For those of you who don’t have any idea what so ever about cannabis/marijuana according to many online sites and atext books specifically www.bbc.co.uk Cannabis is a drug produced from the Cannabis sativa (commonly known as hemp) or Cannabis indica plant, which is related to nettles and hops. It's believed to have originated in the mountainous regions of India, and grows wild in many parts of the world.

The plant contains more than 400 chemicals, including cannabidiolic acid, an antibiotic with similar properties to penicillin. The different chemical derivatives of the plant can be used for medicinal or recreational purposes.

The recreational drug cannabis comes in many forms – herbal (dried plant material), resin, powder and oil - and is known by many slang terms, including weed, pot, grass and hash. In the UK, cannabis is a Class B illegal drug.

For thousands of years doctors have been recommending the use of marijuana. Early recommendations for the use of the drug included malaria, constipation, rheumatic pains and female disorders (Grinspoon 3).

Today marijuana is prescribed for a variety of afflictions. The methods in which marijuana is used today can be grouped into four categories; the easing of side effects produced by other drugs and treatments, a relaxation device in the control of medicinal conditions, as a pain killer and as an appetite stimulant. With regard to this idea (Barber) 2001 implies that Smoking marijuana provides hope for cancer patients, many previous researches have been conducted and proves that cancer patients that smoke marijuana report that the nausea associated with the chemotherapy is dramatically reduced after the use of marijuana, thus making the patients more likely to be able to endure the side effects of marijuana 

Many hospitals across the world provide marijuana for patients with specific cases; it is usually prescribed for patients to assist them with Relief of muscle spasms, Relief of chronic pain, Reduction in interlobular pressure inside the eye, Suppression of nausea, Weight loss - increase and restore metabolism. As for the major illnesses marijuana is usually prescribed for patients suffering from:  Aids - Marijuana can reduce the nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting from the condition itself and the medications as well. Glaucoma - Marijuana relieves the internal eye pressure of glaucoma, and therefore relieving the pain and slowing or even stopping the condition. Cancer- Many side effects of the medication to stop cancer can be relieved with Marijuana, some studies suggest that Marijuana tends to slow down the progress of some types of cancer. Multiple Sclerosis - Muscle pain, spasticity, tremors and unsteadiness are some of the effects caused by the disease that can be relieved by Marijuana. Epilepsy - in some patients, epileptic seizures can be prevented with Marijuana use. Chronic pain - Marijuana helps to alleviate the pain caused from many types of injuries and disorders. Anxiety, Depression or Obsession - Even though mild anxiety is a common side effect in some users, cannabis can elevate your mood and expand the mind.

On the base of the findings I have taken this fact from www.norml.org. “Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug n America (behind only alcohol and tobacco) and has been used by nearly 80 million Americans. Approximately 50,000 people die each year from alcohol poisoning, similarly more than 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to tobacco smoking.” By comparison, marijuana is less dangerous, non toxic and cannot cause death by overdose or misuse. The smoking of cannabis even long term has yet not been proven harmful to health. Therefore it would be reasonable to judge cannabis as less of a drug threat than alcohol or tobacco. Our public policies should reflect this reality instead of denying it.

According to www.toxipedia.org until the twentieth century, cannabis was a legal product in every state. It was an accepted medication for a variety of conditions, and a frequent ingredient in patent medicines. In 1906, the Pure Food and Drug Act forbade "the manufacture, sale, or transportation of adulterated or misbranded or poisonous or deleterious foods, drugs, medicines, and liquors," including those containing cannabis. The law put most patent medicine manufacturers out of business.

In saying that the same organisation www.toxipedia.org also stresses the point that marijuana can have a psychological affect on a person they state that while it is true that most people smoke marijuana precisely for its mental effects, they may not be aware of the physical changes that accompany the high. One of the drug's first effects is to raise the heart rate and blood pressure. The eyes become bloodshot and the pupils dilate; the mouth and throat also become dry. The appetite is stimulated, and users often become unusually hungry.

At the same time, the cannabinoids in marijuana, already at work in the hippocampus, bind to THC receptors in other parts of the brain, including the basal ganglia, which govern the body's involuntary muscles, and the cerebellum, which controls coordination and sense of balance. These changes relax muscles all over the body, slowing reaction time and impairing the body's ability to move efficiently. When the high wears off, fatigue and torpor replace the creativity and hyperawareness users may experience initially.

Evidently the use of marijuana and its contribution to the human body for medicinal treatment is proven many organisations and wealthy acknowledged individuals support the use of marijuana medicinally, the fact is the federal government is the only entity left holding on to this ridiculous fantasy that cannabis has no medical value. And in the meantime they are hurting millions of patients by restricting access and research.