The debate over marijuana as a form of medicine is heating up as 13 states have now adopted medical marijuana laws. A lot of questions surround the issue and not enough answers. Here, we'll look at some of the most commonly asked questions about medical marijuana and the FDA approved synthetic form of Delta-9-THC, Marinol.
1. What are the Pros and Cons of Medical Marijuana?
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At the heart of the debate of marijuana's use as a medicinal agent are the pros and cons. Do the pros outweigh the cons or the other way around? You'll have to decide for yourself.
2. What Symptoms Might Medical Marijuana Treat?
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Marijuana has been proven effective at treating a few symptoms -- nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite (anorexia) in cancer and AIDS patients. There is a long list of other symptoms that marijuana might be effective at treating and may vary by each state with medical marijuana laws.
3. What is Marinol?
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Marinol (dronabinol) is a synthetic, or manmade, version of Delta-9-THC, the compound in marijuana that is responsible for relief of symptoms. What symptoms is it used for and is it effective?
4. Is Smoked Marijuana More Effective than Marinol?
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Despite the addition of Marinol to the FDA's list of approved medication, many patients who have tried both smoked marijuana and Marinol prefer to smoke the drug. Is this because smoked marijuana is more effective?
