Safety, Quality, and Informatics

Medical Marijuana

Samantha M. Tallarine

Capella University

BSN-FP4016

Pharmacology for Patient Safety

July, 2019

Medical Marijuana

Marijuana is a famous drug that is known all over the world. Some people use it on an every day basis, both recreationally and medically. The drug is famous for its influence with drug lords and drug traffickers that have entered our streets and used the drug abusively making millions of dollars. The drug is banned in most countries of the world, leaving it with a bad reputation. Nevertheless, marijuana has some very intriguing medical benefits. These medical benefits have keep the drug on the map and most pharmacologists are forced to see it just as another form of medication to prescribe to patients. This paper will explore the medical use of marijuana, its benefit to the community, as well as the challenges it has brought to the community. Also, the paper will explore the effects of the drug on a patient and organization in terms of promoting health and wellness. Furthermore, it will assess whether there is any limitation on who should have the access to the drug and why.

The appropriate use of the pharmacology related to the topic, health concerns associated with the topic and the efficacy and applicability of the pharmacology

Medical marijuana is the same marijuana that is abused, yet this time it is only used under medical guidance. The drug is very strong and can become hazardous when used in the wrong way. Medical marijuana can only be used when one has permission from the medical doctor and they have a card to show that the doctor knows. The drug is used to treat certain diseases such as cancer, crohn’s disease, eating disorders, epilepsy and glaucoma (Lankenau, 2018). Doctors can also prescribe marijuana to treat muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis, nausea from cancer chemotherapy, poor appetite and weight loss by chronic illness such as HIV and also seizure disorders (Lankenau, 2018).

The efficiency and applicability of marijuana to these disease is not guaranteed. So far, the FDA has only legalized the use of marijuana on two specific treatments and that is Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (Lankenau, 2018). No more research has been done on the topic, since one needs a special kind of license to be able to perform the research. The license acquisition has limited the number of studies done on marijuana. Also, the amount of studies already done have not reached the threshold that the FDA needs in order to legalize its use.

The relationship between quality patient outcomes, patient safety, and use of the pharmacology related to the topic

Patient outcomes are never guaranteed with the prescription of marijuana. Nevertheless, doctors’ always prescribe the drug in cases where they feel it will benefit the patient. Most patients ask for medication because of pain and in cases where marijuana can significantly reduce the pain, the doctor prescribes it most often in these cases. Patient safety is ensured through the giving of a card if one is prescribed to use the drug (Shih, 2019). This is the case since the drug can be abused and become fatal to the patient. Therefore, safety is always maintained in that manner.

Medical marijuana has been argued to even have less effects than opioids which are administered after a surgery. Though the rumor is not proven as facts or approved by the FDA the concern comes from the doctors thus, medical marijuana seems to have an impact on this side (Shih, 2019). Also, the reduction of side effects from chemotherapy are very dire and marijuana is seen as a solution to some of them. Therefore, the drug cannot entirely be dismissed when it comes to the provision of quality and safety to patients

Benefits and limitations of the pharmacology in terms of specific diseases and populations

Medical marijuana has a lot of cannabinoids that acts as chemicals of treatment. These are the agents that are used as medical chemicals in the body. These cannabinoids are involved in appetite, memory, pain and movement (Lim & Kirchhof, 2019). The benefits of medical marijuana include: reduction of anxiety, reduction of inflammation and pain, they also kill cancer cells and slow down tumor growth. They also relax the muscles in people with multiple sclerosis. Over the years, there have been reports from parents that the drug helps stop seizures in their children.

The limitations of marijuana are also very dire. During prolonged use, the drug can lead to memory loss since it affects the elements in the brain that are responsible for such processes. Heart complications can also arise since studies have shown that the use of marijuana increases the heart rate. These can be very fatal for patients with a history of heart disease. Marijuana can also lead to lung cancer when smoked for a long time and hence lead to death (Lim & Kirchhof, 2019). Also, addiction is a moral limitation that the drug exhibits since its users become dependent on the drug.

How the topic affects both the community and the organization in terms of promoting health and wellness.

Despite the many myths about marijuana on what it can do and what it cannot do, the community ends up with the load of relieving the people who have been afflicted by the drug. Therefore, the community should be concerned on how the drug is performing. Medical marijuana is regulated as we can see today. Thus, if given the legal chance then it can be used to relieve so many diseases, pain, and reduce the number of patients going to hospitals to get medication for reducing pain. Wellness in the community can be significantly improved by medical marijuana, just from the little evidence that is observed to have taken place.

Describe any inequities regarding access to the pharmacology related to the topic and Access limited to specific groups or populations

The discrimination of the drug has been taught both in our school and the community, abd has taken that mantle and made it clear that marijuana is a no go zone. The drug has been abused so much so that its medical value is not visible or even mostly talked about. This has led to the banning of marijuana in many states and prison is the destination for anyone caught selling the product.

The access of marijuana is only limited to specific group of patients who have a card from the doctor to legalize their use of the drug (Gostin, 2018). Patients use the cards to stop any form of arrest from happening to them. Over time people have begun to understand the benefit of the drug and we are observing more and more states continue to legalize marijuana. These states include: Florida Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah and Washington. In total medical marijuana has been legalized in 33 states.

Marijuana access and its influence on choice

Access of the drug is determined by the state that govern. They are the ones that choose whether the drug should be used or not. The base of the regulation is used to show that the drug can be abused and surpass the medical use put into other harmful uses. Therefore, these states take the precaution of not just allowing anyone to use the drug unless under guidance from the doctor. Access of the drug definitely affects the choice. It causes people to abuse the drug behind closed doors and since the state keeps the keys to that access.

In conclusion, medical marijuana is a drug that has both pharmacological benefits and another harmful side just like any other drug. There should not be so much hate on the drug. States should also look forward to legalize medical marijuana and help patients benefit from its uses. Medical marijuana should also be allowed to be treated like most drugs without a special license to allow more discoveries that might save lives in the future. Therefore, medical marijuana is a drug just like any other drug and should be respected for its medical use.

Resources

Gostin, L. O. (2018). Enforcing federal drug laws in states where medical marijuana is lawful. Jama, 319(14).

Lankenau, S. E. (2018). Becoming a medical marijuana user. International Journal of Drug Policy.

Lim, M., & Kirchhof, M. G. (2019). Dermatology-Related Uses of Medical Cannabis Promoted by Dispensaries in Canada, Europe, and the United States. Journal of cutaneous medicine and surgery.

Shih, R. A. (2019). Associations between Young Adult Marijuana Outcomes and Availability of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries and Storefront Signage. Addiction.