Q & A with Dr. DQ
Dear Dr. DQ, I've been told marijuana's no big deal, that it's just a simple weed. Is that true? Signed Questioning
Dear Questioning, No! Marijuana is a mix of more than 450 different substances, some of which can take from 7 to 30 days to leave the body. Nothing that stay so long or has so many different parts can be called "simple." But that's not the whole story. Marijuana is also complicated because it can act like 3 different categories of drugs: stimulants, depressants, and even mild hallucinogens. Signed, Dr. QB
Dear Dr. DQ, Does marijuana have any approved medical uses? Signed, Curious
Dear Curious, The THC in marijuana helps relieve (that means decrease) the nausea people undergoing cancer chemotherapy can suffer. As a result, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved use of a SYNTHETIC version of THC called dronabinol (Trade name: Marinol) Using the plant itself, however, is another matter. Scientists continue studying 1) possible uses of marijuana for specific medical conditions, and 2) safer ways of taking it To date, several states even permit people to grow and use marijuana if recommended by a physician for a specific medical condition. But as of now, using the actual plant is still ILLEGAL for ANY reason according to U.S. Federal law. Signed, Dr. DQ