Medical Marijuana - Gaining Acceptance

Medical marijuana has actually been around for eons but had been prohibited in most countries for many years. Lately, however, various nations have begun to recognize its worth in the healthcare arena. Therefore, legalization of the plant is taking hold globally as well as in the United States of America. New Jersey is the most recent state to vote "Yes" for its legalization.

It is derived from a plant called cannabis. It is often green or brown and consists of leaves, seeds and stems. While thought of over the last several decades as a strictly recreational drug, its therapeutic abilities have begun to be accepted by many.

New Jersey is the fourteenth place in the U.S. to allow its legality with the passing of "New Jersey Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Act". While the name sounds like a gentle law, it's actually the toughest American version of its kind. Some lawmakers in the east coast are worried that it will get out of hand with certain loopholes. The loopholes reportedly are there to expand its use if necessary, by allowing the list of "debilitating medical conditions" to be added to by health officials.

A former U.S. attorney who is now the Governor-elect, Chris Christie, is especially unhappy with what he perceives as the looseness of its language. Christie claims that California is an example of a state who has become out-of-control regarding cannabis for medicinal purposes and doesn't want his place to follow suit.

The strictness of the New Jersey law lies in its requirement of purchasing the substance only via a state regulated "alternative treatment center". It is the only state to require this route of obtaining the drug; all other states allow home cultivation.

It has medicinal properties and has helped with the following health conditions:

- Cancer

- Glaucoma

- Positive HIV/AIDS diagnosis

- Seizure

The loophole-language contained in the "New Jersey Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana" states that this current list of health conditions can be added to at the discretion of the state health department. Other conditions that such marijuana is claimed to assist with by other countries and states include arthritis, brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, nausea resulting from chemotherapy, epilepsy, asthma, and migraines.

If a person needs to seek out a prescription writing doctor, he or she should search the internet in order to find alternative treatment centers in their area. They should be prepared to bring health records and current prescriptions and to be examined by a physician in order to receive the okay to purchase marijuana for medicinal purposes.

In Riverside medical marijuana providers can now sell medical cannabis to patients who suffer from a number of conditions such as AIDS, cancer, gastritis, insomnia, anorexia and more. They are dedicated to providing compassionate and knowledgeable service. To know more, visit http://thcmd4u.com

Places to Avoid Getting a Medical Marijuana Authorization

As of May 20th, 2011, the day this article is being written, there are a myriad of choices for patients to choose from, when it comes to choosing a clinic to get their Medical Marijuana Authorization in Washington State. Below are TWO places where patients should avoid getting their authorizations.

AVOID:

1. Dispensaries, or any place that produces or grows medicinal cannabis.

This almost seems like common sense, but many dispensaries (which are illegal anyway) are providing authorizations by contracting a doctor to work for them during specific days and hours.

Why should this be avoided? For one, many dispensaries are beginning to turn down authorizations that were obtained through dispensaries. Secondly, there is current legislature that will soon make this kind of activity (providing authorizations in a dispensary environment) illegal. Here is an excerpt from Senate Bill 5073 (currently in Washington State Senate as of May 20th, 2011):

[Lines 11-13, Page 11] "A health care professional shall not [...] Examine or offer to examine a patient for purposes of diagnosing a terminal or debilitating medical condition at a location where cannabis is produced, processed, or dispensed;"

While this is not current law, it is still important to avoid dealing with dispensaries (illegal). Dispensaries are unlikely to verify you as a patient, because they don't file or store any medical records or patient files, or don't have the medical infrastructure or staff that would be able to provide that service. While the doctor that was contracted to serve you may be able to file your record and verify for you, it is unlikely they will, or at least a risk is there.

2. "Clinics" that exist for the sole purpose of handing out authorizations.

This can be difficult to gauge. But, a good test is to see if the doctor you see for your medical marijuana evaluation, could also see you for other medical issues, like a flu, a cold, or any other ailment. Please check your doctor's credentials; are they an MD? Are they licensed? Anyone can throw on a robe and run an operation out of a rented office space. It is important to check if their practice is legitimate.

Moreover, these clinics will soon be phased out as well. Another excerpt from Senate Bill 5073:

[Lines 14-15, Page 11] "A health care professional shall not [...] Have a business or practice which consists solely of authorizing the medical use of cannabis;"

Conclusion: Why should we avoid these clinics NOW?

These "operations" if you will, are not working in the patient's interest. How can we tell? Well, they clearly are not monitoring state legislature and the changing laws. If they are not monitoring them now, what indicates they will monitor them later? Are they actively ensuring their compliance to legislature now and preparing themselves for the coming changes which are a little over a year away?

Are they actively consulting with patients and answering questions about the law they might have? Or are they happily going along and profiting while they can? A good way to gauge a clinic, is if they are compliant to SB5073 NOW. Are they still offering multi-year or lifetime authorizations? Are their doctors also providing alternative packages or options to medicinal cannabis? That is also a future change in law that will be a requirement.

Who should I choose?

Currently, our clinic in Redmond, WA is one of few clinics that operates in strict compliance with SB5073. In fact, we encourage all patients to try our alternative plans for treatment. We also only provide 1-year or less authorizations, and also enforce recurring visits throughout the year. We also establish care with our patients and become their primary care providers, to ensure their safety for future changing legislature.

To become a patient, visit our website today: http://www.medical-marijuana-washington.com/

Sources:
Link to SB5073: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5073

Written by Newman Edwards.

Medical Marijuana and Glaucoma

Glaucoma is really a symptom in the attention that may eventually finish in blindness. From the 4 million People in America believed to possess some type of glaucoma, as much as half seem to be not aware from it.

Based on the World Health organization, glaucoma may be the second leading reason for blindness. Among African People in America, that statistic jumps to number 1.

Many people acquainted with glaucoma realize that the seniors are particularly prone to the problem, but anybody of all ages could be affected unexpectedly. Some investigation implies that glaucoma might be hereditary, but science continues to be unclear precisely what causes glaucoma to build up.

What has been discovered is, together with other medicines, medicinal marijuana has reduced the degeneration of vision triggered by glaucoma. Generally, pressure within the eye is among the reasons for glaucoma. Medicinal marijuana is advantageous because of a number of its chemicals reducing interocular pressure, also called IOP, up to twenty-5 %.

Some say this is an minor gain when comparing the dangerous unwanted effects of marijuana, but that conclusion is sort of biased and without true details. While marijuana may cause a heightened heart risk with a seniors patients, many people report virtually no unwanted effects whatsoever with regular, medicinal utilization of marijuana. That's far in the pages of possible unwanted effects and horror tales that is included with the weakest of prescription drugs.

Marijuana isn't a magical cure-all in treating glaucoma. You will find - and really should be - other medicines and remedies, including drops that further reduce pressure within the eye by dilation along with other means. Regrettably, a number of these techniques can lose their effectiveness with time, and also, since there's presently no known remedy for glaucoma, alternative healthcare means are not only seen more suitable, but necessary.

Researchers are working hard trying to produce a delivery system for glaucoma patients that will permit these to make use of medicinal marijuana with no need to smoke it. So far, alternative delivery systems for medicinal marijuana have shown less effective than inhalation, as well as consuming the guirana plant in small doses.

It's highly suggested that after age 40, routine eye inspections are given with a professional almost every other year. This can greatly reduce the odds recently stage glaucoma permanently affecting vision.

Legal Marijuana - Busting the Myths of Medical Cannabis

There are many myths concerning the effects of marijuana. Of all the ones you've heard, how many came from a reliable source? Do you REALLY trust what your friend's uncle says about the subject? Let us explore these myths in greater depth.

1. Marijuana is addicting.

False! Marijuana is not addicting. Medical studies have shown alcohol, nicotine, and even caffeine to all be more addicting than marijuana. Compare this to the drug OxyContin. Both medicines are used to treat severe pain, but in 2006, 20.4 million Americans illegally used OxyContin. Medical marijuana is a much safer alternative.

2. Marijuana has a negative effect on health.

There are thousands of deaths each year from various drugs approved by the FDA. Interestingly enough, there are ZERO reported cases where marijuana was listed as the cause of death. Many people fear the smoking of marijuana, relating it to the cancers cause by cigarettes. Keep in mind, smokers will go through twenty or more cigarettes a day, every day. Medicinal levels of marijuana are nowhere near that high.

3. Even if it doesn't cause death directly, marijuana weakens your immune system.

This claim is based on a test performed in 1980, stating that white blood cells transformed slower in reaction to threats when exposed to THC. Since then, such results have never been able to be replicated. The FDA has even approved Marinol, a synthetic form of THC, for the treatment of diseases that attack the immune system, such as HIV.

4. There is no medicinal use for marijuana.

Quite the opposite! Marijuana is used medically in California in the treatment of cancer, AIDS, arthritis, migraines, and anorexia. Studies show it can also be used alongside, or even instead of, current medications for those diagonsed with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and insomnia. Research is currently being conducted to test its effect on Alzheimer's disease.

5. Legal marijuana will be abused/illegally sold.

The idea of banning a medicine because others will abuse it is preposterous. Drugs such as sleeping pills and pain medications are abused daily, yet are sold over-the-counter. Also, if someone is unfortunate enough to have AIDS, and are depending on a medicine to prevent extreme pain, why would they willingly get rid of it?

These are only a few of the common myths about medical marijuana. Think about all the information you have about weed, and then decide if your sources are really that reliable. The stigma around this medicine is wrong, and needs to be reversed, for the sake of patients who could benefit from it. Learn the facts about marijuana and its medicinal purposes for yourself.

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A Quick Guide to Medical Cannabis in California

Medical Cannabis in California is nothing all that new. Rather, this state has served as the basis for 14 other states in the union to proactively decriminalize marijuana for medicinal usages. Thanks to the progressive medical marijuana program in California, more and more people are starting to understand how many practical medical applications that California offers. For patients who are suffering, now they have another alternative healthcare option that many find to offer the relief that they are seeking but void of side effects, adverse reactions or interactions that are common with many prescription drugs.

Current Laws on California Medical Cannabis

The laws here can be difficult to understand if you are not a lawyer. However, they can be broken down to basic terms to make them easier to digress. The laws ensure that "seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes." They are designed to ensure "that patients and their primary caregivers who obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes upon the recommendation of a physician are not subject to criminal prosecution or sanctions of any kind."

Who Can Legally Use California Medical Cannabis?

As per the law, only patients and their state approved caregivers. According to California law, all patients must be registered with the medical program, which is managed by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). In order to qualify, patients must be examined by a doctor and written a recommendation for cannabis. Then they must submit an application to the health department with that recommendation to be issued a California medical cannabis card.

Where You Can Buy Medical Cannabis in California

Upon receiving your California Medical Cannabis card in the mail, you will be able to purchase cannabis from various dispensaries that are located throughout the state. The dispensaries only allow valid card holders to gain entrance and make purchases (or their primary caregivers who hold valid cards). Each county has its own laws regarding the amount of marijuana that a patient can purchase or possess at any given time.

Qualifying Medical Conditions for Cannabis in California

This state differs greatly from the other states that have legalized cannabis for medicinal usages. This is because Medical Cannabis in California hosts the most liberal medical marijuana program. Currently, there are 166 qualifying conditions. A few are added and removed each year by voters. A marijuana doctor can help you determine if you qualify under state law.

Cannabis Doctors Network is an organization that is committed to aiding patients in finding the licensed, caring and professional doctors that they need to see in order to get approved for a medical marijuana card in their state. We pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service for our clients and stand behind our 100% satisfaction guarantee.
California Medical Cannabis

Medical Marijuana Doctors Are Needed For Medical Marijuana Prescriptions

Even before there were modern medical marijuana doctors, ancient texts throughout history have revealed the use of the marijuana plant as herbal medicine. They were in use in such countries as China and India, and other places around Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. In the past, the medicine was used for a long list of ills. The variety of illnesses that this herb was said to cure is exceptional, from appetite stimulant, to rheumatism, to earache. Then the Western world discovered the beneficial properties of this plant. Together with this discovery, some harmful properties have been found as well.

At present, there are set policies that must be followed in order to use the beneficial properties of marijuana. A patient must go through legal processes, one involving medical marijuana doctors, licenses, cards, and clinics. These specialized doctors have the important task of examining patients, deciding if they need this kind of medication, and then giving the necessary recommendations for its use. Under the law, these doctors cannot dispense the drug themselves. There are clinics that are set up for this purpose alone. The process that a person goes through in order to use the drug involves:

1. Getting diagnoses from his own doctors regarding his illness. Doctors allow the use of this alternative drug in debilitating diseases such as lung cancer, breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's, neurological disorders, and other pain causing illnesses.

2. If so needed, the doctor then recommends that the afflicted seek consultation with medical marijuana doctors.

3. The patient must submit the necessary documents such as his physician's recommendation, medical records, other records on diagnosis and treatment.

4. The patient might go through another series of tests from the new doctor. This would be part of the consultation process, before a final recommendation to one of the clinics.

5. If it is found out that the patient does indeed need cannabis for medical purposes to treat his illness or ease his pain, then he gets important advice on dosage, most effective ways of taking the medicine, and which clinic to go to.

In the United States, there are conflicting state and federal laws regarding the use of this herb. Concerned physicians who prescribe medical cannabis, clinic staff, other patients, and legal persons are a good source of advice regarding the issues and their impact on you. As with any kind of medicine, a careful study of the pros and cons of this ancient herbal remedy is also in order, for the purpose of personal safety.

Disclaimer: This article not intended to be nor should it be construed to be any sort of medical advice. For medical advice the reader should consult with his or her physician.

At The Education and Evaluation Center for Medical Marijuana, established in Long Beach, you can get your medical marijuana card. The group of medical marijuana doctors provide education on the medical uses and effects of cannabis including the prescription for medical marijuana use. Please visit us at http://www.medicalmarijuanacarddoctors.com

Federal Government is Impelled to Support Medical Marijuana by the American Medical Association

The American Medical Association, which is the largest doctors' organization in the USA, has reconsidered its position towards marijuana and currently supports exploration and medical research on marijuana for medicinal use. On Tuesday, the group has persuaded the federal government to re-evaluate its controlled substance categorization of marijuana in Schedule I, which unfairly maligns the plant alongside with some of the most hazardous narcotic substances, such as LSD and heroin.

AMA officer of board, Dr. Edward Langston specifies that just a least number of controlled, casual tests have ever been maintained on ingested marijuana in spite of medical research in by marijuana doctors and other experts, which encompasses more than thirty years. As for now, the group encourages new researches on marijuana's effectiveness in spite of its support for the classification of marijuana in Schedule I, since 1997, because more and more marijuana doctors appear over time.

This year, Obama's administration has also ordered federal narcotics agents to stop prosecuting people who use and distribute marijuana (including medical marijuana doctors) in the states that have legalized it, which indicated an alteration of the course from past administrations' stringent opposition to the use of medical marijuana, even for people that have marijuana cards in the states that have legalized the plant for medical use. At the moment, fourteen states lawfully permit the use of medical marijuana and around twelve other states have started to think about doing so. The American Medical Association is interested in study, which takes in account alternative methods of using marijuana, apart from therapeutically smoking it. Lawyers for medical marijuana speak about other helpful modes of medical marijuana use, involving the THC-rich cannabis oil extraction, which is claimed to be able to heal cancer patients. Today, no one is persecuted for the use of cannabis if a legal medical marijuana card is present.

The reaction of the federal government to the AMA's stance has been pretty silent in spite of loosened federal prosecution of medical marijuana use and medical marijuana clinic workers. DEA - the Drug Enforcement Administration - repeated the status of marijuana as a Schedule I substance and the FDA - Food and Drug Administration - refused to give any commentaries on the situation. The American Medical Association was one of the sole groups to object the first federal limitation on cannabis, which were established back in 1937. It still persists to decline casual idea that marijuana is a myth, in spite of its past support of Schedule I narcotic classification. The organization even objected an offered amendment, which would have settled its managerial policies in resistance to ingested marijuana as a safe way of use for marijuana treatment. In fact almost any marijuana clinic provides edible products of medical marijuana for patients with marijuana cards.

Marijuana support groups are joyous about the new stance of the AMA and the extending change of attitude towards marijuana and everything related to it - marijuana doctors, marijuana clinics, etc. While federal administration still resists against the marijuana legalization, referring to the FDA consideration in objection to its secure use as medicine, popular belief persists to change in favor of further study and medical use of marijuana. Last year, the second largest doctor group, the American College of Physicians has uttered similar support for improved research and reassessment of marijuana. Also, the California Medical Association passed its own opinions that referred to marijuana criminalization as a "failed public health policy."

The moods are changing towards frank research of the marijuana benefits. The attraction for further proof-based study by acknowledged medicinal organizations is a step in the proper direction on the way to legalizing medical marijuana for legal and safe medicinal purposes

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Medical Marijuana Treats Insomnia

Medical marijuana provides even better sleep than other prescription sleep medicines. It provides good, restful sleep without any of the negative side effects. Insomnia is more than an unpleasant disruption of sleep. It can adversely affect life in a variety of ways. It damages health, strains relationships and generally decreases quality of life at both home and work. Unfortunately, over the counter and other prescription aids often cause drowsiness the next day and it leaves the patient feeling just as sluggish as they do when they cannot sleep. But there is no need to continue to suffer the discomfort and displeasure of sleepless nights and drowsy days. Medical marijuana is a safe and natural alternative to often dangerous and disorienting medication.

Many of the drugs currently used as sleep aids are dangerous and habit forming. On the other hand a lot of research has shown that none of these negative side effects have been experienced with cannabis. It is non-habit forming and as compared with other prescription medications it does not put you under so deep that you do not experience dreams. Instead with medical marijuana you will drift off to a pleasant sleep and awake the next day feeling rested and refreshed.

With medical marijuana many patients who suffer from sleeplessness and insomnia are experiencing rest like they have not had in years. They report improved ability to fall asleep and also stay asleep. They also say that they do not have any of the residual drowsiness the next day that they had experienced during their time on prescription medications. Also, many patients prefer that they do not have to undergo the unpleasant problem of becoming increasingly addicted to their other medication. Additionally, several patients have the added trouble of increasing resiliency to their other medications that results in constantly needing a higher dosage to get the same benefits and it also increases the unpleasant side effects. But none of these problems happen with medical marijuana. Because it is non habit forming, if it is necessary to take a little more one night when it is particularly hard to get to bed it will not have any residual effects the next day.

It is amazing what a good night's rest can do to increase the enjoyment of life. Feeling more alert and rested makes it easier to work, easier to function with your family and also leads to a happier, more active lifestyle. People who get the sleep they need at night are more prone to exercise and do other activities that increase their quality of life.

If you have a hard time sleeping and think you would benefit from medical marijuana Riverside CA professionals are ready to work with you. For more information visit http://thcmd4u.com/

Medical Marijuana - How It Can Help You

Medical marijuana is legal in several states and can provide benefits for people with a wide variety of medical issues. A doctor can prescribe cannabis (the medical name for marijuana) for different conditions. Most commonly, cannabis is prescribed for the relief of extreme pain. It can also increase appetite in chemotherapy patients who struggle with nausea. Overall, medical marijuana has a positive effect on society, because it gives doctors another tool for helping patients. Cannabis is a natural medicine that can help alleviate the symptoms of several different medical problems. It can treat conditions that occur often and affect many people, as well as the symptoms associated with serious, life threatening illnesses.

One of the general issues that medical cannabis can help with is chronic pain, especially back or neck pain. Often, long term conditions of constant pain, such as those associated with the neck or back, are something that a person just has to deal with. Opioid painkillers are one option, but they are highly addictive, and addiction to painkillers can be a debilitating condition that affects people's relationships, family life, and career. The alternative to this is medical marijuana, which does not pose the risk of addiction that traditional painkillers do. Similarly, anti-inflammatory drugs also pose problems with long term use, whereas cannabis does not carry the same risks. Cannabis actually works nearly instantly when smoked. Its pain relieving properties can be felt within minutes.

Gastritis is one condition that can be treated via medical marijuana. Cannabis is able to regulate pain, stimulate appetite, and relax one's muscles, especially in the gastrointestinal area. For those reasons, cannabis can be used to reduce the painful symptoms of gastritis. The added benefit is the quick acting nature of cannabis when smoked. During a gastritis flare up, a person can combat the attack by smoking medical cannabis.

HIV/AIDS patients are commonly prescribed cannabis in states that allow its medical use. The symptoms associated with HIV and AIDS, and the medications prescribed for them, can cause pain and loss of appetite. Studies show that cannabis can help AIDS patients to regain their appetites, regain lost weight, and to improve their overall outlook on life. Depression is one of the many issues that AIDS patients face, and cannabis use has also shown to be effective in treating depression associated with HIV/AIDS.

One condition that affects women is Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) which features symptoms such as abdominal cramping and pain, as well as irritability. Once again, these are symptoms that medical marijuana has a proven track record in combating.

By applying the medical perspective on these issues, it is possible to see that the issues that face us, even when psychological or emotional, often are medical in nature. Likewise, by adopting cannabis as a legitimate medicine into the framework of medical ideology, it becomes clear that medical marijuana should in fact have a vast range of medical uses, and they should be treated with the same seriousness as any other medical issue. This process of the medicalization of our society actually has benefits in the form of opening up people's eyes to cannabis as a reliable and effective medicine.

If you think you would benefit from medical marijuana Orange County professionals are ready to work with you. For more information visit http://thcmd4u.com/

Medical Marijuana For ADHD

At the Peace in Medicine Healing Center in Sebastopol, the wares on display include dried marijuana - featuring brands like Kryptonite, Voodoo Daddy and Train Wreck - and medicinal cookies arrayed below a sign saying, "Keep Out of Reach of Your Mother."
Several Bay Area doctors who recommend medical marijuana for their patients said in recent interviews that their client base had expanded to include teenagers with psychiatric conditions including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
"It's not everybody's medicine, but for some, it can make a profound difference," said Valerie Corral, a founder of the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana, a patients' collective in Santa Cruz that has two dozen minors as registered clients.
Because California does not require doctors to report cases involving medical marijuana, no reliable data exist for how many minors have been authorized to receive it. But Dr. Jean Talleyrand, who founded MediCann, a network in Oakland of 20 clinics who authorize patients to use the drug, said his staff members had treated as many as 50 patients ages 14 to 18 who had A.D.H.D. Bay Area doctors have been at the forefront of the fierce debate about medical marijuana, winning tolerance for people with grave illnesses like terminal cancer and AIDS. Yet as these doctors use their discretion more liberally, such support - even here - may be harder to muster, especially when it comes to using marijuana to treat adolescents with A.D.H.D.
"How many ways can one say 'one of the worst ideas of all time?' " asked Stephen Hinshaw, the chairman of the psychology department at the University of California, Berkeley. He cited studies showing that tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, disrupts attention, memory and concentration - functions already compromised in people with the attention-deficit disorder.
Advocates are just as adamant, though they are in a distinct minority. "It's safer than aspirin," Dr. Talleyrand said. He and other marijuana advocates maintain that it is also safer than methylphenidate (Ritalin), the stimulant prescription drug most often used to treat A.D.H.D. That drug has documented potential side effects including insomnia, depression, facial tics and stunted growth.
In 1996, voters approved a ballot proposition making California the first state to legalize medical marijuana. Twelve other states have followed suit - allowing cannabis for several specified, serious conditions including cancer and AIDS - but only California adds the grab-bag phrase "for any other illness for which marijuana provides relief."
This has left those doctors willing to "recommend" cannabis - in the Alice-in-Wonderland world of medical marijuana, they cannot legally prescribe it - with leeway that some use to a daring degree. "You can get it for a backache," said Keith Stroup, the founder of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
Nonetheless, expanding its use among young people is controversial even among doctors who authorize medical marijuana.
Gene Schoenfeld, a doctor in Sausalito, said, "I wouldn't do it for anyone under 21, unless they have a life-threatening problem such as cancer or AIDS."
Dr. Schoenfeld added, "It's detrimental to adolescents who chronically use it, and if it's being used medically, that implies chronic use."
Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said she was particularly worried about the risk of dependency - a risk she said was already high among adolescents and people with attention-deficit disorder.
Counterintuitive as it may seem, however, patients and doctors have been reporting that marijuana helps alleviate some of the symptoms, particularly the anxiety and anger that so often accompany A.D.H.D. The disorder has been diagnosed in more than 4.5 million children in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Researchers have linked the use of marijuana by adolescents to increased risk of psychosis and schizophrenia for people genetically predisposed to those illnesses. However, one 2008 report in the journal Schizophrenia Research suggested that the incidence of mental health problems among adolescents with the disorder who used marijuana was lower than that of nonusers.
Marijuana is "a godsend" for some people with A.D.H.D., said Dr. Edward M. Hallowell, a psychiatrist who has written several books on the disorder. However, Dr. Hallowell said he discourages his patients from using it, both because it is - mostly - illegal, and because his observations show that "it can lead to a syndrome in which all the person wants to do all day is get stoned, and they do nothing else."
Until the age of 18, patients requesting medical marijuana must be accompanied to the doctor's appointment and to the dispensaries by a parent or authorized caregiver. Some doctors interviewed said they suspected that in at least some cases, parents were accompanying their children primarily with the hope that medical authorization would allow the adolescents to avoid buying drugs on the street.
A recent University of Michigan study found that more than 40 percent of high school students had tried marijuana.
"I don't have a problem with that, as long as we can have our medical conversation," Dr. Talleyrand said, adding that patients must have medical records to be seen by his doctors.
The Medical Board of California began investigating Dr. Talleyrand in the spring, said a board spokeswoman, Candis Cohen, after a KGO-TV report detailed questionable practices at MediCann clinics, which, the report said, had grossed at least $10 million in five years.
Dr. Talleyrand and his staff members are not alone in being willing to recommend marijuana for minors. In Berkeley, Dr. Frank Lucido said he was questioned by the medical board but ultimately not disciplined after he authorized marijuana for a 16-year-old boy with A.D.H.D. who had tried Ritalin unsuccessfully and was racking up a record of minor arrests.
Within a year of the new treatment, he said, the boy was getting better grades and was even elected president of his special-education class. "He was telling his mother: 'My brain works. I can think,' " Dr. Lucido said.
"With any medication, you weigh the benefits against the risks," he added.
Even so, MediCann patients who receive the authorization must sign a form listing possible downsides of marijuana use, including "mental slowness," memory problems, nervousness, confusion, "increased talkativeness," rapid heartbeat, difficulty in completing complex tasks and hunger. "Some patients can become dependent on marijuana," the form also warns.
The White House's recent signals of more federal tolerance for state medical marijuana laws - which pointedly excluded sales to minors - reignited the debate over medical marijuana.
Some advocates, like Dr. Lester Grinspoon, an associate professor emeritus of psychiatry at Harvard University, suggest that medical marijuana's stigma has less to do with questions of clinical efficacy and more to do with its association, in popular culture, with illicit pleasure and addiction.
Others, like Alberto Torrico of Fremont, the majority leader of the California Assembly, argue for more oversight in general. "The marijuana is a lot more powerful these days than when we were growing up, and too much is being dispensed for nonmedical reasons," he said in an interview last week, bluntly adding, "Any children being given medical marijuana is unacceptable."
As advocates of increased acceptance try to win support, they may find their serious arguments compromised by the dispensaries' playful atmosphere.
OrganiCann, a dispensary in Santa Rosa, has a Web site advertisement listing the "medible of the week" - butterscotch rock candy - invitingly photographed in a gift box with a ribbon. OrganiCann also offers a 10 percent discount, every Friday, for customers with a valid student ID.



Katherine Ellison is a Pulitzer-prize winning reporter and author, most recently, of "Buzz: A Year of Paying Attention," to be published by Hyperion this fall. http://www.katherineellison.com

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Top 3 Mistakes Made by People Who Try Getting a Medical Marijuana Card

Reasons to get a Medical Marijuana card
The Many Uses of Marijuana: Do you suffer from a degenerative disease? Are you suffering from lack of sleep or chronic pain? Do you use marijuana illegally and want to stop risking your freedom and livelihood buying drugs from criminals? If you can answer YES to any of these, I can tell you that you are not alone.
The marijuana-for-health movement has been growing in numbers and it is spreading across the country. Every year, more and more states have politicians lobbying for cannabis reform and legislation that brings the healing benefits of marijuana to deserving patients. But who has the right to claim this prize? Can anybody really get a medical marijuana card, or is it only for the seriously sick and the terminally ill?
Getting Medical Marijuana Mistakes and Misconceptions
Those who are new to using marijuana or are not aware of cannabis used for legal and medical purposes are all over and everyday more of them are becoming educated about the amazing benefits of becoming a legal marijuana patient. The first step for anybody seeking information about how to get medical marijuana card is to take special note of the top mistakes made by aspiring patients:
1. Lack of understanding of Marijuana Laws and the states that they apply in
People need to remember that all forms of use, possession and sale of marijuana are still illegal in the United States under federal law. However, if people were to read the state laws and do proper research, they would know that state laws offer a safe legal haven for those who seek to use cannabis for its medical benefits and are therefore protected by the state if they follow ALL PROPER STEPS.
2. Aspiring patients do not know the system for getting a Medical Marijuana card
Marijuana itself is one of the largest agricultural industries in the world, and the branch of medicinal marijuana is gigantic in itself. This massive-scale business operates on a very fine line when trying to weigh the needs of the patients and the law makers. Those who do not understand the pressure and needs of this industry are going to be rejected due to the fact that doctors, growers, 420 small businesses, and politicians are all people pushing for a cause, and they are very protective of their image. It would look very bad if stereotypical marijuana users were bragging to reporters about their ability to cheat the system. Getting a medical marijuana card in your state protects you by state regulations making it a process which must follow the laws.
3. People have no clue where to begin
One of the most difficult parts about how to get a medical marijuana card in California, or anywhere else, is beginning the process in a correct and legal way. Using an internet search engine, one can see that an inquiry for medical marijuana brings nothing but a large number of advertisements for doctors and dispensaries selling their goods along with a political battleground over legalization.The medical pages give strict restrictions to their practice and only schedule appointments with those who have met qualification guidelines, while the dispensaries taunt you with their beautiful legal medication! So how do you get this ball rolling...
Becoming a patient
In order to get a medical marijuana card in California or anywhere else, you only must have an approved reason or condition, see a doctor that is authorized to recommend the use of cannabis, and then find someone that is legally authorized to "supply" you(it is illegal to profit from the sale of marijuana, so collectives and dispensaries only accept "donations" in exchange for their products). This sounds like a simple process, but it can only be done if you remember to not make the 3 most common mistakes!
Sounds easy right?
The problem is that people do not research the process well enough, and end up being dismissed when they go for their first meeting with a "pot doc". Doctors have absolutely no problem with flat out rejecting patients who come in asking for medicinal marijuana and are unprepared. It is important that YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR!
I wish good luck to all aspiring medical marijuana patients out there and offer comfort that with proper knowledge, you will soon be able to use the medicine that you need if you properly educate yourself first.



Kevin Fox is a activist for the legalization of marijuana and seeks to help people use the medicinal herb according to the legal limits of the law.
For a free guide on how to get a medical marijuana card, visit http://www.medicalmarijuanalifestyle.com

How to Apply for A Medical Marijuana Registry Card

Are you a patient who believes that this drug can help you in your battle and lives in a state or country where marijuana use is legal? If so, this article will help you on how to use medical marijuana without any worries about the law. Here are salient guides that will surely gain you your registry card:

The first thing you have to do is to consult your doctor. For you to qualify, you should be a patient who is suffering from chronic, debilitating, severe, and/or a persistent type of disease. Upon consultation, a licensed doctor will give you a recommendation that you are deemed to benefit from medical cannabis. This recommendation should include your diagnosis and the reason why you are eligible for medical marijuana treatment. Your physician may have to fill up a form that will substantiate to the necessity of the recommendation. You can get this form from your state health department or any state-assigned sector that handles these matters.

Since marijuana is still classified under Schedule I drug, this means that a physician is prohibited to prescribe the drug; and since pharmacies dispense only physician-prescribed medications, you cannot get the drug from these commercial establishments. You should know that not all consultations turn out to be successful. Each of the 15 states that approves the use of medical marijuana has their own law about medical marijuana dispensaries.

Once you have the requisite documents, you can now apply for a medical marijuana registry card. Your state may require a registration fee and other documents to prove your age and residency such as driver's license, social security identification card or any documents specified.

Possessing a medical marijuana registry card means that you are given the responsibility to use marijuana for the sole purpose of medical therapy for personal own use. Other states such as California allows qualified patients o grow their own weeds while others do not. You can get them in a licensed dispensary.

Arlyn Heidi Basada is an experienced freelance writer who specializes in content writing and copywriting. She has an extensive background in the field of health sciences but can give high-quality articles in almost every genre. To know more about her works, visit her blog: http://www.guidemate.blogspot.com

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Colorado Medical Marijuana Law and You

Colorado Amendment 20, which passed in 2000, made medical marijuana use legal in the state of Colorado. Since then, the phrases, medical marijuana card, medical marijuana dispensary, medical marijuana provider, and medical marijuana clinic, have became part of our vernacular.

Many experts believe that medical properties of cannabis and the healing properties of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) offer relief for a variety of crippling medical conditions like nausea from chemotherapy, chronic or severe pain, aids, cancer, and glaucoma.

In order to obtain your patient card, you'll need a recommendation from a physician, which is the first step to obtain a Colorado Medical Marijuana Registry Card. The fee to apply, in Colorado, is $90, and the card is good for one year. Be sure to review all the rules and processes by visiting the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. For instance, your card will protect you by allowing you to possess only as much marijuana that is necessary to address a debilitating medical condition. For example:

No more than two ounces of a usable form of marijuana
No more than six marijuana plants, with three or fewer being mature, flowering plants that are producing a usable form of marijuana.

Once you have an MMJ card, you'll be able to buy marijuana for medicinal uses from one of the many dispensaries in Colorado. But, are you a candidate for medical marijuana? Ask your doctor why many users tout the benefits of marijuana as an effective, natural, alternative medicine. You've heard all the jokes, but in any good joke there's a thread of truth. The medicinal properties of marijuana are shown to stimulate appetite, provide relief for nausea, and act as a muscle relaxant.

Because marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, it cannot be prescribed by a doctor. Amendment 20, however, allows doctors to recommend marijuana, and it allows patients to grow medical marijuana for their private use, or seek the services of a designated caregiver.

Don't suffer any more. Ask your doctor or visit a Colorado dispensary to learn more.

Learn more about Medical Marijuana in Colorado:

Learn more or join in on a discussion of how Medical Marijuana can help you at the Colorado Medical Marijuana Info blog and forum.