What are the medical uses of marijuana, and is there any evidence to support its use?
• Many consider smoked marijuana to have anti-nausea benefits, but there is no evidence to support claims that marijuana is as good as or better than existing anti-nausea medications. • The capsule form of cannabis (dronabinol) is used to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and to stimulate a person’s appetite in cases of AIDS-related weight loss. It has been shown to significantly increase appetite, but it also causes undesirable side effects such as dizziness and confusion. A major concern associated with its use by those with AIDS or cancer is the risk of increased difficulty in fighting infections. • A few published studies suggest that smoking marijuana helps people with multiple sclerosis as well as those with spinal cord injuries to relieve their symptoms. • Dronabinol was found to provide significant pain relief but it can cause drowsiness and mental clouding. • The high intraocular pressure (pressure inside the eye) that occurs with glaucoma can be reduced by marijuana use (take
