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What Are Medical Marijuana Benefits?
Question: What are the benifits of medical approved marijuana and how would you compare these benefits with terminal use morphine?
Brief Answer:
Explained below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to Healthcare Magic!
Medical marijuana, in my opinion, does not bear any kind of comparison with the use of morphine in the terminally ill.
Marijuana has been found to be of some benefit in disorders like multiple sclerosis, chemotherapy associated nausea and vomiting, myopathies etc. It may provide some relief but I do not feel that it can in any way be compared to the benefit from morphine in terminally ill people with intractable pain. The other issue is that when people, who are not terminally ill, use drugs with the potential of causing dependence, there is always the possibility that some people will end up getting harmed more than they are benefited. Marijuana is not a harmless recreational drug as commonly perceived. It has been clearly linked to an increased risk of developing psychosis. It is unfortunate to see that many people are nowadays seeing it as a panacea for all kinds of disorders.
I feel that morphine for the terminally ill and medical marijuana are two completely different scenarios and bear no comparison. Medical marijuana has the liability of being abused and therefore, remains controversial.
I hope this helps you. Please feel free to ask in case you need any clarifications.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
Explained below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to Healthcare Magic!
Medical marijuana, in my opinion, does not bear any kind of comparison with the use of morphine in the terminally ill.
Marijuana has been found to be of some benefit in disorders like multiple sclerosis, chemotherapy associated nausea and vomiting, myopathies etc. It may provide some relief but I do not feel that it can in any way be compared to the benefit from morphine in terminally ill people with intractable pain. The other issue is that when people, who are not terminally ill, use drugs with the potential of causing dependence, there is always the possibility that some people will end up getting harmed more than they are benefited. Marijuana is not a harmless recreational drug as commonly perceived. It has been clearly linked to an increased risk of developing psychosis. It is unfortunate to see that many people are nowadays seeing it as a panacea for all kinds of disorders.
I feel that morphine for the terminally ill and medical marijuana are two completely different scenarios and bear no comparison. Medical marijuana has the liability of being abused and therefore, remains controversial.
I hope this helps you. Please feel free to ask in case you need any clarifications.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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