Medical Cannabis VS Marinol

This is the Unit 3 action project for Arguments. In unit 3 we focused on comprise and synthesis. We examined how a synthesis is reached and what parts make them up. We studied the civil rights act of 1964 and went on an amazing FE to the Newberry library. This unit was focused on taking points from two opposing arguments and using them to formulate a new synthesized argument. I really enjoyed this unit and project as it forced me to view issues with multiple perspectives. I was constantly asked to create synthesizes which caused me to come more to the middle on topics. This was a great project which I feel I did an outstanding job on.

Cannabis, or marijuana, is widely referred to and thought of as a drug that makes you silly, hungry and euphoric, but it’s also a natural medicine that has been used for thousands of years as an effective form of treatment for a variety of ailments. I’m arguing for medical cannabis to be a legal and accessible form of medicine and treatment for individuals with a variety of ailments and illnesses. Sickness is an unfortunate reality of life and since the time of the first humans, people have set out to find and develop vaccines and medicines to help manage and cure illnesses. Naturally derived medicines and remedies such as plants and herbs have been used since the beginning of humankind. The tendency of early humans to take from nature in order to heal themselves and better their lives is both remarkable and worthy of our emulation. One such herbal remedy is cannabis, a budding flower of the female cannabis plant. Cannabis produces a diverse variety of chemical compounds called cannabinoids. When consumed, these various cannabinoids work synergistically and powerfully in conjunction to produce a wide range of effects on both the mind and body. These properties activate the body’s natural internal cannabinoid receptors. The most widely known cannabinoid is delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive chemical that is responsible for the high produced by the plant. The other primary cannabinoid is cannabidiol (CBD), which has been found to be an effective and efficient form of treatment for a wide range of conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, stress and anxiety. Cannabis should be a legal and accessible form of medicine for patients because it’s natural and contains both THC and CBD.

2016, Cannabis Flower

The evidence and support for my argument is as follows: “A lot of research has been made to isolate and characterize isolated single constituents of traditional herbal medicine to find their rationale for therapeutic uses,” the Israeli team concluded. “However, our data together with those of others provide legitimation to introduce a new generation of phytopharmaceuticals to treat diseases that have hitherto been treated using synthetic drugs alone. The therapeutic synergy observed with plant extracts results in the requirement for a lower amount of active components, with consequent reduced adverse effects.”
-Martin A. Lee
“Synthetic VS Whole Plant CBD”
WWW.ProjectCBD.com
February 22, 2015
"There are really no other medications that have the same mechanisms of action as marijuana. Dronabinol (Marinol) is available by prescription in capsules, but has the distinct disadvantage of containing only synthetic delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is only one of many therapeutically beneficial cannabinoids in the natural plant."
-Gregory T. Carter, MD
Co-director, MDA/ALS Center,
University of Washington Medical Center
Muscular Dystrophy Association
website article
Oct. 2003
“Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid with therapeutic properties for numerous disorders exerted through molecular mechanisms that are yet to be completely identified. CBD acts in some experimental models as an anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, antioxidant, antiemetic, anxiolytic and antipsychotic agent, and is therefore a potential medicine for the treatment of neuroinflammation, epilepsy, oxidative injury, vomiting and nausea, anxiety and schizophrenia, respectively. The neuroprotective potential of CBD, based on the combination of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, is of particular interest and is presently under intense preclinical research in numerous neurodegenerative disorders.”
-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular III,
Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica,
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, 28040-Madrid, Spain.

The strongest opposition to my stance on the legalization of medical marijuana is grounded in the notion that there are existing, man-made medicines that provide sufficient and effective care to individuals in need. Dronabinol, commercially known as Marinol, is a synthetic form of THC and is used to treat the weight loss of both Aids and cancer patients as well as the nausea caused by chemotherapy. Marinol differs from traditional cannabis because it consists of one pure compound that has been researched and can be used pharmaceutically in stable doses. The ability to take a pill and receive the same appetite stimulant and anti-nausea effects as traditional cannabis without the need to smoke is greatly beneficial to the patient. Marinol doesn’t contain any of the chemicals or tars found in the flower. Marinol has a Schedule III status on the U.S. DEA’s controlled substance list which is better for the patients in terms of legality than cannabis, which is schedule 1. Marinol is a better option than cannabis when it comes to treating patients because it contains one compound and has the ability to be administered in known and controlled doses to patients.

2016, Marinol Pills

If there was a dialogue between the opposing parties and they each asked their opponent a question the conversation would go as follows:
Cannabis: Do you run a for-profit company and make business decisions based upon your projected gains?
Marinol: We do indeed run a for-profit company and are seeking to produce revenue, but we also care deeply for our patients.
Marinol: Do you recognize the potentially harmful tars that can come from smoking cannabis flower and how potency and cannabinoid profiles vary from bud to bud?

Cannabis: We are most definitely aware of both of these points. We share this information with our consumers through various educational and informational processes because we feel it’s essential to inform our patients about their medicine.

Both parties can agree on their mutual desire to aid those in need. Additionally, each side agrees with the fact that there needs to be an effective and efficient form of medicine for patients.
After conducting question-based dialogue, each party gained a more comprehensive understanding of the opposing party's viewpoints. The pro-cannabis side recognizes the pharmaceutical industry's desire to continue providing medicine and treatment in societally accepted forms such as pills and tablets. They also understand and agree with the need to balance profitability and overall patient care. The pharmaceutical company that produces and is in favor of Marinol wants to maintain the flow of revenue as well as aiding their patients. Both parties have valid desires and concerns. Points from each party's argument can be taken and morphed with ideas from the opposing side in order to produce a new, synthesized argument. An argument made by Marinol is that smoking can be harmful and it isn’t a traditional form of administering medicine to patients. A happy medium that can be reached between the two sides is the oral and edible administration of cannabis. Capsules made with cannabis extract can contain the full cannabinoid profile as well as recorded analytics allowing for consistent and known dosing. An additional concern Marinol manufacturers have is around pricing and the need to generate revenue. Natural cannabis is cheaper to produce than synthetic Marinol. If pharmaceutical companies were to shift to natural cannabis capsules rather than Marinol they would both be saving money as well as providing significantly more effective medicine to their patients in a form that is medically accepted and understood.

The synthesis would be introduced by the pro-cannabis side at a healthcare or medical conference to the pharmaceutical companies. It would be introduced via a speech along with an informational presentation with the hope of reaching a compromise with the pharmaceutical companies.

2016, Medical Cannabis Capsules

The creation of this synthesis has transformed my own viewpoint on the issue. I now better understand the concerns of the pharmaceutical industry and see the unique ways in which cannabis regulation can be altered to fit a more traditional model of medicine. This synthesis has brought me more towards the middle ground of this debate and allowed me to see positive points in each side's argument, which could then be taken and used to create a synthesized argument. This particular synthesis was quite special because in most instances I adhere to my ideas very strongly and in this one I was able to genuinely move towards the middle. Overall, this was a great synthesis that taught me a significant amount about my original opposition and allowed me to come to a powerful conclusion and solution.