Medical marijuana is an herbal medication made from the cannabis plant. Health providers may recommend it to help treat certain medical conditions like glaucoma, Alzheimer's disease, chronic pain, and more, depending on your state’s laws.
If you think medical marijuana may be helpful for you or you have any questions about getting a prescription, speak with your healthcare provider.
Medical marijuana consists primarily of chemical compounds called cannabinoids, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and others like terpenes.
The THC cannabinoid is the compound in the plant responsible for the mind-altering effects, or high, that marijuana is known for. CBD has been explored for its anti-inflammatory effects and use for seizures, pain, and mood disorders. In some states, THC can be prescribed in pill form to treat certain illnesses.
There are no FDA-approved marijuana drugs to treat medical conditions. But the FDA has approved two other cannabinoids to ease symptoms of some chronic illnesses.
Epidiolex is a cannabidiol (CBD) medication used for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, or Dravet syndrome, in patients age 2 years and older.Marinol (Dronabinol) is a synthetic, lab-produced form of THC. It’s used for nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy and to increase appetite in HIV/AIDS patients. The main difference between Marinol and marijuana is that Marinol comes in pill form and contains only a controlled amount of THC and no other cannabinoids.
CBD and marijuana share some similarities since they come from the same plant. While the CBD cannabinoid is found in the cannabis sativa plant, yet from a variety with low THC called hemp, it can be extracted separately for medicinal purposes. Unlike marijuana, CBD won’t give you psychoactive symptoms, which are those that affect your mood, thoughts, and perceptions. This is due to their low THC content.Hemp-derived CBD products are legal on a federal level and in most states as long as they contain no more than 0.3 percent THC. But since CBD is classified as a prescription drug in some forms and does not fall under the current dietary supplement regulations, the FDA is proposing a new regulatory framework to address safety concerns and better protect consumers.Both CBD and marijuana have some risks if you decide to use them. While generally considered safe, it may cause liver damage at higher doses and for those at increased risk. Others include diarrhea, changes in mood, and interactions with other drugs. Researchers are still working to better understand its effects.Risks of marijuana include panic attacks, increased heart rate, hallucinations, withdrawal symptoms, and impaired cognition.
Medical marijuana is prescribed to manage various conditions, often where mainstream medical treatments have been insufficient. Common intended uses include:
Chronic pain relief
Reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
Improving appetite in conditions like HIV/AIDS
Managing neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis or epilepsy
Addressing mental health conditions like anxiety, or PTSD (in some cases)
Glaucoma, though research proving its effectiveness for this is limited
Sleep problems
Helping to reduce opioid use
Alzheimer's disease, though more research is necessary to prove its effectiveness
Research on medical marijuana’s safety is evolving, and much of the existing research shows mixed results. While marijuana may benefit certain patients, others may not tolerate it as well. There’s a need for larger, longer-term studies to prove its effectiveness. But there are some generally known short and long-term effects linked to medical marijuana use.
Side Effects
The main side effect of medical marijuana is the “high” feeling created by THC. For some, this high might make you feel happy or relaxed. For others, you may feel restless or irritated. It’s also common to feel forgetful or experience impaired thinking.
If you take marijuana in very high doses, you’re more likely to experience side effects like:
Paranoia
Anxiety
Hallucinations
Increased appetite
Be sure to keep any cannabis products away from children. Its side effects may be severe enough to require hospitalization.
Long-Term Health Effects
The regular recreational use of marijuana may cause negative — and possibly permanent — changes to the brain that can affect:
Memory
Processing
Learning
Decision making
Studies also show that for some people, long-term marijuana use can also heighten the risk of:
Depression
Anxiety
Psychosis
Chronic bronchitis
Certain cancers, such as lung, head, neck, and throat cancer
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain after use)
Regular marijuana use also has a risk of addiction and dependency. Some experts estimate this to be the case for around 10 percent of long-term users.Medical marijuana may not be safe for everyone. It generally is not advised for:
Pregnant or breastfeeding women
Children and teens (due to brain development concerns)
People with a history of substance abuse
Those with psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia
People taking medications that interact with cannabis
Medical marijuana and CBD can be consumed in various forms, including:
Inhalation (smoking or vaping)
Edibles, like gummies or brownies
Tinctures and oils
Capsules or tablets
Topicals (lotions or balms)
Marijuana is illegal at the federal level and regulated as a Schedule 1 drug. But state-based programs are allowed to devise their own laws for medical marijuana, which can lead to variations in what health conditions it can be prescribed to treat, as well as the quality and potency of the drug.Therefore, medical marijuana’s legality varies by state. It is currently legal in the following states:
Each state has its own procedure for allowing its residents to purchase medical marijuana. Check your state’s department of health website to find out exactly what the process in your state entails.
Each state also has a list of qualifying conditions that they’ve approved for the use of medical marijuana. These lists, while they vary from state to state, often include conditions like cancer, anxiety, and inflammatory bowel disease.
No matter what state you’re in, in order to buy medical marijuana, you will have to take these steps:
Find a registered physician who will confirm in writing that you have a qualifying condition that would be improved by the drug.
Submit this information to your state’s department of health.
Receive an ID card that allows you to purchase medical marijuana at a dispensary.
States, and sometimes counties within states, charge fees for card applications. Some states, like California, will waive or reduce the fee for eligible patients. Since medical marijuana isn't regulated like prescription drugs, it's important to get help to determine a quality source that is third-party tested and in a dose and form that is appropriate for your condition. It's recommended to get help from a trained physician or health provider experienced in this area before starting medical marijuana. This also applies to CBD when used outside of its prescription formulations.
Medical marijuana can provide relief from various health conditions, but be cautious when taking it, as it comes with risks.
There are two cannabinoid medications that are FDA-approved to help ease certain conditions, but your doctor may still prescribe you marijuana if it’s legal in your state.
CBD is another type of cannabinoid that is legal on a federal level and may provide similar relief for some conditions as marijuana but has its own risks and side effects.
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