Medical marijuana refers to the use of marijuana, including constituents of cannabis, THC, and other cannabinoids, as a physician-recommended form of medicine or herbal therapy. Although the extent of the medicinal value of cannabis has been disputed, it does have several well-documented beneficial effects. Among these are: the amelioration of nausea and vomiting, stimulation of hunger in chemotherapy and AIDS patients, lowered intraocular eye pressure (shown to be effective for treating glaucoma), as well as general analgesic effects (pain reliever).

Issues Surrounding Medical Marijuana Use in California

In California, the first of 13 states to decriminalize cannabis (marijuana) for medical use, controversy still surrounds the issue of medical marijuana use. Despite state law that permits cultivation or possession of cannabis by seriously ill patients on the recommendation of their physician, federal law still prohibits obtaining, possessing or cultivating marijuana for any purpose. Cannabis is still classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning it has no generally recognized medical use.The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has continued to carry out raids on medical marijuana growers in California. … Continue Reading