The Legalization of Medical Marijuana: An Overview

If the world adhered to traditional Chinese medical practices, the current debate over marijuana use probably would not be as heated. In Ancient China, marijuana was part of an herbal treatment targeting afflictions such as gout, rheumatism, hemorrhage, and parasitic infection, among others. However, the United States follows the principles of Western medicine, and marijuana had no place in healthcare here until November 5, 1996, when the state of California established a medical marijuana program under Proposition 215 or the Compassionate Use Act of 1996.

Under this law, California locals suffering from migraines, muscular spasticity, and other medical conditions are allowed to have marijuana in their possession, provided that they have a physician's recommendation to use it for the treatment of their health disorders. The law names the maximum amount of marijuana one can possess: no more than 8 ounces in its dried form. After California legalized medical marijuana use, it wasn't long before other states—including Alaska, Oregon, and Washington—followed suit.

While legal medical marijuana is permitted in the aforementioned states, marijuana possession can be considered unlawful if an individual cannot produce a prescription duly signed by a medical practitioner that details his or her need for access to the substance. For this reason, newly established clinics and facilities are recommended by experts to have a medicine dispensing system in place that's compliant with medical marijuana dispensary laws. With this, marijuana abuse is unlikely to take place.