Thursday, 17 December 2009
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Medical Marijuana - Now Available for Children?!
The New York Times recently wrote an article (here) about medical marijuana - which would not be alarming all on it's own.
However, this article told about a clinic in Sebastopol, California, where medical marijuana has been given to at least 50 of their patients between the ages of 14 and 18.
The patients' conditions varied, including psychiatric conditions like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). According to Valerie Corral, founder of the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana, "it's not everybody's medicine, but for some, it can make a profound difference."
Stephen Hinshaw, the chairman of the psychology department at the University of California, Berkeley, disagreed greatly with Corral. Hinshaw stated, "how many ways can one say 'one of the worst ideas of all time?'" His argument, according to the Times, was that "tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC., the active ingredient in cannabis, disrupts attention, memory and concentration - functions already compromised in people with ADD [or ADHD]."
While Hinshaw's argument is reason enough to fight against the prescribing of medical marijuana for children and teens, one more question comes to mind: Why prescribe an illegal drug - that is known to damage brain function - for children and teens during their most vulnerable developmental stages?
Should medical marijuana be available for children and teenagers? What do you think of this?
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- From: msenergydrink
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Comments (65)
It's shown to work wonders in severely autistic children.
I would actually prefer that teenagers be prescribed marijuana over antidepressants. The side effects alone make that argument.
I have seen no actual proof that marijuana is dangerous, let alone as or more dangerous than current pharmaceuticals. It has even been proven to interact with receptors in the intestines and create healthier cells, improving chronic intestinal diseases including IBD (Crohn's, ulcerative colitis). So I would actually encourage its use in children with severe bowel problems as well - the alternates are immunosuppressants.
Also, that guy's argument basically says that Ritalin and Adderall would be ineffective in children with ADD - they're amphetamines. In people without ADD, they cause disrupted attention, etc., but do the opposite in those who truly have ADD. Obviously there is a difference in brain chemistry there. (Though I believe ADD/ADHD are highly overdiagnosed....but that's another story.)
@whitetrashpoet@xanga - I concur.
If something can be treated via marijuana, we might as well. And THC does different things to different people. I know a valedictorian that swears up and down that he studies harder after some marijuana.
The picture of a person smoking a joint is so not the only way medical marijuana can be taken. Vaporizers are definitely an option for those who don't like the "smoking" part of marijuana.
No b/c it's highly addictive, especially for younger people and people who are older. This is what I was taught by a college professor whose very knowledgable in the Chemical Dependency field.
@sarahflorida1085@xanga - But so are amphetamines (which are in Ritalin, Adderall) - and amphetamines are not only addictive but have other side effects. I mean, look at this: Ritalin "possesses structural similarities to amphetamine, and though it is less potent, its pharmacological effects are even more closely related to those of cocaine.
[1][2]"Regardless of how you feel about marijuana, you cannot possibly think it's worse than cocaine - if it boils down to which is better, which is worse, marijuana is by far healthier and less damaging than any sort of stimulant when taken on a daily basis.
@sarahflorida1085@xanga - bwhahahaahahah! Addictive? I won't touch that comment. I bet the Professor smokes the ganj. and is greedy.
I say we give it to them. I agree with the prospect that the antidepressants have x8975239584 side effects. I'd rather get the munchies than an anal fissure...
@whitetrashpoet@xanga - cocaine is worse definitely.
@merelycaitlin@xanga - he was a kind man and was just sharing this to students who want to help others in need.
I think as long as it's done in vapor form then I don't see a problem.
I just dont like the idea of a kid with a blunt. lol XD
Um, they can't prescribe illegal drugs. You know medicinal marijuana is legal, right?
The only consideration should be whether it works as a treatment. Fuck political correctness, this is healthcare.
marijuana's not nearly as bad as parents are brainwashed to believe. marijuana has a long, long history of medical benefit, and the side effects of it are so minimal. but whatever. people do crazy shit with pills (Adderall for example - I have a non-ADHD friend who took some during school just for the fun of it) all the time and no one ever talks about that... so maybe if we all just treated marijuana like a normal medical benefit in these cases, WHICH IT IS, the kids wouldn't be given the idea to grow mentally dependent on it.
If you must legalize medical marijuana, at least make it only legal for adults.
@sarahflorida1085@xanga - well so you're saying it's highly addictive to everyone? "especially for younger people and people who are older"
and of course a professor knowledgeable in the chemical *dependency* field is going to tell you it's highly addictive.
I think it's an excellent idea, especially when you put it face to face with antidepressants and drugs like Ritalin. If it could help my child (who I suspect has ADHD and who is on the autism spectrum) when she is older (she's only 3.5 now), you bet I would do anything for my child. I would want to research all the options, and if medical marijuana (um, which is LEGAL, btw, and used in many cancer patients, among others) is the best choice, then yes, I would allow it to be administered to my child.
@AcrossTheRaspberryGalaxy@xanga - So antidepressants for children (and these children mentioned above are teenagers) are ok, but medical marijuana isn't?
My friend has a lot of health issues that are extremely painful. She's been taking prescribed sleeping pills as well as pain killers. Because of those LEGAL medications, she now has ulcers and slight kidney problems on top of what health issues she already has. And to think she would have been better off just smoking weed. She just turned 18 and finally got her card, with the permission of her parents.
doesn't buying your kids an xbox, ps3, wii and all the latest fun video games help them to stop jumping around and stay focused on the games
@Morningstarrising@xanga - I would rather my daughter take antidepressants than smoke marijuana. Keep in mind that my daughter doesn't have any medical problems (knock on wood) and I'm sure if she did have a problem that only medical marijuana would solve I would feel differently. I just think that if there is something out there that works just as well, I'd rather see my child on that, you know?
You have a daughter with Autism? My little brother is also Autistic. He takes a homeopathic (sp?) remedy every few months with THC in it, because when he goes too long without it he gets very easily frustrated and depressed. They were giving him that when he was as young as 7. I don't think that's wrong, and I'm not saying that it's wrong to give children medical THC, but I just wouldn't like it to take over. There are so many adults that get medical marijuana for such small things (or lie to get it), and I wouldn't like to see that trend in children. Because I'm sure we can all agree that teens are more likely to lie to get med marijuana than adults are. Also, teens are more likely to sell it to other teens than adults would be.
@ih8gorgonzola@xanga - She had to have her parents permission to get her card even though she's 18? It shouldn't be like that. There are a lot of parents out there that wouldn't allow it, and at 18 you are supposed to be able to make the decision for yourself. They probably don't allow you to get it without a parents permission until you're 21, though... which is stupid because you can get highly addicting drugs without a parents permission before you're 21. I'd rather my child be getting medical marijuana than oxycontin and things of that sort.
There is no reason marijuana shouldn't be legal. While I am typically for recreational beverages and drugs being for adults, (as they are probably better stewards of their time than children tend to be), I see no good reason for marijuana to be withheld from children who are in medical need.
There are so many LEGAL medications that are very addictive (i.e. Adderoll, Ritalin, Xanax, Valium, ect). Alcohol and cigarettes are more dangerous to your health than marijuana so why are they legal and marijuana is not? I'm not sure how I feel about children as young as 14 taking it, but I definitely think it should be legalized and is better than a lot of other medicine out there.
Show me the proof that marijuana damages brain function in teens. This is just not true. Any effects of marijuana use are temporary. It is non toxic and leaves no tell tale damage of any kind. Just use the FDA's "Risk vs Benefits" factor. Even smoked marijuana does not cause cancer, or any other health problem and therefore the benefits far outweigh the risks. I would much rather my children smoke marijuana than drink alcohol or smoke tobacco. More parents are telling their children the truth about marijuana rather than the "Reefer Madness" put out by our government. This is why these then children, and now adults, are changing the insane and archaic laws against marijuana. In 2010 marijuana will be legalized and regulated like alcohol in California and eventually the feds will remove it from federal Schedule I and end this tragedy of human suffering.
geez
Uh...as far as I know medical marijuana is not illegal in California. So, when used this way, it is NOT an illegal drug.
Also, it is MUCH safer than the usual drugs prescribed to children for ADD/ADHD. I know there is a lot of hype going around about it being dangerous, but I have found sources that I just agree with much more than say that it isn't. So, that's where my reasoning for this part of my comment comes from. :p
Also, the drugs that are already given to kids (Ritalin and Aderall(sp?) for example) also (when given to a person who doesn't have ADD/ADHD) disrupt the very same functions that are being argued that the marijuana will disrupt. The thing is, that when you give these drugs to someone who DOES have these issues, for some reason it "fixes" the problem and allows you to instead be calm and focused.
This is because a person who has ADD/ADHD has abnormal brain function when it comes to this. So, while someone who is "normal" (for lack of a better term, sorry :/ ) makes use of this it will have undesired effects, it will work differently in someone who does have these issues and correct the problem.
I doubt they would be prescribing this to kids if it didn't work at all, considering they've already got drugs that do help (but can be quite dangerous).
As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing wrong with this whatsoever. While the current prescription drugs and marijuana will certain effect people differently if they have nothing wrong with them, if prescribed correctly the marijuana will be given in likely just enough of a dosage to treat the problem effectively and there is no reason that the drug shouldn't be prescribed as an alternative for those parents who do not want to give their children the mainstream prescription drugs, such as Ritalin.
I just do not believe that marijuana is dangerous. :/ However, I do believe that the drugs already commonly accepted as treatments for ADD/ADHD can be very dangerous.
@sarahflorida1085@xanga - highly addictive? ive never known or come across in my entire life anyone who was "addicted" to pot. I smoked it off and on for 6 years and never once did I find myself "jones'n" for pot. Its either something you DO or something you DON'T. I don't smoke now and from the last time I did it up until now I've never felt myself getting the shakes or freaking out on someone just because I didnt have any in my system. But (legal)prescription drugs AND over the counter drugs... SAY IN THE AD that you could become dependant.
Depending on your college im sure your professor could've possibly lost his tenure if he told his students to go smoke pot.
I'd rather children take oral doses of canibus than pop pills(even though i smoked mine, i dont think kids smoking ANYTHING is a good idea). Like Ive said in previous healthkicker posts about the subject, most of the CONS over PROS that ppl come up with are propaganda and flat out lies about the substance. Check erowid.com. They have ZERO bias and will tell you the truth without trying to indoctrinate you and your family to continue to help stuff the pockets of Big Pharma. Why else would they need commercials of NEW DRUGS TELEVISED instead of your doctor telling you what would be the best for your particular ailment when you have to go TO THEM to get it? Its all to make profit. Marijuana is cheap compared to pharmaceuticals, the side effects arent worse than the sickness and theres no way to overdose on it; accidentally or otherwise.
@erahslover@xanga - the prof was a guest speaker from another college so that's not the case and I didn't say I supported medicine. I prefer looking at other options to help people besides using substances to empower people and then if medicine is necessary, ok.
this post proved you can't have an opinion on xanga ish sites-without getting jumped all over and criticized, i just was stating a perspective from what I have learned in grad school as a social worker. my intentions are just hoping people be careful with what they use.