Medical Marijuana Overview
Marijuana serves more than one purpose; its alternate form, hemp, is used in many industries all over the world. Paper and clothing are the major money-makers, and it is because of its broad functionality that marijuana is always a hot legalization debate topic. Many Americans are unaware that the first two copies of the Declaration of Independence were written on cannabis hemp paper. Foreshadowing? Perhaps.
For some out there, the recreational, laid back pot-smoking days are figments of the past, wrapped up in the memory-burrito that is college. Smoking weed is fun; no one disputes this, however recent studies are revealing that marijuana can also have very positive effects on extremely debilitating diseases.
Who Qualifies - Treatments - Side Effects - Legal Action - Research & Culture
Who Qualifies for Medical Marijuana?
Diagnosis: Patients need a reason for medical marijuana (MM) use, and the most common symptoms/diseases that are treated with medical marijuana are: chronic pain, glaucoma, cancer, AIDS/HIV, chronic muscle spasms, multiple sclerosis, seizures, Crohn's disease, chronic nausea, cachexia, asthma, IBS, hepatitis C, Parkinson's and arthritis.
- Medical Marijuana Qualifying Patients: An example from the state of Michigan.
- Washington State Medical Marijuana Guidelines: The official document. It outlines physician responsibilities, patient requirements, as well as law enforcement's level of authority in terms of search and seizure.
Recommendation: First, find a doctor who will actually give you a recommendation, because a many physicians are still wary of the drug. Once you find an MD, obtain the recommendation. California is currently the only state that has MM dispensaries, but the physician's recommendation will keep patients exempt from arrest for possession.
- Getting a Physician's Recommendation: Though every state varies, most processes are similar. Here's Montana's way of doing it.
- Congressional Report on Medical Marijuana: The CRS review and analysis of federal and state policies regarding MM.
Obtaining MM: With recommendation in hand, patients are then on their own for finding and purchasing marijuana. Although insurance companies will not cover MM costs, many agencies are shifting their policies and providing MM users with equal packages of life insurance without higher premiums. Average costs of MM vary, but DopeStats can shed some light on state-to-state prices.
- FAQ: Want to know more in-depth information about MM? These are the top 8 FAQ's and their answers about recent research and legislation regarding MM.
Treatments
- Emerging Clinical Application for Cannabis and Cannabinoids: A PDF write-up from NORML.org outlining the research and published literature for marijuana's effects on symptoms of known debilitating diseases, complete with sources and citations.
Side Effects/Risks
- DrugFree.org: Involved in The Partnership for a Drug-Free America, this organization gives a slightly biased--from a concerned parents' point of view, perhaps--run-down of what marijuana will do for its users.
- DoItNow.org: These guys take a different tone in explaining the effects of pot, but start with scientific roots.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Not only do they have resources for teens and parents alike, but the NIDA also has its statistics and reports available for some recreational reading.
- Case Studies: 68 peer-reviewed case studies--specifically 45 human studies. Categorized by type of study, the list contains date, journal, study description with a synopsis of findings, as well as whether or not the results were pro- or con- for the usage of medical marijuana.
Legal Action/Prohibition
- Medical Marijuana States: A thorough directory of 14 MM states and their legislature, including links to each state's particular measure and the result, as well as any current news.
- Federal Laws: Drug Policy Alliance gives a short, easy to understand overview of MM federal law. The skinny on the feds' position regarding MM is basically that they leave it up to each state; it's tough to find the most straight-forward outline of the actual federal law on MM, but the Drug Enforcement Administration is a good place to start.
Research/Culture
Finding unbiased publications on marijuana's history is extremely difficult, especially when you're trying to develop your own opinions. Below are some links to both sides of the marijuana fence.
- Pro Marijuana Resources (organizations/activists): NORML, Campus Activism, Freedom of Information Act, ProjectVoteSmart.
- Con Marijuana Resources (government/non-government/law enforcement): NIDA, DEA, Drug-Free America, Transactional Records Access Clearing House.
- History
- Statistics
- Jargon/Slang
To watch The Union: The Business Behind Getting High, click here. The documentary, a selection in 33 international film festivals, goes over almost everything discussed above. For more information, check out their official website.