Research Proposal
HERB VS CHEMICAL: Which PAIN RELIEF would be the ideal choice?
According to the U.S. Code, Title 21, Chapter 13, Subchapter 1, Part A, Sec. 802, located at the Medical Marijuana site, it defines Marijuana as follows:
The term “marihuana” means all parts of the plant Cannabis sativa L., whether growing or not; the seeds thereof; the resin extracted from any part of such plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such plant, its seeds or resin. Such term does not include the mature stalks of such plant, fiber produced from such stalks, oil or cake made from the seeds of such plant, any other compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such mature stalks (except the resin extracted there from), fiber, oil, or cake, or the sterilized seed of such plant which is incapable of germination.
Marijuana is known to be an illicit drug that has been banned in several parts of the world. However medical technology has proven that the contents of marijuana have reached medicinal breakthrough. This is evident by the researches conducted by some countries wanting to prove and open the eyes of the world that marijuana has aided in the progress of marijuana serving as a temporary relief to patients suffering from terminal diseases for example AIDS, respiratory ailments such as asthma, and the affects of chemotherapy to cancer patients, which are some of the issues that scientists have been addressing.
Purpose of research
My purpose of doing this research is to identify whether there is a better alternative to pain killers, specifically to cancer patients that have to endure the painful after effects of chemotherapy. The variable that I have chosen to go against each other are opioid analgesic drugs and to that of cannabis.
According to Dr. Joseph F. Smith, opioid analgesics can be defined as Opioid analgesics, also known as narcotic analgesics, are pain relievers that act on the central nervous system. Like all narcotics, they may become habit-forming if used over long periods
Medical organisations have for many years considered the use of marijuana in their search for a substitute to opioid analgesic drugs as a form of relief of chemotherapy. For example the American Cancer society’s attempt to reduce the after affects of chemotherapy, specifically the nausea and vomiting via the making of skin patches for the sufferers as stated by Reuters Health located below:
Scientists at the American Society (ACS) are studying skin patches containing marijuana to see if they can ease cancer pain.
If successful, the patch could be used to deliver controlled doses of cannabinoids through the skin. These compounds are the active ingredients in marijuana that can ease pain, and may also reduce nausea and vomiting that can accompany chemotherapy.
The Age states that, Australia is also keen in implementing marijuana as a standard drug. According to The Age, this is evident in the four year trial run conducted by the New South Wales Health Department, to prescribe marijuana to people suffering from chronic pain and wasting illnesses.
The National Cancer Institute states that America has also approved the administration of marijuana for the treatment of post affect of chemotherapy.
Two forms of marijuana have been used: compounds related to the active chemical constituent of marijuana taken by mouth and marijuana cigarettes. (Marinol®), a synthetic form of the active marijuana constituent delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is available by for use as an antiemetic. In 1985, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its use for the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy in patients who had not responded to the standard antiemetic drugs.
It has also been reported that there are positive results towards using this drug as a form of treatment to any type of terminal diseases and also respiratory ailments.
However the main focus of this research is identifying marijuana as an alternative pain killer to other types of standard medication available, specifically opioid analgesic drugs.
Carlson states in his article that;
Dr. Eidelmen, a physician in California that supports marijuana, is a firm believer that marijuana is a great asset for treating cancer patients. Not only does it help relive side effects from the chemo[sic], it also works together with drugs already prescribed to them.
Another example is illustrated in Gieringer’s research paper that states;
In a follow-up, Noyes found oral THC relieved chronic pain in 10
cancer patients
Therefore the main question that is posed for the purpose of this research is:-
Should standard opioid analgesics be replaced by marijuana as a form of pain relief for cancer patients in Malaysia who undergo chemotherapy?
Therefore the hypothesis for this research is:-
Marijuana is better than opioid analgesics as a form of pain relief for cancer patients in Malaysia who undergo chemotherapy.
Therefore to prove the hypothesis statement; several questions will be addressed during the time frame of the research as listed below:
Research Questions
- Will marijuana be a better alternative to opioid analgesics (synthetic chemical-based pain relief drugs) by allowing cancer patients to undergo their treatment as painless as possible?
- Does marijuana promote overall well being in relation to psychological, physical and mental well being of the cancer patients?
- Does marijuana do more justice than harm to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy as opposed to standard opioid analgesics?
Methodologies
Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods, the methods that will be applied for this research would include journal articles, documentaries, academic paraphernalia, the internet, surveys in the form of questionnaires and a focus group of students around the number of 15 to 20 who will be randomly selected from the University of Lim Kok Wing. I will also post a discussion group on the internet to obtain the opinions of internet users.
Limitations
However, there are limitations when conducting research specifically to the methodologies that have been mentioned above. The limitations that pose as a threat to the research are in relation to the surveys and focus groups that will be utilized as a form of identifying the preferred method of drug intake for the post affect of chemotherapy. According to Wimmer and Dominick (2000), they mentioned that
The first and most important disadvantage is that independent variables cannot be manipulated the way they are in laboratory experiments. Without control over the independent variables, the researcher cannot be certain whether the relationships between independent variables and dependent variables are causal or noncausal. That is, a survey may establish that A and B are related, but it impossible to determine solely that from the survey results that A causes B. Causality is difficult to establish because many intervening and extraneous variables are involved.
Furthermore, according to both authors, the second disadvantage to this is that if words and questions were to be placed inappropriately, a questionnaire can bias results.
The third disadvantage of survey research is the potential problem of the respondent providing the wrong information, for example, they may claim that they are between the ages of 18 to 24 but may be older or younger; essentially, they might lie about their details and experiences (Wimmer & Dominick, 2000, p.160).
Conducting focus groups also has its complications. Wimmer and Dominick states that one of the complications could be of a self-appointed group leader who tends to dominate and attempt to impose their beliefs on other participants within the group and this might bring out resentment thus provoke adverse affects to the performance of the group (Wimmer & Dominick, 2000, p.120).
According to the Australian Government Information Management office, it mentions that focus groups need significant preparation and coordination efforts, and can be expensive and resource intensive, especially if participants are geographically dispersed.
In relation to this problem, the relevance of the answers to questions posed depends on the skills of the moderator who must know how to probe for further information, when to focus on the topic discussed, and how to involve the whole group in the discussion (Wimmer & Dominick, 2000, p.120).
In conclusion, the proposal has provided and introduction, discussed the purpose, listed the questions, methodologies, and limitations of the research to be conducted. After searching all this premises it is hoped that a better understanding between the two variables can be established, in essence, to distinguish which would be ideal for cancer sufferers.
References:
Australian Government, Information Management Office (2004).User Profiling and
Testing Toolkit. Retrieved September 3, 2004, from
.
Carlson, B. Smart Decisions: Medical Marijuana. Retrieved September 1, 2004, from
Gieringer Dale H., Ph.D, Review of Human Studies on the medical use of Marijuana.
Retrieved September 1, 2004, from http://www.marijuana.org/DalesReport.html
Retrieved September 1, 2004, from the Medical Marijuana ProCon.org site:
Reuters Health, (Jan. 24, 2004). Marijuana Patch Pain Relief Studied in Cancer Patients.
Retrieved August 29, 2004, from
The Age (May 21, 2003). Marijuana to be prescribed as pain killer. Retrieved August 28, 2004, from
.
Dr. Smith, F. J., (1999-2003). Dr. Joseph F. Smith Medical Library. Retrieved August 28, 2004, from Dr. Joseph F. Smith Medical Library site:
http://www.chclibrary.org/micromed/00037250.html
Retrieved September 1, 2004, from
http://yourmedicalsource.com/library/radiationtherapy/RT_glossary.html
National Cancer Institute (Dec 12, 2000). Marijuana Use in the Supportive Care of
Cancer Patients. Retrieved August 29, 2004, from http://cis.nci.nih.gov/fact/8_4.htm.
Wimmer D. R. and Dominick R. J., (2000), Mass Media Research
An Introduction (6th ed.), Wadsworth Publishing Company.
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