Marijuana has been used both medicinally and as an intoxicant for thousands of years, notably in China. Europe and the Americas have mostly been exposed to marijuana as a medicine for about 200 years. Marijuana has progressed from an herbal medicine to a notorious illicit drug to a popular recreational drug and an alternative medicine. This change in public perception in recent years is the result of anecdotal reports on social media of its benefits. Because it is difficult for medical researchers to obtain marijuana for studies, there are insufficient data to prove or disprove many of these claims.¹ One result is that medical approval of marijuana is left to state legislatures, who are “essentially legalizing recreational marijuana but forcing physicians to act as gatekeepers for those who wish to obtain it.”²

1. Devinsky O, Friedman D. We need proof on marijuana. New York Times. 2014 Feb 13:Sect. A:27 (col. 2).
2. Wilkinson ST, D’Souza DC. Problems with the medicalization of marijuana. JAMA. 2014 Jun 18;311(23):2377–78. Available from: DOI:10.1001/jama.2014.6175.