Top 10 medical uses for marijuana

Although marijuana has been stigmatized for the cognitive impairment of people who use it, can it actually help some people manage medical problems? We review the top legitimate uses for medical marijuana here.

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Medical use of marijuana

Some doctors may recommend marijuana primarily for relief from the symptoms of disease rather than as a cure. Some of these conditions may include:

1. Treatment for symptoms of AIDS

2. Glaucoma

3. Neuropathy (diseases affecting the nerves or nerve cells) Ex. epilepsy

4. Nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy

5. Pain caused by structural or psycho-physiological disorders

6. Muscular spasticity and limb pain (multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury)

7. Symptoms of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome

8. Appetite stimulant for diseases of malnutrition (cachexia or starvation)

9. Nausea and vomiting (general)

10. Migraine headaches

Top 10 diagnoses for non-medical use of marijuana cards

Does the FDA approve medical marijuana?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approved smoked cannabis for medical reasons. Although some aruge that this is a political decision, rather than a medical or scientific decision based on research and analysi, the FDA has approved two drugs, Marinol and Cesamet, for therapeutic uses in the U.S. These drugs contain active ingredients that are present in botanical marijuana but come in the form of a pill. Nonetheless, that the FDA has not approved smoked marijuana for any condition or disease seems rather short-sighted.

Medical marijuana debate

What do you think? Should patients be restricted to only taking Marinol or Cesamet? Or should smoked marijuana be considered a medical treatment?

Reference sources: Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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