Marijuana may be thought of as a gateway drug, but really it should be considered a safe and effective medicine. There have been many battles over the use of medical marijuana. Some states have even passed propositions that allow the use of medical marijuana. The pros of marijuana outweigh the cons mainly because it can be used medically and it doesn't cause harm to the user.
There are lots of doctors wanting to prescribe marijuana to patients, but be cause of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 the can't. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 placed all drugs into categories known as schedules. Marijuana was placed in Schedule I, saying it has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medicinal use in treatment in the U.S., and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Placing marijuana on Schedule II would allow doctors to prescribe it to their patients, but top DEA bureaucrats rejected Judge Young's ruling and refused to reschedule marijuana.
In California propositions 200 and 215 passed by 56%, in Arizona it passed with 65%. Some of the key provisions of propositions 200 and 215 are limiting access to patients with registry identification cards. The Arizona proposition 200 allowed doctors to prescribe any Schedule I drug if they have research supporting the medical use of the drug. It would also limit the amount that the patient may posses at one time.
Marijuana can be used to help people that are suffering from painful diseases. It can be used to reduce the nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite caused by AIDS. Many patients report that marijuana is useful for treating arthritis, migraine, menstrual cramps, alcohol addiction, and depression and other debilitating mood disorders. Marijuana can also limit the muscle pain and spasms caused by multiple sclerosis.
Marijuana can help with lots of ailments, but it is still not nationally aloud. Even though a federal judge ruled that marijuana could be prescribed, the DEA still won't allow it.