If you would have told the elders that cannabis would be as freely accepted today as it is, they would have told you that you are clearly high on your supply. 

The thing is, the elders (and some conservatives) didn’t and still don’t  understand the effects cannabis has had within the medical field and the progression it is making not only in throughout the United States, but globally.

Recreational Use

Cannabis (Marijuana) that is used for recreational use is legal in six countries: Mexico, South Africa, Malta, Georgia, Canada and Uruguay. 18 states in the United States along with D.C and two territories have legalized its recreational.

Decriminalization

While the use in most countries prohibit the recreational use, many places have adopted a decriminalization policy the equivalent to a C-class misdemeanor , or rather a minor traffic violation. It isn’t classified as the felony it would once be. What this means in terms of incarceration rates is that minorities will have to commit more heinous crime before a criminal record can be started thus eliminating a major facet in the pipeline to prison.

The Legality of Cannabis And It’s Medicinal Use

The use of Cannabis and any other substance and/or drug  medicinally is governed by three treaties from the United Nations. The first treaty, Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, was in 1961. Ten years later, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances occurred. In 1988, Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances resulted in an additional treaty. Because Cannabis is a Schedule I drug, the medicinal use has to be governed because of the addictive properties of the plant.

Medicinal Use

45 countries including the aforesaid have legalized medical use with a whopping 37 of the 50 states legalizing the medical use of Cannabis, two additional territories and D.C

It is no secret that the use of Cannabis increases one’s appetite which makes this trait massively appealing to those chronically ill or who may suffer from a loss of appetite.

It’s use has been documented for the treatment of spasticity (constricted muscles) in patients that suffer with fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, posttraumatic stress disorder or those that may have had a restriction due to a neuro event such as a stroke. It has been used to manage pain in adults, treat epilepsy, and act as an anti- emetic to reduce chemotherapy associated naseau and vomiting.