Ahhhhhh……The aroma of health

Medical cannabis (also referred to as medical marijuana) is the use of cannabis and its constituent cannabinoids such as THC as a physician-recommended form of medicine or herbal therapy. The Cannabis plant from which the cannabis drug is derived has a long history of medicinal use, with evidence dating back to 2,737 BC. 

Although the extent of the medicinal value of cannabis has been disputed, and despite the opposition to research and use put forward by most national governments, it does have several well-documented beneficial effects. Some of these being 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 gastrointestinal illness and chronic pain. Its effectiveness as an analgesic has been suggested—and disputed—as well.

There are several methods for administration of dosage, including vaporizing or smoking dried buds, drinking, or eating extracts, and taking capsules. The comparable efficacy of these methods was the subject of an investigative study conducted by the National Institutes of Health. Synthetic cannabinoids are available as prescription drugs sycg as Marinol in some countries including the United States.

While cannabis for recreational use is illegal in all parts of the world, though decriminalized in some, its use as a medicine is legal in a number of territories, including Canada, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Israel, Italy, Finland, and Portugal.

Now get this and tell me if this makes any sense to you but in the United States, federal law outlaws all cannabis use, while permission for medical cannabis varies among states. Distribution is usually done within a framework defined by local laws. Very conflicting messages here and thus why medical cannabis remains a controversial issue.

Check out this video from 2009 where we all watched and thought, “Wow, now we seem to be progressing.”

How have things changed since then? Fast forward to May 2011

Now we’re being told by U.S. Attorney’s such as Thomas Delahanty and the Attorney General that those participating in the state programs of medical marijuana consumption are violating federal law regardless of how citizens voted or what state law says. And, he adds, the federal law will be vigorously enforced.that those who choose to participate in.

Okay so the States are individually allowed to vote on this issue, have it pass and then “participate but do so at their own risk?” How bizarre is that?

Take for example Augusta, Maine  –  In an article that came out just this month

Nearly 60% of Mainer’s voted in favor of the Maine medical marijuana law back in 2009. Are Mainer’s who participate in Maine’s medical marijuana program breaking federal law, even if their conduct is protected by Maine law?

This U.S. Attorney says yes.“The federal drug laws, they take very seriously. I take those very seriously too and they’ve expressed those intentions to enforce those,” says Maine Attorney General William Schneider.