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Choose a scholarly journal article that is of interest to you. Attached is the article.
I chose Children and Medical Marijuana.
-Remember that a scholarly journal article is to inform and report on original research or experimentation to the rest of the scholarly world.
-Includes graphs, charts and images that support the research.
– Current (no more than 5 years old)
Instructions:
Using the article chosen complete the chart below.
Please compose answers in complete scholarly sentences and paragraphs.
Article reference in APA format
Provide the link to the article
List the contextual questions you would use to guide your reading (2-4 questions)
What is the technique that the author is using?
Is the technique effective?
Which of the note taking methods would you use when reading this article?
Explain why you would choose the identified note taking strategy.
Identify the audience for this article.
Explain the purpose of this article.
How do graphs and charts support the article?
How is the voice of authority evident in this article
Provide three discipline specific vocabulary words and definitions from the article.
How are images used to support the information provided in the article?
Validate your statements and opinions with supporting evidence (citations and references) in APA form including in-text citation.
FOLLOW RUBIC:
Rubic:
The chart includes answers to all of the questions and demonstrates understanding of the topic. The chart is completed with information related to unit 2 topics. The essay includes supporting evidence to validate the majority of the statements and opinions within the essay. The analysis of the article includes breadth and depth, is aligned to the unit 2 content and personal analysis is supported by well aligned references and examples. The essay is well written and well organized demonstrating excellence in scholarly writing. Mechanics (spelling and punctuation) and grammar are excellent. The essay demonstrates has a title page, in-text citations of sources, and references, in APA Format.
PEDIATRIC NURSING/March-April 2014/Vol. 40/No. 2 59
F
or 10 years, Zaki’s family tried
to combat his syndrome with
17 different pharmaceutical
medications, a specialized diet,
and alternative forms of therapy, such
as acupuncture. The various medica-
tions caused weight gain, incoheren-
cy, extreme cramping, and sleepless-
ness; they never stopped the seizures.
Today, Zaki is among more than 180
Colorado children currently being
treated with a special strain of med-
ical cannabis known as “Charlotte’s
Web,” named for 7-year old Charlotte
Figi, whose successful treatment was
featured in a 2012 CNN documentary
called “Weed.” In the year since Zaki
began treatment, he has been seizure-
free (Schwartz, 2014).
Should Children Have
Access to Medical
Marijuana?
Medical marijuana for adults has
gained acceptance across the United
States. A recent survey of a random-
ized sample of over 1,000 registered
voters revealed that 85% of
Americans think adults should be
allowed to use marijuana for medical
purposes if a physician prescribes it
(Fox News Poll, 2013). Today, 20
states and the District of Columbia
(see Figure 1) have legalized medical
marijuana (ProCon.org, 2014).
What about children? Should
they, too, have legal access to medical
marijuana? Certainly, Zaki’s life-alter-
ing story would make one think so.
Anecdotal evidence indicates the
effectiveness of medical marijuana in
the treatment of various disorders or
diseases. For instance, a liquid, non –
psychoactive form of marijuana was
found to reduce seizures for children
with Dravet’s syndrome, a rare form
of childhood epilepsy (Melville,
2013). Reports have suggested possi-
ble benefits of using marijuana in the
treatment of children with autism
(Gillette, 2013), cancer (Szalavitz,
2012), attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder (Centonze et al., 2009), as
well as other conditions.
Unfortunately, there is limited
high-quality evidence about the effi-
cacy of medical marijuana. For exam-
ple, a 2012 Cochrane review of all
published randomized-controlled tri-
als involving the treatment with mar-
ijuana or one of marijuana’s con-
stituents in people with epilepsy stat-
ed that no reliable conclusions could
be made at present regarding the effi-
cacy of cannabinoids as a treatment
for epilepsy (Gloss & Vickrey, 2012).
All of the reports were of low quality.
Importantly, there are virtually
no data about the safety of using mar-
ijuana or cannabinoids with children
(Melville, 2013). While some experts
caution that the effects of the drug on
child development are unknown,
others point out that the same is true
for other medications used to fight
pain and nausea that are currently
given to children with cancer, as well
as for powerful antipsychotic drugs
that are used in long-term treatment
of childhood mental illness (Szalavitz,
2012). Morphine, oxycodone (Oxy –
contin®), and other opioid drugs that
are sometimes used to treat the severe
pain that accompanies life-threaten-
ing cancer and other diseases can
cause overdoses.
Addiction rates are often lower
with marijuana than those with opi-
oid drugs, and the severe physical
withdrawal symptoms associated
with opioids are not seen with mari-
juana. Opioids can cause nausea and
vomiting, while marijuana reduces
the risk of these symptoms that fre-
quently occur as side effects of radia-
tion or chemotherapy (Szalavitz,
2012).
Clark (2003) considers the failure
to give an effective therapy to serious-
ly ill patients, whether adults or chil-
dren, as a violation of the core princi-
ples of both medicine and ethics:
Medically, to deny physicians the
right to prescribe to their patients
a therapy that relieves pain and
suffering violates the physician-
patient relationship. Ethically,
failure to offer an available thera-
py that has proven to be effective
violates the basic ethical princi-
ple of nonmaleficence, which
prohibits the infliction of harm,
injury, or death and is related to
the maxim primum non nocere
(“above all, or first, do no
harm”), which is widely used to
describe the duties of a physician.
Therefore, in the patient’s best
interest, patients and parents/sur-
rogates have the right to request
medical marijuana under certain
circumstances, and physicians
have the duty to disclose medical
marijuana as an option and pre-
scribe it when appropriate. The
right to an effective medical ther-
apy, whose benefits clearly out-
weigh the burdens, must be avail-
able to all patients, including
children. (p. ET 1)
Acknowledging that children
may benefit from medical marijuana,
individuals and groups are advocating
for legalization of its use with chil-
dren. Moms for Medical Marijuana –
Pot for Tots:
Children and Medical Marijuana
Judy A. Rollins, PhD, RN
From the Editor
Since he was just a few months old, 10-
year-old Zaki Jackson has suffered from
a rare form of epilepsy that, at its worst,
causes him to have thousands of
seizures a day. The seizures, which his
mother describes as a “full body electro-
cution,” render him unable to talk or
walk, and sometimes cause him to stop
breathing (Schwartz, 2014).
60 PEDIATRIC NURSING/March-April 2014/Vol. 40/No. 2
an alliance of mothers, community
leaders, and concerned parties – are
advancing the equal treatment of
medical marijuana patients and
providers (Moms for Medical Mari –
juana, n.d.). Medical organizations,
such as the American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP), while opposing the
legalization of marijuana, supports
rigorous scientific research regarding
the use of cannabinoids for the relief
of symptoms not currently ameliorat-
ed by existing legal drug formulation
(Jacobs et al., 2004).
Unintended Exposure
To Medical Marijuana
While the controversy regarding
medical marijuana for children con-
tinues, other concerns regarding
adults using medical marijuana can
have implications for children living
in or visiting their homes. Wang
(2013) describes a new appearance of
unintentional marijuana ingestions
by young children after decriminaliz-
ing medical marijuana in Colorado.
In October 2009, when the Justice
Department instructed federal prose-
cutors not to seek arrest for medical
marijuana users and suppliers, the
issuance of the number of medical
marijuana cards increased to 60,000,
up from 2,000 in 2001. Medical mari-
juana was now present in a greater
number of homes, including homes
with young children.
Wang (2013) conducted a retro-
spective cohort study at a tertiary
care, free-standing children’s hospital.
The study included patients younger
than 12 years evaluated for suspected
unintentional marijuana ingestion
from January 1, 2005, through
December 31, 2011. Findings revealed
that between January 1, 2005, and
September 30, 2009, no patients
younger than 12 years sought care at
the emergency department for mari-
juana ingestion. However, between
October 1, 2009, and December 31,
2011, 14 patients younger than 12
years had confirmed marijuana inges-
tion by urine toxicology screen. Ages
ranged from eight months to 12
years, and 64% were males. Most
patients had central nervous system
effects, such as lethargy or somno-
lence; the most serious symptom was
respiratory insufficiency. Of the med-
ical marijuana exposures, seven were
from food products. Wang (2013)
believes that this increase in marijua-
na exposure in young children in
Colorado is most likely due to the
decriminalization of medical marijua-
na in 2009.
Improved palatability of medical
marijuana may also be related to the
increase in pediatric exposures. Medi –
cal marijuana is sold in many prod-
ucts besides plant and cigarette form,
including edibles such as candies,
baked good, and soft drinks, which
likely increases attractiveness to
young children. In fact, in Wang’s
(2013) study, most exposures were
due to ingestion of medical marijuana
in a food product. Regulations are
needed on storing medical marijuana
products in child-resistant containers,
including labels with warnings or pre-
cautions, and providing counseling
on safe storage practices.
Implications for Pediatric
Nursing
With an overwhelming majority
of Americans in favor of legalizing
medical marijuana, I envision more
states joining the roster. As in the
past, parent advocacy will be respon-
sible for many significant changes.
Parents looking for hope for their
children are already moving to states
that have legalized medical marijuana
for children to enable their children
to receive treatments unavailable to
them at home. Some parents will not
want to or may be unable to leave
their homes to take such drastic
action, and will unite to advocate for
decriminalizing medical marijuana
for children in their states.
To provide sound guidance to par-
ents, we need to stay informed about
current research findings regarding
medical marijuana and our own indi-
vidual state’s policies. We also have a
role in reducing unintentional inges-
tion of medical marijuana by advocat-
ing for regulations on and providing
information about safe storage of med-
ical marijuana products. Nurses can
ask specifically about medical marijua-
na in the home. Families may be reluc-
tant to report its use to health care
providers because of a perceived stig-
ma. The third person technique may
be helpful: “Many families have mem-
bers who are now using medical mari-
juana because they are not able to ade-
quately control their symptoms with
traditional medications. I wonder if
that is the case in your family.”
The train has left the station. The
children we care for must not be left
behind.
References
Centonze, D., Bari, M., Di Michele, B., Rossi,
S., Gasperi, V., Pasini, A., …
Maccarrone, M. (2009). Altered anan-
damide degradation in attention-
deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Neurology,
72(17), 1526-1527.
Clark, P. (2003). Medical marijuana: Should
minors have the same rights as adults?
Medical Science Monitor, 9(6), ET 1-9.
Fox News Poll. (2013). Fox News Poll: 85 per-
cent of voters favor medical marijuana.
Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.
com/politics/interactive/2013/05/01/fox-
news-poll-85-percent-voters-favor-med-
ical-marijuana
Gillette, H. (2013). Parents use liquid medical
marijuana to calm autistic boy’s rage.
Saludify. Retrieved from http://voxxi.
com/2013/02/25/medical-marijuana-
autistic-child
Gloss, D., & Vickrey, B. (2012). Cannabinoids
for epilepsy. Cochrane Database of
Systematic Reviews, 6, CD009270. doi:
10.1002/14651858.CD009270.pub2
Jacobs, E., Joffe, A., Knight, J., Kulig, J.,
Rogers, P., & Williams, J. (2004). Legali –
zation of marijuana: Potential impact on
youth. Pediatrics, 113(6) 1825-1826.
Melville, N. (2013). Seizure disorders enter
medical marijuana debate. Medscape.
Retrieved from http://www.medscape.
com/viewarticle/809434_print
Moms for Medical Marijuana. (n.d.). Face –
book. Retrieved from https://www.
f a c e b o o k . c o m / p a g e s / M o m s – f o r –
Medical-Marijuana/103263843067026
ProCon.org. (2014). Medical marijuana.
Retrieved from http://medicalmarijua-
na.procon.org/view.resource.php?resou
rceID=000881
Schwartz, C. (2014). Meet the children who
rely on marijuana to survive. Huffington
Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffing-
tonpost.com/2014/01/31/cannabis-for-
children_n_4697135.html
Szakavitz, M. (2012). Is medical marijuana
safe for children? TIME. Retrieved from
http://healthland.time.com/2012/11/28/i
s-medical-marijuana-safe-for-children
Wang, G. (2013). Pediatric marijuana expo-
sures in a medical marijuana state.
JAMA Pediatrics, 167(7), 630-633.
Pot for Tots: Children and Medical Marijuana
Figure 1.
Legal Medical Marijuana States,
Including the District of
Columbia
Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Delaware
Hawaii
Illinois
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
Oregon
Rhode Island
Vermont
Washington
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without
permission.
