Marijuana is illegal in fifty states because of its classification as an illicit drug, but controversial issues have been established that this "illicit drug" has improved the course of treatment for suffering patients. Marijuana has beneficial effects when used in medicinal scenarios for the treatment of pain; thus it should be an administered drug for patients who can benefit from the use of this drug. Marijuana has undergone analysis for its use as a medicine and the results have shown improvements in the patients who were treated with this drug. Doctors have expressed opposite opinions, making this issue very controversial. As the debate about marijuana's use as a medicine continues, experts have given us information pertaining to its positive effects when used properly. .
Much of the controversy falls in the hands of the government, which purports that marijuana is not a safe medicine, versus the doctors who research the topic for medicinal purposes. Granted, not all doctors feel cannabis should be a "legal" prescribed medicine, it is in their hands to decide so. The Institute of Medicine has ignited the controversy when it said smoking marijuana is risky, but also recommended that critically ill patients should be allowed to use it under closely monitored settings. A specialist at the National Cancer Institute authorized his patients to use the drug, but not over dose on it. With all the speculation, one would think that doctors wouldn't be so eager to offer the drug as a reliever. The National Institute of Drug Abuse renders approximately 300 free joints each month for patients whom are enrolled in an experimental program. The Government proclaims there is no therapeutic value in the medicinal use of marijuana, but they do not have hard evidence to prove it. Ira Glasser, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, (at a congressional forum) expressed: "the government has demonized all drug use without differentiation and has systematically and hysterically resisted science.
