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Samantha Sanders

Professor S. Massey

ENC1101 M, W, F / PM

09 Apr 2018

Annotated Bibliography: Why we NEED weed.

Clark, Peter A., et al. “Medical Necessity versus Political Agenda.” Medical Science Monitor:

International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research, International Scientific

Literature, Inc., 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3628147/.

In this article, P. Clark goes into depth on the topic of cannabis. Clark starts off by talking

about the level of testing that has been done on cannabis. He explains the effectiveness of

pain management and how it can be used as a stand-alone treatment. Clark goes on to list

the 16 states that approved medical cannabis (in 2011). He then follows up with a brief

history lesson on the herb. He explains how the herb became so popular and became

widely used. Clark list and defines the five schedules of drug classification. He describes

the long battle with moving cannabis to a scheduled II drug. The struggle with becoming

federally legal is told in this article as well. It is essential to my research because it covers

so many topics on cannabis and gives insight into different facts.

“Medical Marijuana.” Medical Marijuana | Colorado Marijuana,

www.colorado.gov/pacific/marijuana/medical-marijuana-0

This organizations page is a beginners guide to obtaining medical cannabis in the state of

Colorado. The state of Colorado has been the mecca for all those who seek medical

marijuana. This state has broken boundaries in the fight to legalize medical cannabis.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has set up a
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website that helps residents not only register but provides them with helpful information.

Upon entry, there is a link the guides users to a registration page. This page also explains

what the program is and how to apply. They provide a list of qualifying conditions. It,

also includes information on who manages the program. There are links to data, medical

benefits, and self-funded research. You can also sign p to participate in research

programs. This website gives insight into what all states could have if they legalized

cannabis.

“Medical Marijuana.” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services, 24 Sept. 2017, nccih.nih.gov/health/marijuana.

In this article, The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH)

primarily discusses the use of cannabis. The report was published in 2017 and shows how

far the cannabis industry has come along in just a year. It provides a link to the National

Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine study and their findings. There is also

a link to the National Institute of drug abuse on the page. I like this page for the links at

the bottom. The links cover many topics that range from drug fats for consumers to

medical research for physicians. The page even includes articles in Spanish.

“Study Confirms Safety of Cannabis Drug CBD.” Epilepsy Action,

www.epilepsy.org.uk/news/news/study-confirms-safety-cannabis-drug-cbd-64709.

When speaking about the many uses of medical cannabis, it's hard not to mention

epilepsy. I have two friends who suffer from this chronic condition and are both medical

cannabis patients. I chose this organization because I feel as though it is essential to see

how the rest of the world is moving forward in the world of medical cannabis. The

United Kingdom’s organization “Epilepsy Action” has supported the push for medical
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marijuana. On the organizations’ website you can view the laws on medical cannabis in

the UK and the requirements. The site is dedicated to epilepsy and how cannabis helps

aid in the management of the illness.

Grinspoon, Peter. “Medical Marijuana.” Harvard Health Blog, 9 Jan. 2018,

www.health.harvard.edu/blog/medical-marijuana-2018011513085.

Dr. Peter Grinspoon is a primary physician at a Boston inner-city clinic. He suffered from

substance abuse and wrote a book about it. In his article on cannabis, he talks about how

it is far safe than opioids and less addictive. He is a well-accredited man and has personal

experience with substance abuse. He also covers why patients find cannabis useful and

how to speak with your doctor about it. He gives data on how many Americans approve

of medical marijuana and how many use it. He goes into detail on how THC and CBD

work. He lists common usages and how it can replace over the counter medications such

Advil. He published this article in January of 2018. It is important for people to see how

a doctor who suffered from substance abuse turned his life around and how he believes

that cannabis can be an alternative to pharmaceuticals.

“Medical Marijuana ProCon.org.” Should Marijuana Be a Medical Option?,

medicalmarijuana.procon.org/.

This web page is the most updated site, the last day it was updated was 05 Apr 2018. This

web page can provide information for first timers and well-seasoned advocates. Upon

entering the site, there is a summary of cannabis, and underneath it, there are other links.

The difference between these links and others is that they are specific. You can see how

cannabis affects driving and how it affects individual chronic illnesses. Tabs are specific,

and you don't have to spend 30 minutes searching for a particular condition. This web
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page also shows the pros and cons of cannabis. Most web pages only show one side of

usage. People also can post testimonies on the blog portion. This is what attracts me the

most. Having the ability to hear testimonials is often what helps someone decide on

trying cannabis.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Marijuana as Medicine.” NIDA,

www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana-medicine.

In this article, the NIDA talks about why Cannabis is not FDA approved. When stating

that cannabis should be a therapeutic alternative, it is essential to know why it is not

supported. It goes into detail on how cannabis works and its DrugFacts.

The article also speaks on how cannabinoids work and what they are exactly. It gives

cases where medical cannabis was used to treat children with chronic health problems. It

goes into details on how older people and people certain illnesses may experience the

drugs side effects more. The article also gives examples of animal studies, and it relates

to cancer cells. It also touches on the use of cannabis in pregnant women very briefly.

This article doesn't go into great detail on these subjects, but it does give brief overviews.

“Medical Marijuana.” Parkinson's Foundation, 20 Mar. 2018,

www.parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Treatment/Medical-Marijuana.

Just like Epilepsy Parkinson’s is another chronic condition that is commonly referred to

when on the subject of medical cannabis. The Parkinson's Foundation has created a

section on their webpage for medical cannabis research. On this page, you can also sign

up for "cannabis and PD" webinars. The page explains the science behind Parkinson's and

cannabis. It tells how social media has had an impact on the PD and cannabis

relationship. It goes into how some studies show that marijuana may be saving PD
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impacts neurons. The pharmacology of cannabis is also explained. The pros and cons of

using cannabis with PD are listed as well. The fioundation also gives a list of states where

PD is a qualifying condition to obtain medical marijuana. The page also provides a brief

overview on how to decide if cannabis is right for you and how to speak with your

doctor.