People have been using marijuana (also known as cannabis) as a medicine for thousands of years, beginning in China, India, and the Middle East. Marijuana has beneficial effects when used in medicinal scenarios for the treatment of pain; thus it should be an administered drug for patients who can benefit from the use of this drug. The use of marijuana should be legalized in the US for the benefits of individuals suffering from a variety of medical problems.
             The plant's therapeutic potential became known in Western countries during the nineteenth century. From 1840 to 1900, more than a hundred articles on cannabis appeared in European and American medical journals, recommending it as an appetite stimulant, muscle relaxant, painkiller, sedative, and anti-convulsions (Bakalar and Grinspoon par.7). In 1986 the Food and Drug Administration approved a THC based synthetic called Marinol, but unfortunately it did not treat symptoms as well as marijuana. Today the 5000-year medical history of marijuana has been almost forgotten. The Government proclaims there is no therapeutic value in the medicinal use of marijuana, but they do not have hard evidence to prove it.
             The medical uses of marijuana are numerous. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy found that marijuana relieved their nausea and enabled them to eat. Research showed that marijuana reduced the interlobular pressure that can lead to blindness in glaucoma patients. Migraine sufferers found relief from their headaches, and victims of spinal injuries, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy reported that marijuana seemed to control their spasms. Marijuana has eased the pain of chemotherapy, severe muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis, weight-loss due to the AIDS virus, and other problems. Experts from the National Institute of Health or NIH have confirmed that marijuana is an effective, safe and inexpensive alternative for treating nausea caused by AIDS medications and cancer treatmen...