| Medical Marijuana BenefitsRecent studies have found medical marijuana may help in the treatment of a number of illnesses and diseases, including:
Alzheimer’s disease: Marijuana may prevent the formation of brain deposits associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Lung Cancer (COPD): Research has found that smoking cannabis does not increase the risk of developing lung cancer or COPD and could even provide a mildly protective effect. One study found THC reduced tumor growth by 50 percent and significantly reduced the cancer’s ability to spread. Breast Cancer: Research has found that cannabidiol may stop breast cancer from spreading throughout the body. HIV/AIDS: Daily cannabis use among patients was found to greatly increase food intake. A study in 2008 also found a significant reduction in pain as well as improved mood, physical ability and quality of life. Brain Cancer: The chemicals in marijuana help kill brain cancer cells. |
While Colorado’s medical marijuana law has made the medicinal benefits of cannabis available to patients in Denver and throughout the state, it also has given rise to a number of legal issues. For starters, marijuana remains illegal under federal law and patients, growers, sellers and buyers may still face criminal prosecution.
The Denver medical marijuana defense attorneys at The Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal are also frequently called to represent clients facing criminal charges under state law. Charges related to the sale, possession or cultivation of marijuana are still quite common. And courts continue to face the issue of DUI/Drug charges among certified marijuana patients.
The use of marijuana for medicinal purposes is far from new – the issue is simply coming full circle. The documented medical use of cannabinoids and THC (the active ingredient in marijuana), dates to 2,737 BC. The documented medical benefits include the alleviation of nausea and vomiting, as well as gastrointestinal issues. And it has proven effective in the stimulation of hunger for chemotherapy patients or those suffering from AIDS. It has also been shown to lower eye pressure in those suffering from glaucoma.
There is some evidence to suggest it is an effective pain reliever. The drug may be smoked, drank, eaten of swallowed in capsule form. The effectiveness of the various forms of administration has been studied by the National Institutes of Health. Synthetic marijuana is available in some parts of the world – including Marinol, which is available in the United States and Canada.
Recreational marijuana is illegal in all parts of the developed world, but has been increasingly decriminalized. And, while medical marijuana remains a controversial issue worldwide, it has been accepted in a growing number of countries. In the United States, 15 states and the District of Columbia have passed medical marijuana laws. States where medical marijuana was legal at the beginning of 2011 were Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
Other conditions for which medical marijuana is believed beneficial include neurogenic pain, premenstrual syndrome, unintentional weight loss, insomnia, lack of appetite, movement disorders, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, migraines and fibromyalgia. Still others believe cannabis beneficial in treating alcohol abuse, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), arthritis, bipolar disorder, colorectal cancer, depression, epilepsy, hepatitis C, leukemia, Parkinson’s disease, posttraumatic stress disorder, sleep apnea, anorexia nervosa and Tourette syndrome.
And research in California found the active ingredient THC prevented the formation of brain deposits associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Unfortunately, law enforcement too often ignores Colorado medical marijuana laws when dealing with patients or legitimate businesses. Denver medical marijuana defense lawyers are frequently called to assert a patient’s, caregiver’s or dispensary’s rights under Colorado’s medical marijuana law. Call today for a free consultation to discuss your rights – 303.825.2223.
Denver Marijuana Defense Lawyer – 303.825.2223 – Free Consultation
