Annotated Bibliography

Andrew Frawley

Professor Dempsey

ENGL 1200-20

Project Two: Annotated Bibliography

6 April 2014

 

   Jacques, Erica. “Chronic Nerve Pain Treatment.” 4 November 2013.

Erica Jacques wrote “Chronic Nerve Pain Treatment” talking about the different treatments used for chronic nerve pain. She first points out the challenge of treating chronic nerve pain and the ineffectiveness of traditional forms of pain killers and other medications have in treating this pain. Jacques also points out the different traditional forms of medicine used to treat nerve pain and the effectiveness and problems associated with each.

The different types of medication used to treat chronic nerve pain anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and traditional painkillers. These painkillers used to treat chronic nerve pain often can be ineffective and can end up giving the patient long-term effects, such the case with opioids. The large variety of treatments available for chronic nerve pain exemplifies the challenge of providing the most effective treatment.

 

 

Pain Management of America. “Chronic Pain Treatment and Management with Medical Marijuana.”

            This section on the Pain Management of America website discusses the treatment of medical marijuana for people with chronic pain. It discusses and presents the different ingredients found in cannabis that provide relief for the pain and can reduce the use of opioids which is a traditional form of medicine used for chronic pain. The end of this web page discusses the action that needs to be taken in meeting with a medical marijuana doctor to talk about the possibilities of using this treatment if necessary. The overall point of this is to give knowledge about the benefits medical marijuana can have for people that suffer through chronic pain and how it is a better alternatives to the traditions forms of medication that can have much more severe side effects.

 

The discussion of traditional forms of medicine and their side effects is a large aspect in promoting medical marijuana for the treatment of chronic pain. Many traditional forms of medication used involves the presence of opioids, which many time make it difficult for the person to have adequate pain management. The side effects of marijuana is compared with the side effects many of these opioids have and marijuana seems to be the safer and more effective alternative in providing the most relief. The idea of this web page is to claim marijuana as the best medicine for chronic pain and the different evidence that supports this claim. Different statistics about the amount of people that claimed to get the most benefits of marijuana are high and the long-term effect opioids has when used for treatment gives a large amount of credibility to marijuana being a more beneficial way to treat patients with chronic pain.

 

The Legalization of Marijuana: Medical and Economic Benefits: An Annotated Bibliography

Chan, Amanda. Live Science. “Marijuana’s Active Ingredient Improves Cancer Patients’ Appetites.” 23 February 2011.

Amanda Chan writes “Marijuana’s Active Ingredient Improves Cancer Patients’ Appetites,” giving advantages the treatment of medical marijuana has for patients with cancer. Chan discusses the ingredients of marijuana and how different parts of cannabis have different medical properties used to treat cancer. This article is based largely on certain studies and tests made by Wendy Wismer, a food scientist at the University of Alberta in Canada. These studies are used to provide facts about how THC improves appetite in patients with cancer. Chan also touches on the different reasons for side effects seen with cancer and how marijuana can play a part in alleviating these. The overall message portrayed in the article written by Amanda Chan is that the ingredients in marijuana can have a positive effect in helping cancer patients gain the necessary appetite.

 

The active ingredient, THC, increases the appetite of cancer patients and improves their sense of taste, which is sometimes altered with chemotherapy. Chan not only provides statistics that give negative feedback to the use of marijuana as a treatment for cancer, but also discusses how people with advanced cancer tend to burn more calories and lose more weight quickly, where THC can do its magic in increasing the patient’s overall appetite and desire to eat. Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, often times result in the patient becoming nauseous and not having the ability to hold food down. Chemotherapy also many times has a negative effect on the patient’s taste and can make a certain food taste sort of metallic. The different studies and factual information used by Chan to convey her message on the benefits marijuana can bring to cancer patients gives a large amount of credibility to the use of this treatment.

Ferner, Matt. Huffington Post. “Marijuana Compounds Can Kill Some Cancer Cells: Study.” 25 October 2013.

            Matt Ferner wrote “Marijuana Compounds Can Kill Some Cancer Cells: Study” discussing the properties of marijuana and how they potentially have the ability to actually fight cancer, specific type being leukemia. The main medical property of marijuana Ferner talks about is cannabinoids. The information gathered by Ferner to provide credibility to his argument comes from a case study made by Dr. Wai Liu, an oncologist at St. George's University of London. This study was composed of six different non-psychoactive cannabinoid elements applied separately to leukemia cells. The outcome of this study shows the effect cannabinoids have on switching off pathways that allow cancer to grow. The overall message Ferner wants to give his readers is the effectiveness marijuana has in fighting leukemia, with the presentation of statistical studies to reflect his point.

This article is very informative on the ability of marijuana properties to fight cancer. Dr. Wai Liu, although was presented with evidence from his study that suggested the effectiveness cannabinoids have in fighting cancer in leukemia, he did give negative feedback on smoking marijuana. Liu discusses potential problems associated with cannabis and does make note of the work and observations to come before completely ruling marijuana to be a safe treatment. The main point of this article is to reflect the studies made by Dr. Wai Liu, with the possibility of lowering the high number of predicted deaths annually in the United States. The information from this article gives hope of the millions of lives marijuana could save if it does have the leukemia fighting ability as seen in Liu’s studies.

            Truth on Pot. “Can Medical Marijuana Fight Leukemia?” 28 April 2013.

            This article on the Truth on Pot website provides information claiming marijuana to have properties in fighting leukemia. The beginning of the web page consists of the definition of leukemia and different problems associated with it. This article discusses the effect marijuana has on these cancer cells and how different properties of cannabis have aspects in fighting leukemia. There is a large amount of evidence and studies that back up the idea of marijuana being able to fight this cancer and prevent the growth of it in other areas. The article is aimed at supplying the reader with the benefits and effect marijuana can have when used to treat patients with leukemia.

            The different medical properties marijuana is what gives it the ability to fight leukemia. The understanding of the disease and knowing what patients with this form of cancer have to go through is the first step in analyzing what treatments are best. The article talks about the THC and CBD properties of marijuana as what gives the plant the ability to fight leukemia. A few different case studies analyzed in this article reflects the THC property of marijuana and cannabinoids as large factors in killing leukemia cell lines. Another study shows the ability of CBD, a non-psychoactive part of marijuana, to kill leukemia cell lines in both humans and animals. The final point made in the article discusses the combination of both marijuana and chemotherapy and how it will lead to rates of cell death that could never be achieved with just one medication. The ability of the properties of marijuana to fight leukemia and kill cancerous cells is made credible with the statistics and studies represented.

National Institute of Drug Abuse. Drug Facts: Marijuana. January 2014.

The National Institute of Drug Abuse website provides a section dealing with different facts associated with marijuana. The web page first provides a scientific definition of marijuana and discusses how it is widely used around the United States. These Drug Facts also consist of how marijuana is smoked, giving examples of how it can be rolled into cigarettes or made into a tea. include different negative aspects marijuana can have and discuss whether or not the substance can actually be considered a medication, based on the FDA definition of a medication being consistent in chemical balance, while cannabis has many different chemical compositions. The final aspect of marijuana discussed in the Drug Facts Section is the addictiveness of the substance. Overall, marijuana has been seen to mainly be seen in those who start smoking at a young age and smokers that have been using marijuana long-term and suddenly decide to quit. The overall message provided by these Drug Facts point fingers in a more opposing point of view to the legalization of marijuana.

The main point of this section is to provide the reader with information about marijuana and is aimed to provide more of a negative point of view on the use of marijuana for either recreational or medical purposes. One negative included about the use of marijuana is how smoking it can have negative effects on lungs and can stimulate the possibility of respiratory problems. Another aspect provided is the negative impact using marijuana can have on brain development. The topic of abuse is presented with statistical evidence showing the abuse of the substance already in play in states where it is medically legal. The negative effects marijuana has is greatly reflected in this Drug Facts section, along with how it is not by definition a medicine based on the standards of the FDA. These facts put marijuana use in a very negative light, but do provide the necessary details about the issues that can come along with using it.

CNBC. Business. “Why We Should Not Legalize Marijuana.” 20 April 2010.

            This article in the Business section of the CNBC website discusses the reasons for why the United States should not legalize marijuana. The main point of argument in not legalizing it is due to the aspect of abuse that can take place. Different statistics are present to show how some patients being treated for medical marijuana are abusing it. The article talks a lot about the financial and social costs legalizing marijuana could have. The overall point trying to be made in this article is to provide different aspects of society that could essentially be improved by reducing the use of marijuana. The article talks about the financial and social costs legalizing it could have with the lack of prevention from the youth and an increase in drug impaired driving. The overall point trying to be made in this article is to show the reader a negative point of view of marijuana and provides different aspects of society that could essentially be improved by reducing marijuana.

 

            The overall message given in this article is a negative view of marijuana and the reflection of different negative aspects. Statistics from the criminal justice show that marijuana was an identified drug of abuse for the majority of individuals referred to treatment. Another point made in relation to the abuse is how marijuana is currently the leading cause of substance dependence other than alcohol in the U.S. This does indeed provided factual evidence of the abuse that can be associated with cannabis. The article also does different case studies to support their claim. One study focuses on fatally injured drivers in Washington state and how 12.7 of these drivers tested positive for marijuana. This is an argument used to blame marijuana for impairing the driver and presenting the overall consequences from drug-related car accidents. The overall point of this article is to stray the reader in the direction of being against legalizing marijuana. This article is very credible with many different pieces of factual information to back the point up along with statistics.

Easton, Stephen. Bloomberg BusinessWeek. “Legalize Marijuana for Tax Revenue.” “PRO: Fund crime-or taxes?”

            This discussion dealing with the legalization of marijuana for tax revenue is found in the Bloomberg BusinessWeek and provides both the pros and cons of the legalization of marijuana for the economy. Stephen Easton talks about the positive effects marijuana is having on producing revenue. He uses different statistics from the revenue gained by California through medical marijuana to back up his reasoning for the effects on revenue it could have for the entire country. He talks about large amount of spending on marijuana by U.S. consumers and how it is continuing to add up. Easton believes in the use of marijuana to gain revenue.

 

            The main point of Stephen Easton’s argument is that the legalization of marijuana could completely change society with the rise in the amount of Americans that support the idea to legalize it and the reflection of revenue it has already gained from medical marijuana in California. Along with the point of tax revenue, he talks about the large amount of U.S. consumer spending that has already taken place and can improve the economy if every state legalizes the sale of marijuana and there becomes a tax revenue placed to help the debt situation, which was done with alcohol and cigarettes. The overall idea Easton has is for the government to take the organized crime associated with marijuana away and put this control of the industry into the hands of the government.

Martinez, Michael. CNN U.S. “10 things to know about nation’s first recreational marijuana shops in Colorado.” 1 January 2014

            This article written by Michael Martinez on the CNN website states and evaluates ten different things to know about first recreational marijuana shops in Denver, Colorado. This information reflects the different questions in the back of many Americans minds such as why it was legalized, the maximum amount allowed to be bought, and different situations dealing with law enforcement and where it is okay to smoke. The analysis of different aspects associated with the medical marijuana stores in Colorado does provide a large information on how the legalization process is working and the different regulations with marijuana use and the growing of the plant.

            Martinez gives information on why marijuana should be legal, first stating the 10 million dollars tax payers would save a year from not forcing the prohibition on it. This article is used to inform the reader about different aspects of the marijuana industry and talks about the use of medical and recreational. When buying marijuana recreationally, it is important to know all the rules. He gives information on the different areas where people are allowed to smoke marijuana, consisting of strictly private places. Along with where to smoke, Martinez talks about growing polices and information about law enforcement dealing with marijuana. The overall message of Martinez is to provide information to people about the marijuana industry that has officially began in the United States.

 

Glaucoma Research Foundation. “Cure and Treatment.” “Should You Be Smoking Marijuana To Treat Your Glaucoma?”

            This article found on the Glaucoma Research Foundation web page is written by Henry D. Jampel, MD, MHS, the Odd Fellows Professor of Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins, and a practicing glaucoma specialists. In this article, he suggests both positive and negative features of using medical marijuana to treat different aspects of glaucoma. Jampel begins the article by providing the reader with general knowledge about what glaucoma is and the negative effects of this disease are. In addition to what glaucoma is, he gives information on the different kinds of traditional treatment used to treat this and how some of these treatments do not sometimes lower pressure in the patient’s eyes as well as marijuana.

The article discusses the positive impact marijuana can have in lowering the pressure of patient’s eyes and have less side effects than other traditional forms of treatment. Although there is a presentation of benefits associated with the treatment of medical marijuana for people with glaucoma, he does make note of a few disadvantages and side effects. Some side effects he focused on is the overall laziness and poor judgment the high of marijuana can cause a person to have. A large disadvantage Jampel associates with treating glaucoma with marijuana is how it lowers blood pressure, which might hurt the optic nerve and have a negative impact on the glaucoma patient. There is a presence of both advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of medical marijuana to treat glaucoma patients, but Henry D. Jampel supplies more of an opposing point of view of this specific treatment. The negative possibilities associated with medical marijuana and glaucoma patients used by Jampel makes this treatment not look as flawless as described at other points, but still does not compare to the possible long-term effects associated with other traditional forms of treatment.