Six frequently asked questions regarding the use of medical marijuana

This article seeks to answer several of the questions that often arise when considering the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. The purpose is to answer these questions based on the available scientific evidence, which has been increasing. From this perspective, it is not intended to take a position for or against, but to provide elements of analysis so that each one forms their own opinion.

1. Is medical marijuana harmless?

No medicine is harmless. Cannabis can have side effects, such as drowsiness, disorientation, confusion, and hypotension, which you can control by reducing dosages. When comparing medical marijuana to other prescription pain medications, they have been found to be more dangerous and addictive than marijuana. Above all, you must never consume medical marijuana products on self-medication. You get proper medical assistance and genuine CBD products. A specialist in CBD must guide you. If you have questions, get in touch with the Louisiana Medical Marijuana Doctors dispensary in Lafayette.

2. Will regulating medical marijuana increase the crime associated with the use of this drug?

No, there is no evidence associating marijuana use with violent behavior on the part of its users. There is evidence of a tendency to violent behavior associated with the abuse of alcohol or hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Studies of the connection between violence and marijuana and alcohol use indicate that marijuana appears to decrease aggressiveness.

3. Can the use of medical marijuana be the gateway for the use of other drugs?

No. Marijuana is the illicit substance with the highest consumption, largely associated with its high accessibility. However, it is difficult to argue that marijuana is the gateway to the use of other drugs. In fact, alcohol is the drug that most frequently precedes the consumption of more dangerous drugs. Additionally, the risk decreases with regard to cannabis for therapeutic use.

4. The use of marijuana may lead to an increase in the use by adolescents – true or false.

No, no correlation has been found between the use of medical marijuana and increased prevalence in the adolescent population. The available evidence indicates that in places where the use of medical marijuana has been approved, consumption has not increased in the adolescent population. In the case of the United States, scientific evidence shows that in states where marijuana has been legalized for therapeutic use, consumption among young people has not increased.

5. Will we start with marijuana and then end up legalizing all other drugs?

In the states where marijuana has been legalized for medical use in the United States, only Colorado and Washington have legalized recreational use. Medical use is legal in Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Israel, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom, countries where non-therapeutic use has not been legalized.

6. Will anyone be able to go to a doctor to get a prescription for marijuana?

It depends on the adopted regulatory framework, although there are clear restrictions in most cases. There are different models for regulation, with different levels of access. There is a regulation that defines the qualifying medical conditions for consumption. Each model requires strict controls, in the same way as drugs such as morphine are regulated.