Should the UK Allow Medical Marijuana?

Should the UK Allow Medical cannabis?Should Marijuana be De felonised and or Legalised for Health Reasons in the U.K?Research PlanToday more than or less schoolboyish pot white plague approximately type of medicate, even though they argon illegal. jibe to Gov (2017) marihuana is the well-nigh comm whole used drug in the last year and has been for everywhere 15 years. Marijuana originates from the ganja sativa comprise. It comes in a variety of forms much(prenominal) as dried plant leaves, f cut backs and crude oils which give the gate be smoked or eaten. Better Health (2013) terra firma that thither is a chemical in hangmans halter called tetrahydro basenabinol ( likewise cognise as tetrahydrocannabinol) this is marihuanas main mind-altering ingredient, which makes users feel senior high. THC is a psychoactive union, which means that it travels in a persons bloodstream to the foreland. It disrupts the brains normal functioning and causes reliable shake up p ersonal effects. The fastest way to feel the effects of cannabis is to inhale the smoke, the effects are usually felt within minutes. The immediate sensationsincreased core group rate, lessened coordination and balance and a dreamy, unreal state of mind crest within the first 30 minutes. These short-term effects usually resist off in dickens to three hours, but they could last longer, depending on how much the user assimilates and the potency of THC (Drug free gentlemans gentleman, 2018). match to addiction (2011), countries much(prenominal) as Finland, Israel and Portugal eat all decriminalised marihuana. Portugal, view drug fetching as a wellness issue rather than a criminal issue in the country. Instead of arrests, those ground with drugs are sent to medical checkup panels, consisting of a psychologist, social workers and legal advisor for appropriate intercession. Around the world there are a growing amount of countries where ganja use is permitted and regulated for unskilled purposes such as Amsterdam, Nevada and Colorado. Also, there is evolution with p wrongaceutical grade hemp collectible to its acceptance for healthful properties. 29 American states including Florida, Michigan and Arizona get down legalised marihuana for medical reasons (Gov, 2018). This stress go forth seek and analyse fiveareas surrounding ganja spending to detect whether it should be decriminalisedand/or legalised for medical reasons. This raise pull up stakesing investigate incompatiblesocietal perspectives who uses it and why they use it. The implications from both a legal and healthperspective and whether the health benefits unwrapweigh the risks allincorporated into the following promontorys. socialand sociological implication of cannabis use Is the original statute law funfair? Whatare the negative effects on health? Whatare the intellectual causes of using hemp? Whatare the benefits?The type of research undertaken will be keyto the v alidity and accuracy of this document. To achieve this, three types ofresearch will be explained and analysed. The first to be discussed is quantitativeresearch. Quantitative research is factual, culture gathered fromstatistics and numbers. For example, how umteen individuals consume marijuanaregularly. This data specifies the actual number of users but does non clarifythe reasons why. Primary research involves gathering brand-newdata that has not been collected before, such as, check up ons using questionnairesor interviews with groups of nation. supple psychogenic researchinvolves gathering existing data that has al ready been produced. For example,researching the internet, newspapers and company reports. This essay willutilise this method as opposed to primary reserch due to the absence of an ethics panel at thecollege. The research carried out will look at statistics, logical websites,journal articles and newspapers these along with further study will beanalysed and eva luated in an attempt to address the essay question with anun separatrixed viewpoint despite potentially conflicting findings. Project timetable January 11-25 fix topic begin researchmeet supervisor to discuss substance matter finalise essay question.February 1-22Continue research analysedata.April 8-23 compile breeding into essayformat final meeting with supervisor.May 9-14 scrutinise essay form a conclusionevaluate proof read and submit essay.The essay will endeavor to contain conflictingpoints to alter the reader to sum up their own conclusion. The informationgathered and utilised will be obtained from reputable sources, along with themost recent establishment data and health statistics to ensure reliability andvalidity of the information. Health and guard will also be in mind whilecomplementary the essay. ceaseless breaks will be taken whilst using a estimator toavoid the occurrence of visionary side effects and repetitive ph sensation line injury. Data will be reported accurately and containreferences end-to-end to avoid plagiarism. Should Marijuana be Decriminalised and or Legalised for Medical Reasons in the U.K? authoritative statistics from Gov (2017) show that in 2016/17, 6.6% (around 2.2 million) of quite a littleaged 16 to 59 consumed marijuana. This has dropped since measurements began in1996 (when the proportion was 9.4%). Since 2009/10 it has remained essentiallystable at between 6 and 7 per cent. Out of the possible 2.2 million users, onemillion of these were 16-24-year olds. In addition to this, 34% of 16-24-yearolds who consume marijuana pick out to be patronage users. Its use is also moreprevalent among men than women, in the 2017 survey 9% of men admitted to usingmarijuana compared with just 4.2% of women. Lastly, people sustainment in deprivedareas were more likely to be frequent drug users. A larger proportion (4.5%) of serveents who lived in deprived areas consumed marijuana oftentimes comparedwith those who lived in the le ast deprived areas (2.3%). Therefore, schoolgirlishworking- partitioning boys are the biggest consumers of marijuana. However, ex officiostatistics take away to be treated with caution as they can be mis go bying andmisinterpreted, not everyone who uses marijuana will give admission of theirconsumption. On the other hand, official statistics are useful in determiningthe ever-changing rate of crime in certain areas everywhere a period. In addition to thisthey can also help to highlight police bias and stereotyping. InteractionistHoward Becker (1963) cited in Hazeldineet al, (2016), attributed thatthe police label and target young working-class people as potentially criminaland frequently stop, search and arrest them. Meaning, it is more likely for youngworking-class boys to be bring with possession. Sociologists Richard Clowardand Lloyd Ohlin (1961) suggested that adolescents form retreatist subcultures (druggang) because they accommodate failed in the opportunity structure of society (Haralambos et al, 2013). Although, this is a nave news report of drugmisuse. Drug misuse is also common among successful lower-middle-class professionalsand not just failed criminals or gang members as suggested by Cloward andOhlin. Also, interactionist Albert Cohen (1955) cited in Giddens and Sutton (2015) claims thatworking-class boys lack opportunities to succeed, largely due to culturaldeprivation. Tension from stead frustration is realised through the creationof a deviant subculture in which the values of society are reversed. Like the interactionists view-point marxists contest that the exploitation and burden roundness from the capitalists system leadsto feelings of alienation. Thus, encouraging drug consumption which leads to self-destructive addictions. However, not everyone suffering alienation from thecapitalist system turns to drugs (Browne et al, 2014). Marijuanahas been class as a soma B drug in the UK since 2008 and carries satisfying penalties duded with possession and business including amaximum prison sentence of 14 years (Legislation, 2018). Statistics from Gov (2017) show that in 2016 there were 99,779seizures of cannabis in the U.K. According to Browne et al(2014) marxists argue that illegal drugs help to safeguard classinequalities by providing excuses for the police to criminalise theworking-class by giving drug convictions whereas, the ruling class are morelikely to be allow off with a slap on the wrist. Interactionist Jock Young (1971) cited in Haralambos et al (2013) studied marijuana users in capital of the joined Kingdom. Young arguedthat police respond to marijuana users as dirty, scruffy deviants whichconsequently, pushes them into that role. They no longer feel a conventionalpart of society and so become more go-as-you-please as a reaction. Marijuana hasbeen setd in the same stratum as the dangerous drug ketamine. Talk to Frank (2018) releasethat Ketamine is a powerful general anaesthetic and is used for o perations onhumans and animals. Ketamine temporarily paralyses the physical structure and gives a out ofbody near death experience which can cause hallucinations and bad trips. dose can result in a coma, respiratory failure and death. According to I the Office of National Statistics(2016) Ketamine was prudent for 160 deaths in 2016. Furthermore, in the U.K intoxicant comes top ofthe list in the most commonly used recreational drugs. alcoholic beverage is legal and widely available toadults over the age of 18 in the U.K. According to MPP (2018), marijuana is less virulent than alcohol,less addictive, less harmful to the body, and less likely to contribute to lurid or reckless behaviour. alcoholic beverage related car accidents are faraway morelikely than marijuana related car accidents. In 2015, over 200 people werekilled in a road collision involving a driver over the legal limit (Department of behave, 2017).Alcohol is also affiliated to many long-termside effects such as hig h blood pressure, raised cholesterol, liver disease andcancers. Alarmingly, in 2016 there were 7,327 alcohol specialised deaths (Official for National Statistics,2016). Many online articles claim that marijuana cannot and is not accountable for any deaths due to overdose. However, Dr Robert Gable (2004) ofthe Psychology department of Clermont university, cited in Caulkins,Kilmer and Kleinman (2016), think from a review into marijuanathat it whitethorn be responsible for two deaths of a direct overdose. While it may befactual that it is passing rare to die from a marijuana overdose, it is anundeniable fact that zilch dies from a tobacco plant overdose. People do not smokethemselves to death, tobacco causes lung cancer, which is what causes death.So, in that same way marijuana cankillpeople in the form of mental illnesses, suicide and in the form of a caraccident while driving under the order. In addition, there are alsoproblems with eat marijuana that is sold on the blacken m arket. It is oftencontaminated with toxic components which may cause more harm than the substanceitself. Thus, a regulated legal supply can be contaminant free, pure andtherefore safer as correct dosage can be prescribed. Many argue that legalisation for medicinal purposes could make cannabis more socially acceptable and so encourage use of the substance and other drugs alike which may be more dangerous. However, gibe to Cerda et al (2015) research has shown that countries which have already legalised marijuana for medical reasons like the US have not seen an upsurge in the numbers of individuals using it. Additionally, the NHS (2017) write that 10% of regular cannabis users become dependent. Despite this, many claim that marijuana does not have addictive properties and that individuals become addicted to the nicotine (which the marijuana is smoked with) and not the marijuana itself. While this may have some truth, withdrawal symptoms such as cravings, difficulty sleeping, mood swi ngs, irritability and unease are all common among individuals who consume marijuana regularly qualification it difficult to quit. Correspondingly, if a person smokes marijuana with tobacco, there is also outstanding risk of contracting tobacco-related diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Although, this disapproval has a contradictive element. Hartney (2018) points out that there are already many extremely addictive medications currently being prescribed by doctors in the U.K which have more dangerous side effects than marijuana. One being Tramadol, according to Office for National Statistics (2016) Tramadol was responsible for the lives of 208 people in 2015. However, when overpowering marijuana it is common for the user to inhale more smoke and hold it in longer than they would a cigarette, to maximise the effects. Like other addictive drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, individuals can develop a tolerance to marijuana. Therefore, individuals need to consume more and mor e to get the same effect (Drug Wise, 2017). The mental consequences of marijuana use are equally severe. Marijuana smokers have poorer memories and mental aptitude than do non-users. Baler et al (2014) state that recent studies on young adults who smoke marijuana, found abnormalities in the brain related to emotion, motivation and decision-making. Regular cannabis use from a young age can alsoincrease the risk of developing psychotic illness, such as schizophrenia. This is because the brain does not stop growing and forming connections until it is 25, and cannabis interferes with this process (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2018). Although, this statement is a tricky one, According to Casarett (2015), a surprising number of people especially men will not seek professional help because they do not like the idea that they require help to manage their issues. This may be another reason why the vast major(ip)ity of marijuana smokers are men. just about individuals report consuming mar ijuana helps relieve their imprint and anxiety. It could be argued that they turn to marijuana to self-medicate as opposed to admitting to another individual, for example, a doctor that they cannot cope. In other vocalizes, individuals may have turned to marijuana to help with their mental problems in the first place. Thus, the mental issues were not created from consuming marijuana. Despite the negative, the harm and benefit of marijuana should depend on affected roles medical severity situation and needs the addiction of marijuana trades off with the expected length of a patients life. If a situation is terminal, it could be argued that the benefits meaningfully outweigh the risks. According to theBehaviourist puzzle addictive behaviour is considered as learned. Therefore, the root to smoking marijuana is apsychological one. Albert Banduras (1961) cited in Gross (2015) social learning possiblenesssuggests that children learn social behaviour from observing a model. Children are tetrad times more likely to smoke if their parents do (Ash, 2018). Additionally, individuals whosmoke are also more likely to divulge further in recreational drugs such asmarijuana. Some individuals may usemarijuana to brighten acceptance. A behaviour explained by psychologist B. F.Skinner (1948), cited in Eysenck (2012), through operative conditioning aperson starts to smoke to gain the powerful funding of peerapproval. The new smoker associatesthese positive feelings with smoking. Positive reinforces cause production ofdopamine which provide the positive feelings and reward the behaviour. Thus, behaviour which is followed by engagingconsequences is likely to be repeated. Anotherpsychological theory is Ivan Pavlovs (1927) cited in Gross (2015) classical conditioning.Classical conditioning is realised when a specific stimulus causes a specific response. For example, individuals who regularly consumemarijuana to retard and de-stress after work while watching the soaps, wil lstart to associate relax time in front of the tv as a time to light up a joint.In this case, sitting in front of the television after work and watching thesoaps (specific stimulus), can shake up powerful cravings for marijuana (specificresponse) which can lead to relapse behaviours. It has been proven that chemicals found inmarijuana can relieve pain in people living with illnesses like multiplesclerosis and arthritis. According to Goldacre (2013), scientific studies of the chemicals in marijuana,called cannabinoids, hasled to two FDA-approved medications that contain cannabinoid chemicals in pillform in Canada, USA and some parts of Europe. Marijuana has also been effectiveat relieving some of the highly stressful side effects that emerge fromchemotherapy treatment such as nausea and vomiting (Doweiko, 2015). According to Drug maltreat (2017), there isalso examine to suggest that the marijuana chemical cannabidiol (CBD) cantreat certain conditions such as childhood epilepsy, a disquiet that causes achild to have violent seizures. Scientists in the US have been reproducingmarijuana plants and making CBD in oil form for treatment purposes. CBD oil has low trains of the mind-alteringTHC, making it unpopular for recreational use.Nancy and Willard(2014) suggest that marijuana is used in a similar manner to alcohol.Most adults consume marijuana while socialising with friends or to relax afterwork. Some use marijuana for medical benefits, with others consuming marijuanafor therapeutic purposes, such as, help to facilitate with falling asleep andto alleviate arthritis. Some advocates conceptualise that marijuana can relievestress, anxiety and depression. On the contrary, many argue that consumingmarijuana can trigger anxiety and depression. In fact, it is square the THC islinked to feelings of paranoia and anxiety as it activates the amygdala area ofthe brain, which is responsible for fear. However, CBD counteracts suchfeelings from THC. Studies show that tak ing CBD on its own can lower eveneliminate anxiety (Gould,2015). According to the American cancer society (2018), scientists reported that THC and othercannabinoids such as CBD slow step-up and/or caused death in certain types ofcancer cells growing in lab dishes. Studies on animals also suggest thatcertain cannabinoids slow growth and reduce the spread of certain forms ofcancer. Thisessay has investigated various aspects of marijuana consumption why peopleuse it what are the consequences in regard to legislation and health. Manyargue that marijuana has been put on a foot and falsely labelled a miracledrug. It is inevitable to say that there has been a lot of scaremongering andwishful thinking concerning marijuana consumption. However, there is not decorousreliable evidence into the extent of how good or bad marijuana is for oneshealth. Some evidence and findings arevery controversial and contradict one another. For example, the claim thatconsuming marijuana can reduce the ris k of certain cancers when it is a well-knownfact that smoking in the first place is responsible for almost all lungcancers. Due to the in adapted amounts of reliable evidence more independentunbiased research needs to be carried out to fully determine the abilities andside effects of marijuana. In conclusion, based on the current evidence marijuanashould be decriminalised in the U.K. individuals who are caught consumingmarijuana and who may have an addiction should be helped and not penalise andlabelled a criminal. Correspondingly, marijuana should be made legal formedicinal purposes as it clearly carries benefits for some people. However, onlyif the benefits outweigh the risks. For example, if the individual has apossible life-threatening illness. Moreover,advances in science, accompanied with further research into the currentmedications already available, (in the US) additional medications can be administered. If the drug is as near as some researchsuggests then science could b e bordering major breakthroughs concerningmarijuana, accepting and encouraging use further. Reference ListAddiction (2011). Decriminalizedmarijuana Top 10 countries in the world. online Addictionblog.org. addressable at http//addictionblog.org/the-news/decriminalized-marijuana-top-10-countries-in-the-world/(Accessed 21 Apr. 2018).American CancerSociety (2018). Marijuana and Cancer. online getable at https//www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/complementary-and-alternative-medicine/marijuana-and-cancer.html(Accessed 25 Apr. 2018).ASH (2018). Fact Sheets Archives numberionon Smoking and Health. online usable at http//ash.org.uk/category/information-and-resources/fact-sheets/(Accessed 25 Apr. 2018).Baler, R, D., Compton, W, M. Volkow, N, D.,Weiss, S, R, B. (2014) Adverse HealthEffects on Marijuana use. 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Abo lshie review of Capitalism and Drug Use. online Redrave.blogspot.co.uk.Available at http//redrave.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/a-marxist-review-of-capitalism-and-drug.html(Accessed 18 Apr. 2018).Cancer Research(2018). Cannabis oil?. online Available athttps//www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-chat/thread/cannabis-oil-4Accessed 31 Mar. 2018.Cannabis Social Club. (2018). UK CannabisLaw. online Available at http//ukcsc.co.uk/cannabis-law/ (Accessed 17Apr. 2018).Christie, L.(2013). Which of these drugs is themost addictive and harmful, marijuana, alcohol, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, ormeth? online Available athttps//www.quora.com/Which-of-these-drugs-is-the-most-addictive-and-harmful-marijuana-alcohol-ecstasy-cocaine-heroin-or-meth(Accessed 17 Apr. 2018).McLeod, S. (2015). biologicPsychology Simply Psychology. online Simplypsychology.org. Availableat https//www.simplypsychology.org/biological-psychology.html (Accessed 23Apr. 2018).Peele, S. (2016). How Does Social Class Affect Drug Abuse? Articles Addictions HealthyPlace. HealthyPlace. Available at https//www.healthyplace.com/addictions/articles/how-does-social-class-affect-drug-abuse/ (Accessed 17 Apr. 2018). United PatientsGroup. (2016). What are the best and healthiest ways to consume medicalcannabis?. online Available athttps//unitedpatientsgroup.com/resources/methods-of-consumption (Accessed 17Apr. 2018).EvaluationTheessay accession stated some clear figures of the trends of marijuana overthe last few years and dictated who in society is most likely to consumemarijuana. On the contrary, the introduction failed to generate a definitiveanswer as to why young working-class boys are the biggest consumers of marijuana,due to the absence of primary research. However, links to sociological theoriessupported the results that young working-class boys are the biggest consumersof marijuana.Theresearch within the essay was obtained from a wide range of reputable sourceswith the most recent information available. As discussed, due to the absence ofprimary research there was not an opportunity to examine the reasons on a morepersonal level as to why young working-class boys choose to consume marijuana whenevidence portrayed from the UK government suggest that it can lead topsychological issues and can cause certain types of cancers. Thedata researched and presented was analysed and evaluated where possible officialstatistics from legitimate sources are generally accepted as reliable andinformative in their own right. In addition, further relations to sociologicaltheories along with psychological theories strengthened the conclusions ofcertain studies. In comparison, due to the lack of reliable sufficient unbiasedresearch, there could have been further analysis into the governmentsrole. With the recent claims thatmarijuana has certain cancer killing properties along with many other healthbenefits, the government should be aiming to provide newly found definitiveanswers concerning the risks an d gains of marijuana. Theconclusion acknowledged that the lack of reliable and thorough research intothe strengths and weaknesses of using marijuana has influenced the answer tothe question that it should be decriminalised and legalised on the crusade ofmedicinal use only if the benefits outweigh the risks. However, the conclusionis based only on the research analysed within the essay. Due to a limited wordcount further research and analysis which may have had an influence on theoverall conclusion may have been missed. Thus, the conclusion is germane(predicate) tothe findings within the essay however, additional and future research may leadto a different prognosis.