Marijuana plants on the mausoleum of reggae musician Peter Tosh (1944-1987) on the grounds of his home … [+]
The DEA plans to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I controlled substance to a Schedule III controlled substance. The change, which still requires final approval from the White House, could expand access to marijuana use within the United States and ease restrictions on research into the drug.
Marijuana would still be federally illegal even when it were classified as a Schedule III drug, but a change in classification would put it in the identical category as prescribed drugs like ketamine and anabolic steroids. Schedule I drugs have a high potential for abuse and don’t have any accepted medical uses, while Schedule III drugs have a lower potential for abuse and have accepted medical uses.
There is growing evidence that marijuana has therapeutic advantages, including but not limited to the treatment of chronic pain, nausea and vomiting in cancer patients, in addition to certain neurological disorders corresponding to seizures.
Reclassifying marijuana as a lower risk drug may have public health consequences. Although the potential for abuse is lower than alcohol and tobacco, it is just not insignificant. According to this, three out of ten individuals who use marijuana suffer from marijuana use disorder CDC. This implies that 30% of those that use marijuana use it although it causes problems in school, home and work, or they use it in high-risk situations corresponding to driving. Since greater than 48 million Americans use marijuana, which means 14.4 million Americans will suffer from marijuana use disorder. Is that a number we should always accept?
The more available marijuana becomes to Americans, the more Americans will ultimately suffer from the drug’s opposed health effects. Although way more research is required to completely understand how marijuana affects health, smoking marijuana may cause scarring and damage to small blood vessels within the lungs. Marijuana smoke comprises lots of the same toxins and carcinogens as tobacco smoke, putting smokers at increased risk of developing bronchitis and obstructive pulmonary disease, the study found CDC.
Marijuana also can have necessary health effects outside of the lungs. The drug can have an instantaneous effect on pondering, attention, memory and coordination. Additionally, over the long run, marijuana can permanently affect the way in which the brain makes connections to support learning, attention, and memory.
In addition to the detrimental cognitive effects; Marijuana also can have a negative impact on mental health. Heavy marijuana users report suicidal thoughts more often than non-users; and regular use of the drug increases the danger of developing social anxiety disorder National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
As marijuana becomes more normalized in American culture, its impact on impaired driving and public safety may also increase. Marijuana is thought to impair balance, coordination, and judgment; All of that is essential for secure driving. Unlike alcohol, which has legal limits for driving under the influence, marijuana impairment determination has not been developed or legally standardized across America. These legal limits have to be established to make sure the long run safety of Americans on the road and to stop potential accidents and injuries.
The potential reclassification of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III may have serious public health implications for all Americans. Although increased availability amongst cancer patients could help treat chronic pain and a few symptoms, their detrimental impact on public health and American security should never be ignored.
