Legalization of Medicinal Marijuana in Australia: A Brief Overview

Abstract

The use of medicinal marijuana is widely debated amongst Australians, with many controversial arguments both in support of and in opposition to the legalization of the drug. There are a myriad of therapeutic and medicinal benefits of cannabis, with numerous clinical trials verifying the positive treatment outcomes. There are over 60 pharmacologically active cannabinoids present in marijuana (Hill, 2015), with many proven to have remedial benefits ranging from antipsychotic properties to being able to act as anti-addiction agents. Throughout history, proponents of marijuana have contended with the demonization and widespread misrepresentation of the substance, which in turn has resulted in extreme caution in the acceptance of use, despite the proven medicinal benefits. Regardless of these views, marijuana has been used for centuries for its medicinal and pain relieving properties, with use dating back to ancient Chinese times (Bushak, 2017). There is also considerable debate surrounding the use of medicinal cannabis, as opposed to readily available over-the-counter medications, however recent studies have found that cannabis proves to be significantly more effective than prescription opioids when used for pain relief. This paper will discuss the various arguments both for and against the legalization of medicinal marijuana, and review various studies examining the remedial properties of the drug, as well as how the substance been utilized throughout history.

Legalization of Medicinal Marijuana in Australia: A Brief Overview

The legalization of medicinal marijuana in Australia is one of the most controversial topics being discussed around the country today. Proponents of legalization argue that the therapeutic and medicinal benefits largely outweigh any negative side effects. There is an abundance of research and evidence in support of this, demonstrating that medicinal marijuana has been proven to significantly assist patients who suffer from illnesses which prescribed medications have failed to treat. This essay will discuss both the arguments for and against the legalization of medicinal marijuana, and examine the trends and pharmacology of the drug.

PROS AND CONS OF MEDICINAL MARIJUANA

Proponents for the legalization of medicinal marijuana argue that it is a safe and effective treatment for the symptoms of a multitude of health conditions. These conditions range from chronic pain to glaucoma, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and even cancer (“Should Marijuana be a Medical Option?”, 2017). There is a significant amount of research in support of these arguments, with many clinical trials verifying the positive treatment effects of medicinal marijuana. Hill, MD (2015) discusses the high-quality evidence provided via a number of clinical trials which examined the use of marijuana for neuropathic pain, chronic pain and spasticity due to multiple sclerosis. These results were compromised from six trials examining chronic pain among 325 patients, six trials examining neuropathic pain among 396 patients, and finally, twelve trials that examined 1600 patients which suffered from multiple sclerosis. The positive results from several of these trials suggested that the use of marijuana or cannabinoids may be considerably efficacious for patients suffering from these ailments.

The paper focuses specifically on one “Mr Z”, who suffers from chronic lower back pain due to a fall at work. Mr Z engaged in a number of pain interventions in an effort to reduce discomfort and exhausted all options, including multiple lumbar epidural steroid injections, selective nerve root blocks, trials for a spinal cord stimulator, cortisone shots, and lidocaine infusions. Mr Z began using medicinal marijuana for pain management after receiving certification from a local specialist and found this to be the most effective method at controlling his chronic discomfort (Hill, 2015). This effect may be explained by the influence that pharmacologically active cannabinoids have on the various cannabinoid receptors which are located throughout the body. These receptors are located predominantly in the brain and spinal cord, and the assorted cannabinoids which effect these will be discussed further in the pharmacology of marijuana segment of this paper.

Despite the plethora of evidence in support of the legalization of medicinal marijuana, there is still a large percentage of society who believe that it is unnecessary and would encourage the recreational use of cannabis. Opponents often tend to focus on social issues which may arise surrounding substance use. The most common arguments against legalization are centred around the substance serving as a ‘gateway drug’ due to high levels of addiction and leading to rising levels of criminal activity (Anderson, Hansen & Rees, 2013). These arguments, however, are disproven by a number of sources which note that there are no substantiated correlations between medicinal marijuana and criminal activity, nor medicinal marijuana and youth consumption of the drug (Belville, 2011; Corry et al. 2009).

Another common argument amongst opponents of legalization is the belief that legalised cannabis is nonessential, due to the various legal drugs available to treat the aforementioned ailments. This however has been disproven time and time again, as seen in Mr Z’s case. There are also many studies surrounding epilepsy which have proven medicinal marijuana to be more effective than over the counter antiepileptic drugs. A prime example of this is young girl, Charlotte, who began adjunctive therapy with a high concentration cannabidiol/Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol strain of cannabis. Using this treatment, Charlotte’s seizure frequency reduced from nearly 50 convulsive seizures per day to a mere 2-3 nocturnal convulsions per month (Maa & Figi, 2014). With such a drastic improvement in Charlotte’s epileptic symptoms, it is hard to dispute the positive effect that medicinal marijuana has made on this young girl’s life.

MARIJUANA THROUGHOUT HISTORY

Marijuana has been used to achieve euphoria since ancient times, however the long-term demonization of the drug also largely contributes to the remaining stigma surrounding the drug today. The clear misunderstanding of cannabis is flawlessly summarized in the following quote by former United States Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Harry J. Ainslinger (n.d.):

“Most marijuana smokers are Negroes, Hispanics, jazz musicians, and entertainers. Their satanic music is driven by marijuana, and marijuana smoking by white