By Christina Lavers
Contributing Writer for Wake Up World
While a small minority has long been singing the praises of medical marijuana, until very recently it has been vilified by the mainstream. Portrayed as a dangerous, gateway drug that kills brain cells [1] and causes untold ills, this natural herb is slowly emerging from the cloud of propaganda and being seen in a more accurate light.
In the United States, cannabis has been criminalized at the Federal level by implementation of the Controlled Substances Act. This Act classifies cannabis, a natural herb, as a Schedule 1 drug—this is the strictest classification, on par with heroin, LSD and ecstasy. For a long time this rigid legislation meant that it was virtually impossible to conduct studies on it without breaking the law. Today the climate is slowly shifting and we are gradually seeing changes to some of the legislation that has long stifled research. While not much has changed at a federal level, at a state level legislation is being amended so that medical marijuana is no longer criminalized. Currently in the US, 21 states have legalised marijuana for medical purposes.
