There is much controversy surrounding the issue of a medication that has been used around the world as early as 3000 BC. This drug used was derived from a plant called marijuana ( Cannabis sativa ). It was used in these early times in India, Central Asia, and China for various illnesses. This, of course, was long before the days of science using multiple types of chemicals to form prescription and over the counter drugs, we now use in our everyday lives. Yet our government outlaws the use of this natural plant for medicinal purposes...Why?. The Office of National Drug Control Policy has opposed the legalization of medical marijuana because they believe in the possibility that some people would use it as an excuse to sell marijuana for non-medical use. I feel that this is a ridiculous reason and I plan to show you why medical marijuana is not a bad thing and should be legalized.
             First of all, I would like to tell you about the benefits of medical marijuana. In a 1999 government-sponsored study, it was found that marijuana was beneficial for certain medical conditions. THC ( delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol ), the active ingredient in marijuana, has been shown to improve appetite and help prevent the severe weight loss associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, also known as AIDS. Marijuana also reduces nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy and radiation treatments. There is also reports supporting marijuana to have positive properties in treating pain and muscle spasms in patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Many people who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis say that marijuana provides symptom relief when other medications fail. Nearly twenty percent of states in the U.S. see these beneficial qualities in marijuana and have passed legislation to allow patients to possess and grow marijuana for medical purposes with their doctor's approval. These states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, and...