Not very far back in time, cannabis was the plant that almost everyone loathed and feared. People disgusted it. And they thought it to be the most evil thing on the face of the planet earth.
But surprisingly, now, the plant has become one of the most celebrated things in the entire history of the US. Today, millions of people are using cannabis to treat their medical conditions and living a better quality of life. And within such a short span of time, marijuana has become an extremely important aspect of the US health industry.
However, with the rising number of applications for the online medical marijuana card, there is also a growing need for people to become aware of the herb as much as possible. Cannabis is being used as a medicine. But still, a little carelessness can lead to a myriad of health problems. And for this very reason, we have compiled this brief guide consisting of all the basic facts you should know of before you get your hands on the cannabis plant.
Medical Cannabis is Legal
As I said before, the cannabis plant in the past was a substance that no one liked or trusted. It was considered one of the most dangerous hallucinogenic drug. And people mostly associated with the drug addicts who always had a joint in their hands and were always high. For a very long time, cannabis was illegal. And it was given the status of a gateway drug. As we can see, most of the focus in the past was on the negative effects of the cannabis plant. And there was not even the slightest attention given to the medical benefits of it. However, this is not the case now.
In the year 1996, the cannabis plant was legalized in the state of California. And today, there are 33 states plus D.C. where people can use marijuana legally. So, if you are living in one of these states, you can use medical cannabis without any legal obligations.
However, there is one thing you need to keep in mind. Cannabis, in most states, is still legal for medical purposes only. And thus, if you want to use it legally, you need to apply for an online medical marijuana card, which you can only get if you are suffering from a qualifying medical condition.
Medical Cannabis Has Many Therapeutic Benefits
If you are not really aware of it, which is a long shot, medical cannabis has a very long list of medical and therapeutic benefits it can provide to its users. And it is for this reason only, the herb became legal. The therapeutic benefits of the cannabis plant have helped millions of people across the world in managing their health conditions. And today, even the science has given a nod to these benefits.
Cannabis, as you already know, is a very unique plant. But if you are not aware of the details, the plant actually contains more than 200 different compounds that can offer a myriad of therapeutic benefits. Furthermore, the herb has many other components, including terpenes, flavonoids, and fatty acids, etc., which work in harmony to provide you some amazing effects. Some of the conditions in which cannabis can help you with are:
- Chronic Pain
- Inflammation
- Anxiety
- PTSD
- Chemotherapy Side Effects
- Seizures
- Insomnia; and many more
However, here too, you need to remember one thing. Cannabis is a biphasic drug. This means that the effects it produces depend on the dosage you take. If you consume a lower amount of cannabis, the effects are mostly positive. But consuming too much of it may induce completely opposite effects.
Medical Cannabis Has Many Advantages
Since the marijuana first became legal in the country, we have come a very long way. Today, there are more than half the states of the US where you can use the herb either as a medicine or recreationally. However, a medical user still has various advantages over a recreational one. These include:
- A lower age limit for using cannabis. A medical marijuana card allows you to use the herb at the age of 18. But if you are a recreational user, you need to be at least 21 years of age.
- More possession limits. As a medical user, you can possess a lot more cannabis as compared to a recreational user.
- Higher potency limits. A medical user can buy a much more potent cannabis as compared to his recreational counterpart, as he may need it to manage his medical condition.
- Better price. You won’t have to pay several taxes while purchasing cannabis if you are using it as a medicine.
Medical Cannabis Gives You Legal Protection
If you have a medical marijuana card in your state, you are legally allowed to buy, use, and in some place even grow a certain amount of cannabis without any legal problems. Additionally, you can travel with some amount in possession. If you are caught, by producing a medical marijuana card, you can tackle any strict legal oncomings.
However, remember that wherever the cannabis plant is legal, it is legal at the state level only. At the federal level, it is still in the category of schedule I drugs. This means that as per the federal government, it is still a very dangerous drug. Due to this only, the research on the medical benefits of the plant is still shallow.
Having said that, you cannot cross the state borders with cannabis in your possession even if both the states allow the use of it. The federal government controls both, the state borders and the air traffic. And if you are found entering another state by road or by air, you can land yourself in some very serious trouble. In some cases, you may be able to get out of it if you have a valid medical marijuana card with a recommendation from a qualified medical practitioner. However, here too, a lot depends on the officer you are dealing with.
Medical Cannabis Can be Used by Kids Under 18
One of the very important advantages of medical marijuana is that you can get a medical card as soon as you are 18 and use the herb. But what if you are under 18? Well, the laws surrounding medical marijuana allow access to cannabis even to people who are not 18 yet. But for that, there are a few conditions they must fulfill.
First of all, you need to identify for what conditions you can get a medical cannabis card in your state. If you are suffering from one of the conditions, you may be able to get access to medical cannabis. Secondly, if you want to use medical marijuana while being underage, you need to have a primary caregiver, who is above the age of 21 and is perfectly healthy. Your caregiver is the person who will be responsible for buying cannabis for you as well as providing you with optimum dosage.
These were a few of the conditions you need to fulfill if you are looking for access to medical cannabis for a patient under the age of 18. But you should note that each state has its own laws regarding cannabis. And thus, before you go on to using the herb, make sure you check the laws of your state first.
