Medicinal marijuana history

Zeese, Kevin B. Research Findings on Medicinal Properties ofMarijuana. Medical MJ Science.org. Available online. URL http //www.medmjscience. org/Pages/history/zeese.bhtml. Downloaded January 8, 2004. An attorney and advocate involved in federal marijuana rescheduling cases summarizes the history of medicinal use of marijuana and describes major research studies that have tended to confirm the medical value of marijuana for certain conditions such as anorexia, nausea, and glaucoma. 

The long history of marijuana use both as a recreational drug and as an herbal medicine for centuries has been reviewed (3). Cannabis sativa contains more than 450 substances and only a few of the main active cannabinoids have been evaluated. Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug. In 2001, 83 million Americans and 37% of those aged 12 and older had tried marijuana (4). 

Throughout history, doctors have relied on mood-altering drugs to deal with difficult patients. Psychoactive drugs change the way people feel, satisfy patients desires for medicine, and make doctors feel they have been useful — or at least make the patients go away. A hundred years ago, opium and alcohol were the mainstays of medical treatment along with cannabis (marijuana), At the turn of the century, cocaine was doled out for all sorts of complaints. Today, Valium and Xanax are some of the... 

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