The Nineteenth Century was a period of the modern discovery of marijuana. Many physicians from this time conducted various experiments to observe the medical effectiveness of cannabis. Between 1840 and 1900, more than 100 articles were published throughout Europe by prominent doctors. Dr. O’Shaughnessy, a British physician from the Medical College of Calcutta, marked the beginning of experiments in the late 1830’s. He found that the drug was beneficial in treating rabies, rheumatism, epilepsy, and tetanus. J.R. Reynolds, Queen Victoria’s personal physician, also studied marijuana. He declared it “by far the most useful of drugs in treating painful maladies.” (“Disease Categories”). Moureau de Tours and Dr. John Bell, M.D., reported that the mentally ill

could be calmed down and controlled after smoking marijuana. It also treated manic and depressive disorders (“Cannabis Vault 6”).

Since marijuana is considered illegal by the federal government of the United States, most people either smoke pot with the risk of going to jail or suffer and abide by the rules. Thousands of people in this country are estimated to be risking jail time by smoking without permission (Scott 1). The maximum jail sentence that a first time offender faces is one year in a federal prison (Scott 1).

Australia is divided between decriminalized territories and territories where it is still illegal. In 1987 and 1992, two of Australia’s eight territories removed criminal penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana for personal use. A survey in 1996 discovered usage rates between the legalized territories and prohibition territories showed no reasonable difference. There is also evidence that decriminalizing a territory or state doesn’t change the amount of citizens who will use pot. This is proven in a survey done in Australia. It found that the percent of the population of the decriminalized territories compared to the prohibition territories was almost equal at 12% to 13% (Marijuana Policy… 3).

HIV and AIDS are not the only diseases that marijuana can treat. Chemotherapy usually causes people to have severe nausea. Even though marijuana doesn’t cure the cancer itself, it is great for alleviating the nausea and pain associated with it. Glaucoma is a disease that causes the human eyes to increase in pressure. Therefore, since cannabis is known to reduce the pressure in the eyes by around thirty percent, it also works great in dealing with this symptom (MPP Homepage 1).

Three marijuana users in the United States, two of the three using it illegally for relief of their pain, say that it is the only medicine that permits them to move around normally and eat without vomiting (Scott 1).

During the Carter Administration, the Compassionate Use Program was started. Under this program, only twelve people were allowed to begin smoking pot for their illnesses. The Compassionate Use Program was slowly but surely beginning to allow ill citizens to be prescribed marijuana for their illnesses. The Clinton Administration did away with it in 1992, grand fathering the original twelve, but not allowing anybody else to

Some topics in this essay:
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