What is Medicinal Cannabis?

Medicinal cannabis, also known as medical marijuana and medi-wiet, refers to cannabis when it is used to treat or relieve a symptom, ailment or condition rather than for recreational or spiritual purposes. Any cannabis which contains an effective amount of active cannabinoids (i.e. not industrial hemp) can be considered medicinal cannabis if it is used for that purpose.

A medicinal crop of Shiva Shanti, a potent Cannabis Indica strain

The history of medicinal marijuana use dates back to the earliest eras of medicine and pharmacology, when humans first began to deliberately use plants for their effects on the body rather than simply as a source of nutrition. The first recorded mention of cannabis used in a medical context comes from the Shennong pên Ts’ao ching (the Great Herbal encyclopedia of the Emperor Shennong),one of the earliest texts on herbal medicine, which dates back to 2700 BCE.

Cannabis continued to be an essential part of countless medicines, from cough syrup to digestive aids, from painkillers to corn plasters. After opiates, cannabis was the world’s most widely prescribed medicinal plant extract, until it was abruptly prohibited in many parts of the world during the 1930s.

Thankfully, a rediscovery in recent decades of the natural advantages of cannabis as a medicine has led to a resurgence in its use. In modern times, most patients opt to medicate using cannabis in its natural form, as opposed to concentrated or synthetic versions. Herbal cannabis and its extracts can enable more control and better judgment of dosage and can also impart fuller range of cannabinoids, many of which seem to have beneficial interactions when taken together.

Cannabis Tax Revenue May Top $3 Billion A Year With Legalization in the USA

Money may not grow on trees, but it apparently does grow on marijuana plants. If all 50 states legalized cannabis today, they'd be collectively raking in more than $3 billion a year in taxes.

That's according to NerdWallet, a personal finance site, which forecasts a total $3.1 billion annual windfall for state governments that legalize the popular plant.

California would gain the most from legalization. NerdWallet projects the Golden State would generate more than $519 million per year, which the website points out would almost fund the entire 2013 budget for California's Department of Parks and Recreation. New York would be second, with $248 million, NerdWallet said. Seven additional states would bring in $100 million or more from legalization, and 25 others would stand to make at least $20 million per year.

ADMIN: CORRECTLY IMPLEMENTED IN THE UK - THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS ARE SIGNFICANT TO THE GOVERNMENT - WHILE DESTROYING A MAJOR SOURCE OF INCOME TO CRIMINALS

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/22/legal-marijuana-taxes_n_5863860.html

Australian Prime Minister Voices His Support for Medical Cannabis Legalization

In a positive turn of events, Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott recently voiced his support for the legalization of cannabis for medical purposes in a personal letter addressed to Alan Jones, a popular talk radio host. Jones read parts of the letter on the air, in which Mr. Abbott states that he has “no problem with the medical use of cannabis,” and that furthermore, “if a drug is needed for a valid medicinal purpose [...] and is being administered safely, there should be no question of its legality. And if a drug that has been proven to be safe abroad is needed here, it should be available.”

'F*ck it, I quit': KTVA reporter Charlo Greene quits live on air in spectacular fashion

KTVA reporter Charlo Greene quit her job on live TV, outing herself as the owner of an Alaskan cannabis club and declaring "f*ck it".

Having grown weary of reporting the news, Greene told viewers she would instead be putting all her energy into the fight to legalise marijuana in the state, having previously reported on the Alaska Cannabis Club without mentioning her connection to it.



 In a jaw-dropping twist to the end of a segment she was presenting, she said: "Now everything you heard is why I, the actual owner of the Alaska Cannabis Club, will be dedicating all of my energy toward fighting for freedom and fairness which begins with legalizing marijuana here in Alaska.

 Please view at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWHA3DZQdgA

Medical use of Cannabis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_cannabis

Cannabis indica fluid extract, American Druggists Syndicate, pre-1937.

Medical cannabis (or medical marijuana) refers to the use of cannabis and its constituent cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), as medical therapy to treat disease or alleviate symptoms. The Cannabis plant has a history of medicinal use dating back thousands of years across many cultures.^[1] Its usage in modern times is controversial, and in recent years the American Medical Association, the MMA, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and other medical organizations have issued statements opposing its usage for medicinal purposes.^[2][3][4]
Cannabis has been used to reduce nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy and people with AIDS, and to treat pain and muscle spasticity;^[5] its use for other medical applications has been studied, but there is insufficient data for conclusions about safety and efficacy. Short-term use increases minor adverse effects, but does not appear to increase major adverse effects.^[6] Long-term effects of cannabis are not clear,^[6] and there are safety concerns including memory and cognition problems, risk for dependence and the risk of children taking it by accident.^[5]
Medical cannabis can be administered using a variety of methods, including vaporizing or smoking dried buds, eating extracts, taking capsules or using oral sprays. Synthetic cannabinoids are available as prescription drugs in some countries; examples include: dronabinol (available in the United States (US) and Canada) and nabilone (available in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom (UK), and the US). Recreational use of cannabis is illegal in most parts of the world, but the medical use of cannabis is legal in certain countries, including Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. In the US, federal law outlaws all cannabis use, while 20 states and the District of Columbia have decided they are no longer willing to prosecute individuals merely for the possession or sale of marijuana, as long as the individuals are in compliance with the state's marijuana sale regulations. However, an appeals court ruled in January 2014 that a 2007 Ninth Circuit ruling remains binding in relation to the ongoing illegality, in federal legislative terms, of Californian cannabis dispensaries, reaffirming the impact of the federal Controlled Substances Act.^[7]