing measures permitting the use of medical marijuana”(par.1). This data shows that some states have began decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana, and have passed medical marijuana laws allowing for limited use of cannabis (“State Marijuana Laws in 2016 Map”par.4). Medical Marijuana is a healing remedy for multiple health conditions with no harmful side effects unlike painkillers.

Not all cannabis is considered the same, there are varieties of strains grown that make each plant different from the next. When being prescribed medical marijuana the strain should be considered through the symptoms being experienced. Different strains of marijuana have different effects, which help some symptoms more than others. The strains of marijuana vary, but the kind of effects created by it depend on whether it's sativa, hybrid or indica. In “The Medical Marijuana Strain Guide” it explains that indica is “relatively high in both THC and CBD. These strains create more of a body stone, while relaxing the muscles and other parts of the body” (par.6). Due to the high levels of relaxation and heavy feeling indica is recommended for people who have trouble sleeping and need pain relief (Patients Care Collective, par.6). The hybrid strain is a combination of both indica and sativa strains. Hybrids suppress multiple symptoms due to the strain being mixed (“The Medical Marijuana Strain Guide”, par.7). Patients Care Collective distinguishes the hybrid strain as “A heavy physical and mental balance...for patients seeking pain relief, and relaxation without being too drowsy” (par.7-8). Sativa is more known to affect the mind and uplift the body. “The Medical Marijuana Strain Guide” mentions how “sativa strains are typically low in CBD and moderately high in THC” (par.5). This means the strain affects the mind more than the body and creates an energetic feeling and pain relief (par.5). The varieties of marijuana strains consist of indica, hybrid, and sativa. Indica being more of a relaxant for the body, hybrid benefitting multiple symptoms due to its balance, and sativa for the mind.

The effects of marijuana are activated when intaking any form of tetrahydrocannabinol also known as THC. There’s a variety of physical and mental effects stimulated in the body depending on the strain that’s being consumed. When intaking marijuana every organ in the body, including the nervous and immune system is being affected (“How Does Marijuana Affect You?” par.5). The article “How Does Marijuana Affect You?” informs how, “THC can increase the heart rate...lower blood pressure, and affect blood sugar”(par. 5). The article“Drug Facts- Marijuana” demonstrates that these effects are taken into place because THC increases your heart rate for about 3 hours which may cause a heart attack, as well as blood sugar lowering due to increase in metabolism. The physical effects created by intaking THC mentioned in “Drug Facts- Marijuana” comes from “THC acting on specific brain cell receptors...over activating parts of the brain that contain the highest numbers of receptors” (par.7-8). The effects generated through this include, altered senses, impaired body movement, difficulty thinking, problem solving and impaired memory (par.9). Another effect marijuana can have on people is brain development. The long term effects of marijuana are only at risk when users start off as teenagers, data shows “the drug may reduce thinking, memory, and learning functions and affect how the brain builds connections (“Drug Facts- Marijuana”, par.10). This is stating that marijuana affects brain development when it’s being consumed by underage people. The effects of THC constituents vary depending on the strains being consumed. Most short term effects of marijuana include impaired coordination, distorted time perception, difficulty thinking, concentrating, short attention span, decreased alertness, and lack of motivation.

Medical Marijuana doesn’t cure any diseases, but when ingested the ingredients activated are known to ease symptoms. There are many health conditions that can be benefited with the intake of THC. Medicinal marijuana doesn’t have the ability to heal illnesses, but according to Kim Zimmerman, when THC absorbs into the body it “targets the CB1 receptor, a cannabin primarily in the brain...the CB1 receptor is activated to quiet the response to pain or noxious chemicals”(par.8). The CB1 receptor are sensors that become activated throughout the body that get targeted by THC when in someone's system to ease any sort of pain being experienced. In the article “Cannabis and Cannabinoids” it reveals that, “cannabinoids have been studied in the laboratory and the clinic for relief of pain, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and loss of appetite” (par.8). This means marijuana is mostly known to treat neuropathic pain such as relieving pain, stimulating the appetite, treating nausea, lowering inflammation, and decreasing anxiety. There are multiple diseases that can be treated by THC products. Jen Christensen from CNN claims that HIV/AIDS, alzheimer's, arthritis, asthma, cancer,chronic pain, epilepsy, glaucoma, and multiple sclerosis can all be treated through marijuana due to the effects given (par. 14-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23). Stated in “The Medical Marijuana Strain Guide” the sativa strain is best for treating “cancer, aids, migraines, and depression because they act as an appetite stimulator, reduce nausea, and lift moods”(par.5). This shows that sativa treats the mind more than the body unlike indica. The indica strain is ideal for “muscle spasticity, pain, tremors, pressure, and stiffness… this strain provides relief in the body” (“The Medical Marijuana Strain Guide”, par. 6). Indica is the best strain to treat these conditions and it’s best known for relaxation, and pain relief. Diseases such as AIDS, cancer, and epilepsy are just a few of the conditions that can be treated with marijuana, The effects of THC and CBD don’t cure diseases, but ease the symptoms of the disease. The strains people should be considering when using marijuana as a medicinal remedy should be indica, sativa, or hybrid depending on the severity of the symptoms.

The Campbell family’s experiences with cannabis substances as a remedy represents how much impact this substance has on the human body. Two of the Campbell children suffered the same disease, but the outcome was completely different for both girls due to different treatments. When their eldest Tori was suffering MLD her parents said “She was in so much pain, she was miserable… She was on so many painkillers I felt like she couldn’t be there in the end because she was so drugged up on the pharmaceuticals” (Porter, par.5). Tori unfortunately passed away failing to get treated by pain killers and bone marrow transplants. When their other daughter Maddie began to show signs of symptoms they chose to take on a different approach. The Campbell family decided to begin using cannabis oil. The father, Aaron, shared ”I was shocked that it worked so easily and it was so simple...when we gave her the cannabis oil the seizures stopped right away” (Porter, par. 7). This shows that the only remedy to help the Campbell children survive and live a pain free life was to treat the kids with cannabis oil. The Campbell family suffered losing a child to MLD using pharmaceuticals, as well as bone marrow transplants, but when the other child began experiencing the same symptoms of MLD the answer to their problems was cannabis oil.

In the election of 2016 the permitted use of medical and recreational marijuana was on the voting ballot for some states. The article “ Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization” states that, “71 percent of people who voted, voted yes to marijuana” (par.6). There are now four states that allow the use of recreational and four more that allow medical use. According to Thomas Fuller he displays that “the entire west coast and a block of states reaching from the pacific to Colorado are challenging the federal government’s ban on the drug”(par.2). As time goes on that marijuana slowly becomes legal, the states that already have it legal are going to try to push for more. Thomas Fuller mentions how “recreational marijuana laws over the past four years may have unlocked the door to eventual federal legalization”(par.4). This means that due to all the access to marijuana in different states legalizing it, it’s creating a path for federal legalization. The election of 2016 legalized marijuana medically in some places and a few more states are now accepting recreational marijuana.

Although things considering cannabis have changed due to the 2016 election, the laws on marijuana still vary per state. There’s laws on things such as possession, cultivation and distribution. Possession refers to when you have a certain amount of marijuana on you. The penalties and fees depend on the amount possessed. According to “Federal Laws and Penalties”, first time convictions of possession is “punishable by up to one year in jail and a minimum of $1,000.” This is just one of the possession convictions on marijuana. Another law on marijuana is distribution, which is the sale of cannabis. There are multiple kinds of distribution but as said in the article “Distribution of a small amount of marijuana, for no remuneration, is treated as possession” (Federal Laws and Penalties, Par.5). The higher amount of possession while distributing results in the higher punishment and payments. Cultivation is the growing of marijuana plants. The information in “28 legal medical marijuana states” states that in California “ Patients may possess no more than 8 ounces, and 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants” (par.21). The laws for marijuana vary from state to state, 28 states allowing the use of medical marijuana and now some are accepting recreational. The laws on marijuana vary from possession, distribution, and cultivation.

The Campbell family was one of the many families to see the healing properties of cannabis oil. If they never resorted to THC to treat Maddie for her MLD she probably would have ended up passing away like her older sister Tori. Medical marijuana consists of multiple strains that give off different effects depending on whether its a sativa or indica. The effects of marijuana vary through the different strains, some stronger than others. The effect of marijuana helps patients cope with pain, and different health conditions they may be suffering through. Medicinal Marijuana help illnesses that range from treating nausea, to treating cancer. The 2016 election made a new turning point with the new laws being created on medical marijuana. If someone is suffering the symptoms of a health condition and is tired of taking painkillers that don’t work, apply for a medical marijuana license.

Works Cited

“28 Legal Medical Marijuana States” ProCon. ProCon.org. 2016. Web. 27 Nov. 2016

“Cannabis and Cannabinoids”. National Cancer Institute. Integrative, Alternative, and Complementary Therapies Editorial Board. 27 May 2016. Web. 26. Nov. 2016

Christensen, Jen. “10 Diseases Where Medical Marijuana Could Have Impact”. Cable News Network. 2016. Web. 26 Nov. 2016.

“Drug Facts- Marijuana”. Drug Abuse. n/d. March 2016. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.

“Federal Laws and Penalties.” Norml. Norml and the Norml Foundation. 2016. Web. 25 Nov. 2016.

“Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization,” Ballotpedia. n/d. Web. 26 Nov. 2016.

Fuller, Thomas. “Election May Be a Turning Point for Legal Marijuana.” The New York Times Co. 2016. Web. 26 Nov. 2016

“How Does Marijuana Affect You?”. WebMD. WebMD, LLC. 2016. Web. 25 Nov. 2016

Mack, Alison and Janet Joy. “Marijuana as Medicine? The Science Beyond the Controversy”. National Academy of Sciences. 2016. Web. 26 Nov. 2016.

“Medical Marijuana Law & Legal Definition”. Definitions. US Legal. USLegal, inc. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.

“Medical Marijuana Strain Guide”. Medical Marijuana Strains. All Rights Reserved. 2016. Web. 27 Nov 2016.

Patient Care Collective Crew. Berkeley Patients Care. n/d. n/d. Web. 25 Nov. 2016.

Porter, Nanette. “Family with Suffering Children says Cannabis Oil Treatment Needs to be Legal”. Creative Commons. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.

“State Marijuana Laws in 2016 Map”. Governing. n/d. n/d. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.

Zimmerman, Kim. “Medical Marijuana: Benefits, Risks, and State Laws”. All Rights Reserved. 2016. Web. 27. Nov. 2016