- Position1 of 2›
- Yes, medical marijuana should be legal
- Argument‹2 of 2
Marijuana helps with sleeping disorders
Many people suffering from insomnia and other sleep disorders are finding medical marijuana beneficial.
The argument
According to the National Sleep Foundation, 50 to 70 million U.S. adults experience symptoms of a sleep disorder. About 30 to 40 percent of the population will experience insomnia at some point in their lives, and about 10 to 15 percent of adults will deal with chronic insomnia. Preliminary research suggests that marijuana, specifically Cannabidiol (CBD), may have a greater impact on enhancing sleep. CBD also suppresses REM sleep, which may benefit those who experience the dream-enactment behaviors of REM sleep behavior disorder. Withdrawal from marijuana use may cause a rebound of REM sleep, and this may have important implications in some people. It may have short-term benefits for sleep apnea due to impacts on serotonin. This potential impact requires further study, and currently there are no medications available for the treatment of the condition. Instead, the condition is most often treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy or oral appliance use of marijuana. Marijuana has proven that it can also reduce nightmares associated with PTSD and relieve chronic pain.
Premises
Counter-arguments
Not all sleep aids work for everyone the same way and marijuana is no different. People with recent heart attacks or poor cardiovascular health should refrain from cannabis use due to increased incidence of myocardial infarction. So while medical marijuana can help some sleep cases, it won’t provide aid to all.
Rejecting the premises
[Rejecting P1] While this may be the case, it can be dangerous for others.