Pot shops, cannabis clubs, quick clinics, they all mean the same thing… Medical Marijuana. They seem to be popping up everywhere. It’s funny that in Denver, there seems to be more pot shops than Starbucks. That’s pretty bad when you consider these shops started off with the intent to treat those suffering from cancer and nausea-related symptoms. It seems just about anyone used to be able to show an I.D. card and it was off to market. Now, it’s not that easy and you better have a serious medical condition to prove it.
In a 2002 medical review, cannabis (the active ingredient in marijuana) was shown to treat nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy from various cancers as well as treating eye pressure associated with glaucoma. Other remedies included loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss. The argument is that there are identified health risks with marijuana use with regards to the smoke inhalation. The tar and other components that get inhaled along with the complaint that you can’t be sure of the dose you are getting nor the type or strength of the marijuana. Consistent marijuana use can affect your short-term memory, impair your ability to function and lead to depression and/or anxiety. According to the FDA, “marijuana has a high potential for abuse, has no current accepted medical use in treatment in the U.S. and has a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.”
Cannabis has been legalized for medicinal purposes in Canada, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Israel, Italy, Finland and Portugal. Here in the U.S., Federal Law forbids cannabis use, but each state is able to regulate use for medical purposes. Repeat, medical purposes. If you have a condition that may warrant medical marijuana use, please check with your physician about the benefits versus the potential problems.
