Americans Who are Ill Deserve the Most Health Options Possible

The federal government often states that there are better solutions to

people’s healthcare problems than cannabis, and that patients should

not have to rely on cannabis to relieve their symptoms. Yet, it is the

foundation of our healthcare system in the United States that the sick

and dying have the ability to exercise every available choice,

including medical cannabis. Even though cannabis may not be superior to

other medications in all instances, patients should have the

prerogative to consult with their physicians and opt for medical

cannabis use without fear of reprisal by the federal government.

Report

after report indicates that patients are seeking alternatives to

pharmaceutical drugs, which either do not work as well as cannabis or

produce undesirable side effects. Some patients use cannabis because

pharmaceutical drugs do not have the desired effect in treating their

illness. For other patients, pharmaceutical drugs cause side effects

that can be treated with medical cannabis.

According to the

National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), 36%

of adults in the U.S. are using some form of complementary or

alternative medicine. Given the strong clinical evidence and public

support of medical cannabis, the federal government should be directing

the NCCAM to conduct more cannabis-related research so that

policymakers can make decisions based on the most complete and

comprehensive information available.