Description: If you suffered from a chronic, debilitating disorder for which no conventional treatment brought relief, would you consider trying marijuana? How could you determine whether or not it might ease your symptoms? Would you be breaking the law? For people facing such difficult decisions, there are few sources of objective, scientifically sound advice. Most books on medical marijuana, for example, have been written either by its advocates or its opponents. To fill in the gap between these extremes,authors Alison Mack and Janet Joy have extracted critical findings from a recent Institute of Medicine study on marijuana as medicine, interpreting these resultsfor a general audience. Medical Marijuana provides patients, as well as the people who care for them, with a reliable foundation for making decisions about their health care. This important book examines several key points, including: How marijuana appears to soothe a variety of symptoms, including pain, muscle spasticity, nausea and appetite loss. The dangers of smoking marijuana, as well as the harmful effects of its active chemical components on the immune system and on psychological health. The potential use of marijuana-based medications on symptoms of AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis and several other specific disorders, in comparision with existing treatments. Medical Marijuana introduces readers to the active components in marijuana, including information on the principle ingredient in Marinol, a legal medication. The prospects for developing other marijuana-based pharmaceuticals are also discussed. In addition to providing an up-to-date review of the science behind the medical marijuana debate, the authors answer common questions about the legal status of marijuana, explaining the conflict between state and federal law reqarding its medical use. They also explore the social implications of using marijuana for medical purposes. Inteded primarily as an aid to patients and caregivers, this book objectively presents critical information so that it can be used to make responsible health care decisions. Medical Marijuana will also be a valuable resource for policymakers, health care providers, patient counselors, medical facility and students, advocates for and opponents of medical marijuana learn more about this important issue.

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