Use of Medical Marijuana by Health Care Providers

USE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA BY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

Presented to:

Prof. Charmaine Tener

COURSE: Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (BUSN 6010)

Winter 2019

By:

TRACY ALMEIDA

JIALU CHEN

ENIOLA AJIBADE

OLUMIDE ADEWOLE

Executive Summary

The use of marijuana in some countries is legalized, however, the subject relating to the health and psychological effects of it are still not well understood. This remains a subject of much debate. In the medical field, some researchers, health experts, and practitioners have considered using marijuana in treating medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, spinal cord disease, cancer, arthritis, epilepsy, insomnia to mention a few. Despite its popularity, it has been seen to have an adverse effect on patients who use it for a prolonged period. They have been seen to suffer from rapid heartbeats, lack of coordination as well as slower reaction time. They have also witnessed a loss of memory and concentration, have trouble thinking, slurred speech, low blood pressure, hallucination, circulatory and respiratory diseases, and disorders, cognitive effect, etc.

Medical Marijuana (known as cannabis) is made from dried buds and leaves of the cannabis plant. Medicinal marijuana refers to “either whole marijuana or its ingredients which form the base of a limited number of approved medications” (Davis, 2018). “It is not subject to government standardization, making its ingredients and potency unknown” (Davis, 2018). For instance, while there is some evidence to support the use of marijuana for pain relief, you should certainly avoid marijuana if you have a history of mental health problems. (Railton, 2018). These various concerns are what drove our thoughts towards this topic. We are putting ourselves in the position of the decision maker and will be evaluating why the use of marijuana for medical purposes is an ethical issue. We shall also show which ethical theories support it and which oppose it. We will also see the effect it has on various stakeholders. We shall conclude by making recommendations and try to address the concerns identified.

Introduction

After October 17, 2018, Canada has implemented comprehensive legalization of marijuana. Under the Cannabis Act, the Canadian government allows a legal sale of cannabis, cannabis extract and cannabis tropical (Canada, 2019). Medical marijuana has also been evaluated and tested and is being used in more and more countries. British doctors can prescribe marijuana products for patients since 2018 (Collins, 2018). Lesotho, a southern African country, amended the law earlier and became the first African country to allow people to grow cannabis for treatment use (Collins, 2018). South Korea also allows domestic doctors to prescribe marijuana for patients for therapeutic use (Collins, 2018). Under this trend, medical marijuana has also been pushed to the climax of moral discussion. People are still worried about the dangers and addiction of medical marijuana to the physical body and psychology, and the use of medical marijuana is not completely mature. Although healthcare providers believe that medical marijuana is a legitimate medical method, there is a significant knowledge gap in the effectiveness associated with country-designated qualified medical practitioners (Philpot M, Ebbert O, & Hurt T, 2019). Moreover, according to a survey of 13 medical institutions in the state of Minnesota that provides medical marijuana, only three providers believe that medical marijuana is an effective management strategy (Philpot M, Ebbert O, & Hurt T, 2019). Therefore, the double-sided nature of medical marijuana itself and its wide-ranging impact on society make it an ethical issue worthy of discussion.