It’s the question that has been asked many many times. And the answer is……YES! But then how do we know it works for the many symptoms that it’s used for? Since marijuana is classifies as a Schedule l drug by the FDA (no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse) the research that has been performed in the United States has been very limited. In other parts of the world, however, where drug agencies are more enlightened, there are many more studies. All seem to indicate that medical marijuana helps for a vast variety of ailments such as chronic pain, migraines, arthritis, anorexia, glaucoma, insomnia and many more.
So what information do we have that these studies are real and that patients actually are getting better using medical marijuana? The latest study by the Survey Research Group of the Public Health Institute in Sacramento California in August 2014, showed that 92% of people interviewed reported that medical marijuana helped treat a serious illness. The most commonly reported conditions were chronic pain, arthritis, migraine and cancer.
Legislation was introduced in March 2015 to reclassify medical marijuana as a Schedule ll drug and legalize state medical marijuana programs under federal law. Right now, medical marijuana is legal in 23 states and the District of Columbia. When this law passes it will lead to studies being performed in the United States leading to more use for various medical conditions.
Just to give some perspective, some drugs that are listed as Schedule ll medications include Vicodin, cocaine, methamphetamine, Dilaudid, Demerol, OxyContin; all drugs that have caused countless overdoses and deaths. There has not been a single reported death due to marijuana use.
Does this seem right?
