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Alternative medicines should replace prescription drugs for non-life threatening illnesses, because they are safer, more cost effective, and legal.
1. Alternative medicine is a much safer approach than controlled substances.
2. The use of alternative medicine is more cost effective for patients and the healthcare budget.
3. Access to legal alternatives will decrease harmful drug abuse.
Should alternative medicines replace prescription drugs?
Alternative medicines have a positive impact on lives. Concepts of alternative medicine have been around for years and show no signs of departing. This subject has been the center of controversy for many in the medical field, especially those creating controlled substances (Big Pharma). According to an article on alternative medicine published in Opposing View Points Online Collection (Gale, 2015), there are medical professionals that refuse to change their stance on alternative theories and techniques being useful, while also considering them quackery. Apparently the negative attitudes of some medical professionals, has not affected those in favor of alternatives, because the alternative sector of the health field is rapidly growing and extremely popular. In the year of 2012, nearly 40 percent of Americans chose some form of alternative instead of conventional medical care (Gale, 2015), this statistic shows a level of trust and dependence on what alternatives have to offer. Alternative medicines should replace prescription drugs for non-life threatening illnesses, because they are safer, more cost effective, and legal.
Alternative medicine is a much safer approach than controlled substances. In comparisons to legal drugs, marijuana offers an eminently safety superior record, although it remains criminal (Gerber, 2008). Besides the positive effects of pot, there are other varieties of health alternatives, such as; Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Chiropractic, Ayurveda, Chinese Traditional and Herbal medicines (Gale, 2015), these alternative options should not be considered an exhaustive list of what is available. Naturopathy is a theory based on the philosophy of Hippocrates whom stated, physicians should “first, do no harm (Gale, 2015).” This is such a great alternative because the practitioners look for the least invasive way of resolving illnesses by focusing on quality nutrition, routine exercise and over all lifestyle when diagnosing and recommending treatment (Gale, 2015). It also eliminates the use of harmful controlled substances that add to the problem and rising cost of healthcare for costly medications that are not solving many issues.
The use of alternative medicine is more cost effective for patients and the healthcare budget. According to (Gale, 2015), a number of practices associated with alternative medicine have surged in popularity in the United States in recent decades, partly in response to the steeply rising costs of conventional medical care and health insurance. Many people are attracted to alternative medicines because they have withstood the test of time; due to the suspiciousness of the medical establishment and increasing cost of traditional medical care, there are others that’s decided to give them a try as well (Gale, 2015). While the use of alternatives are rising, so are the concerns of a setback found in U.S. President Barack Obama’s, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act terms and conditions thatmay not cover alternative medical practices previously covered (Gale, 2015). Rudolph J. Gerber, an advocate for the medical use of marijuana stated in his article entitled, “Beneficial Effects of Marijuana as a Medical Prescription”, that researchers within President Bill Clinton’s administration recommended the government should reopen the "compassionate user" medical marijuana program suspended by the Bush administration in 1992 to provide legal access to medical marijuana to seriously ill persons.
Access to legal alternatives will decrease harmful drug abuse. Gerber cites a number of independent studies in his article that encourages the therapeutic use of pot to treat symptoms associated with AIDS, cancer, and multiple sclerosis (Gerber, 2008). “Jailing such users dashes with the government's approach to the more harmful effects of tobacco and alcohol, whose abuses do not generate alerts, arrests, forfeitures, or convictions, says Gerber.” According to Gerber, marijuana is not a gateway to harder drugs nor are they as toxic as alcohol and tobacco.
In conclusion, alternative medicines should replace prescription drugs for non-life threatening illnesses, because they are safer, more cost effective, and legal. There should be guidelines as Katz stated as to when the use of alternative medicines should be considered when conventional medicine is not providing results (Katz , 2012). Why should a patient suffer because scientist can’t agree on terms of how and why it works, when the bottom line is “it works.” Safety and effectiveness should be the top priority when treating patients, political views should have no bearings on whom or how it’s administered. Legalizing access to alternative medicines in the U.S. is a viable way of cutting health care cost. Nature has provided every seed, plant and tree needed to sustain life and the only people breaking the law are those who prohibit the use them freely.
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