{"id":25682,"date":"2025-09-25T08:00:58","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T12:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/?p=25682"},"modified":"2025-09-08T17:22:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T21:22:29","slug":"medical-marijuana-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/2025\/09\/medical-marijuana-what-you-need-to-know.html","title":{"rendered":"Medical\u201d Marijuana: What You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Marijuana use in America has reached record highs, surpassing even alcohol consumption. Across the country, states have legalized cannabis for medical purposes, while others have pushed to legalize it for recreational use. But here\u2019s the pressing question: is marijuana truly \u201cmedical,\u201d or have we been misled by powerful lobbyists and profit-driven campaigns?<\/p>\n

Honestly, there is a sobering comparison between today\u2019s cannabis industry and the opioid epidemic of the past. It\u2019s d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu. Both crises were fueled by misinformation, exaggerated benefits, minimized risks, and powerful financial interests. We didn\u2019t learn from opioids, and now history is repeating itself.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at what\u2019s really happening.<\/p>\n

How States Legalize \u201cMedical\u201d Marijuana<\/strong>
The process often begins with a state senator or representative sponsoring a bill. Testimonies are heard, but not from unbiased scientific experts. Instead, the loudest voices typically come from lobbyists and advocacy groups backed by industries that stand to profit. As a result, lists of \u201cqualifying conditions\u201d for medical marijuana use are created\u2014not from high-quality medical research, but from poor studies or outright marketing strategies.<\/p>\n

Unlike FDA-approved drugs, cannabis has not undergone the rigorous clinical trials necessary to prove safety and effectiveness. That\u2019s why under federal law, marijuana remains classified as a Schedule I drug\u2014meaning it has high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use.<\/p>\n

Dispensaries vs. Pharmacies<\/strong>
Here\u2019s a critical distinction: the cannabis you buy at a dispensary is not the same as a medication prescribed at a pharmacy. The FDA has approved a few cannabis-related drugs, such as Epidiolex (for rare seizure disorders) and synthetic THC medications like Marinol, Syndros, and Cesamet, but these are tightly regulated and only available by prescription from a licensed healthcare provider. By contrast, the marijuana products lining dispensary shelves are unregulated, vary wildly in potency, and are sold by \u201cbudtenders\u201d with no medical training.<\/p>\n

The Harm You Don\u2019t Hear About<\/strong>
Despite claims that marijuana helps conditions like anxiety, PTSD, or chronic pain, research shows the opposite: cannabis often worsens these conditions over time. For example, anxiety may seem reduced while under the influence, but symptoms return stronger when the drug wears off. Long-term use can also increase risks of psychosis, worsen outcomes for people with existing mental illness, and impair brain and heart health.<\/p>\n

Teens are especially vulnerable. Regular marijuana use during adolescence can trigger schizophrenia in those predisposed, cause irreversible IQ loss, and disrupt healthy brain development. Pregnant women who use cannabis risk low birth weight babies and unknown long-term effects on the developing fetus.<\/p>\n

Why Christians Should Care<\/strong>
Many believers assume marijuana is a safe medical option, but Scripture reminds us to use wisdom and discernment. Proverbs 14:15 warns, \u201cThe simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.\u201d The cannabis industry is not about medicine\u2014it\u2019s about money. And when profits are prioritized over health, individuals and families suffer.<\/p>\n

Bottom Line<\/strong>
Medical marijuana is a misleading term. The national physician group I meet with quarterly (academic medicine) is made up of addiction medicine and addiction psychiatrists who are greatly disturbed by all the misinformation given about marijuana. It’s harming so many people. They see it every day in their hospitals and outpatient clinics. They won’t even call it medical marijuana, only legalized or commercial marijuana. The drug has not been proven safe or effective, and the risks\u2014addiction, psychosis, impaired driving, harm to teens and unborn children\u2014are very real. Please stop listening to opinions and follow the research. Be prudent, be educated, and seek treatments for psychiatric conditions that are evidence-based and safe.<\/p>\n

Wisdom means looking beyond the hype and asking hard questions. Don\u2019t let misinformation shape your health decisions. Choose truth over trends, and protect yourself and your loved ones.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Marijuana use in America has reached record highs, surpassing even alcohol consumption. Across the country, states have legalized cannabis for medical purposes, while others have pushed to legalize it for recreational use. But here\u2019s the pressing question: is marijuana truly \u201cmedical,\u201d or have we been misled by powerful lobbyists and profit-driven campaigns? Honestly, there is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":419,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4100],"tags":[9254,9257,4036,1705,9260,4227],"class_list":["post-25682","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health","tag-commercialized-marijuana","tag-dispensaries","tag-legalized-marijuana","tag-marijuana","tag-marijuana-harms","tag-medical-marijuana"],"yoast_head":"\nMedical\u201d Marijuana: What You Need to Know<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"is marijuana truly \u201cmedical,\u201d or have we been misled by powerful lobbyists and profit-driven campaigns? 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