Medicinal Marijuana: Therapeutic Criteria and Contraindications for Marginalized Populations of the Baby Boom Cohort

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to present a systematic review of the available evidence-based literature to answer the question: What are the ways in which exposure to social change early in adulthood might enhance the likelihood that several marginalized groups within the Baby Boom cohort will accept medical marijuana as a viable therapeutic option as they age? In this paper, I review the shift in the legal, cultural and therapeutic landscapes regarding medicinal marijuana and the impact this will have on several marginalized groups of an aging US population: those suffering with mental illness, veterans, and substance abusers. The impact on an already over-burdened healthcare system will be significant as the US will be ill-prepared to respond to the needs of the Baby Boom generation. The Baby Boomers came of age during the 1960s and 1970s when disruption and social change were commonplace, and they participated in activities which initiated or encouraged such change. Studies in psychology and sociology have reached consensus that although medicinal marijuana has known therapeutic benefits, there are also considerable risks. However, legal field has less uniformity and displays considerable ambiguity in the laws in states where medical marijuana legalization has occurred. Politically motivated anti-drug campaigns may influence the perception of the dangers and risks, compromising efforts to change the public perception of marijuana as a legitimate therapeutic option. Conversely, that same perception may entice members of marginalized groups to experiment with marijuana without realizing the potential negatives.