Module 12

MODULE 12

Psychoactive Botanicals Activity

My position on the legal status of marijuana is that it should be legal on the state and federal level for prescription use.  I have actually done a great deal of research on this topic and I have seem so many instances where the use of marijuana has helped people with depression, epilepsy, headaches, insomnia, and many more illnesses that negatively impact lives.  I have seen very little information proving health hazards of marijuana.  Of course, inhaling anything into your lungs can be bad; however, marijuana can be taken in many different forms and patients would not need to smoke it.

I think that marijuana should be legal for medical purposes for treating symptoms that are negatively impacting people's lives.  I think that dosages should be managed properly in order to maintain the growth of the brain in younger individuals.  I also think that laws should of course be put in place about abusing the drug and driving under the influence of marijuana, which is the only real aspect I've seen where it endangers lives.  

This class did not necessarily change my opinion because I have had this opinion for a long time but I would say that it helped me see things in a different light.  I never realized how many natural substances we used in our lives - in medicine or even in cooking.  I didn't realize how many drugs come from plants and natural sources and herbs.  I also didn't realize how widely used these plants have been in traditional and folk medicine practices.  One video that really changed the way I think about plants was the video discussing psychoactive drugs and their uses in traditional religions for ritualistic and religious purposes.  It is so interesting to me how nature provides us with so many different types of plants and how they can be used.  Of course, I disagree with taking advantage of these.  However, as someone who wants to be in Healthcare, I don't see why we can't take advantage of plants and their MEDICINAL uses in a safe and appropriate clinical setting.