Mitch Earleywine, Ph.D. is an associate professor of psychology, at State University of New York at Albany, who believes marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes. Dr. Earleywine argues the view of medical marijuana his opponents have. They think that there are other drugs are available for appetite loss, glaucoma, nausea, vomiting, spasticity, pain, and weight loss and there is no need for marijuana. He responds to that remark by stating people differ and there are multiple treatments for almost every human problem. Some patients do not respond well to other medications and need medical marijuana to alleviate their symptoms. He also says that many pharmaceutical drugs create aversive side effects that these patients cannot endure. In addition, medical marijuana is often markedly cheaper than these other medications. He also addresses the concern over marijuana’s impact on respiratory health is easily remedied. Dr. Earleywine says there are no links between marijuana use and lung cancer or emphysema. The associations between smoked marijuana and symptoms like coughing and wheezing can be remedied with the vaporizer. The vaporizer heats the plant so that active ingredients boil off into a fine mist, which contains no tars or noxious gases, making respiratory complications a thing of the past. This article is relevant to the controversy of whether or not marijuana should be legalized because it addresses the benefits of it.
This article is a credible source due to it being on CBS News and the fact that it highlights the view of a doctor who has actually been around the research of medicinal marijuana. Dr. Earleywine does back up his argument with factual evidence as well as research he has done on the topic. The venue being CBS News makes it credible, being that they have been around for so long and are trusted be the country to put out factual news about things happening with in the country. The text does present factual evidence in a responsible manner and you would probably be able to look them up. However he does not cite or credit where he has obtained his information from. The reader would be likely to believe him due to the fact that he is a doctor and they could assume that he has done his research (since it comes with the title).
Dr. Earleywine believes that the “most humane and just approach to helping the sick requires that we continue the availability of medical marijuana”. He mentions in the article how the use of marijuana “has a history spanning over 4,500 years”. Legalization of marijuana is beneficial, although there may be multiple pharmaceutical on the market they could “create aversive side effects that these patients cannot endure” as well as they are “often markedly cheaper than these other medications”. He recognizes that his opponents point to Dronabinol, synthetic marijuana in pill form. He however doesn’t think it’s a good idea due to those who may have trouble swallowing due to nausea. He also addresses the fact that people may fear respiratory health and he responds by saying “There are no links between marijuana use and lung cancer or emphysema.” Dr. Earleywine is for the legalization of medicinal marijuana because of it benefits
Earleywine, Mitch. “Opinion: Medical Marijuana Benefits.” CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 5 Mar. 2009. Web. 30 July 2015.