The dispensing of Medical Marijuana (MM) is one of the fastest growing trends in America. While it is still illegal under federal laws, almost half the states permit the sale under a variety of state authorized laws. In at least some states no underlying medical conditions is needed to obtain it in some form. In other states some doctor-prescribed authorization is required.
Donald Mazzella is a board member of a New Jersey non-profit medical marijuana dispensary.
Ed Gogek, M.D. is a psychiatrist specializing in addiction treatment and author of the book Marijuana Debunked: A handbook for parents, pundits and politicians who want to know the case against legalization.
Both men are not in favor of non-prescribed distribution of marijuana.
However, Mazzella believes in MM distribution under controlled circumstances. He supports New Jersey’s approach, believed to have the most restrictive state laws, in which dispensing is contingent upon a diagnosed medical condition.
They have combined to offer a pro and con precis on the MM arguments.
The discussion below reflects their views and not of other colleagues.
PRO:
Medical Marijuana helps patients mediate the effects of numerous illnesses. In the three years our dispensary has offered various strains of MM, we have witnessed the positive effects of using MM.
In particular, dispensing MM to patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Multiple Sclerosis, Terminal Cancer, Muscular Dystrophy, Inflammatory Bowel disease including Crohn’s disease, and terminal illness if the physician has determined a prognosis of less than 12 months of life.
The Highs and Lows of Medical Marijuana
Ed Gogek M.D.