What are the policy and future practice implications based on the current prescribed rate of cannabis?

Trace the history of cannabis use and its effect on health (select one current article from a nursing journal on the benefits and/or hazards of smoking cannabis).

Cannabis Sativa can be traced to the Asia continent in China since 1500 BC. The cannabis seeds were used in making animal feeds, oil-based paints and fiber used to make ropes. Fedorova (2017) stated that cannabis can be used for medicinal purposes like treating cancer and posttraumatic stress disorder. Cannabis is an anti-epileptic drug. Cannabis causes lung problems to the users for it contains caffeine components in it. Persons taking it are known to have decreased in memory.

Who are the stakeholders both in support of and in opposition to medicinal cannabis use?

Government, security apparatus, health professionals, and human activists are the stakeholders supporting or opposing medicinal cannabis use. Those in support the use say it has no addictive levels when used in small amounts. Those against say that the use exposes the users to severe conditions like lung cancer. Cannabis can be used in managing pain while those opposing says it will be abused in large quantities and frequently leading to addiction (Fedorova, 2017).

What does current medical/nursing research say regarding the increasing use of medicinal cannabis.

Marijuana has shown positive effects in eliminating pain and in cancer management. According to Fedorova (2017), patients with severe pain record reduced pain for a long time after using marijuana. Use of cannabis eliminates cancer patient’s experience depression, loss of appetite, insomnia, vomiting and nausea and all this. The drug is administered in chemotherapy session as a means to boost appetite, eliminate depression or make persons have a normal sleep.

What are the policy and future practice implications based on the current prescribed rate of cannabis?

Laws and regulations will be passed and adopted by governments and global health organization. The laws and regulations will encourage the industrial use of marijuana to make drugs. Accordinh to Fedorova (2017), the laws and regulations on marijuana use will ensure there is an increase in revenue, decrease in the misuse of the drug and elimination of black market. Given that cannabis drugs will be over the counter safe consumption of cannabis will be achieved.

References

Fedorova, E. V., & Lankenau, S. E. (2017). Illicit drug use among young adult marijuana users in los angeles: Implications for medical use. Drug & Alcohol Dependence, 171, e62.

Pinkas, J., Jabłoński, P., Kidawa, M., & Wierzba, W. (2016). Use of marijuana for medical purposes. Ann Agric Environ Med, 23(3), 525-528.