The Economics Tutor

While the March 2019 lift in the Florida medical marijuana smoking ban came as a relief for many, for lots of others, the idea of smoking — anything — was a non-starter.  Many people have never smoked anything in their lives and while they may be sick, or suffering, enough to qualify for Florida’s medical marijuana card, they don’t have any desire to start smoking.  Widely known as a “universal medicine,” in Florida medical marijuana use is intended to treat many illnesses and to provide relief from the suffering caused by many other ailments.  Because of its status as a universal medicine, many patients are left — even by their doctors — to determine dosage levels, select the types and strains they want, and leave the administration of this medicine entirely to themselves.   Many then also assume that medical marijuana needs to be smoked. While for lots of patients this presents no problem, but for many others, it’s not the preferred method. It’s almost ins...

Opioids are regularly prescribed for patients to help them manage pain after surgeries and for those who suffer from chronic pain. However, the side effects and the addictive qualities of these pain killers have led patients, and some doctors as well, to seek alternative forms of treatment for pain. Marijuana has been known to have painkilling properties and could possibly be the alternative pain reliever to help move society away from the usage of opioids. So why are so many hesitant to give marijuana a try?   Opioids and pain Opioids, also referred to as narcotics, are a class of drugs that can be obtained by prescription from a doctor or illegally “off the street.” Opioids are found naturally in the poppy plant, opium. Opium has numerous effects on the body and brain, one such effect is the blockage of pain signals between the brain and the body. Hence, opioids are typically prescribed for the effectiveness in treating moderate to severe pain. However, the less appealing qua...