Marijuana Research Synopsis

Heroin has no medical use, neither does LSD; these are Schedule 1 drugs. Schedule 1 drugs are heavily restricted and are known to the potential to develop an addiction; the US government classifies Marijuana under this tier. Despite researchers’ protest, the government has yet to alter this outdated stance. These researchers have reason and evidence to believe in the significant medical properties of Marijuana and it’s unique chemical, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). There is a dense concentration of cannabinoid binding sites in the basal ganglia and the cerebellum of the base-brain, both of which affect movement and coordination. This discovery will aid in determining the actual physical mechanism by which THC affects spasticity and provides therapeutic benefits to patients with multiple sclerosis and other spastic disorders. While there are cannabinoid receptors in the ventromedial striatum and basal ganglia, which are areas associated with dopamine production, no cannabinoid receptors have been found in dopamine-producing neurons, and as mentioned above, no reinforcing properties have been demonstrated in animal studies. Cannabinoids also have great promise as analgesics or painkillers, in that they do not depress the function of the heart or the lungs. In this respect, they are far superior to opiates, which decrease the entire physiological system because the receptors are all over the medulla as well as the brain. Marijuana is distinguished from most other illicit drugs by the locations of its brain-receptor sites for two predominant reasons: (1) The lack of receptors in the medulla significantly reduces the possibility of accidental, or even deliberate, death from THC, and (2) the lack of receptors in the mesocorticolimbic pathway significantly reduces the risks of addiction and serious physical dependence.

With all that said, Marijuana, with cooperation from the brain, can aid in the rehabilitation of many ailments and provide promise