With America moving toward legalization of marijuana in at least some states, I am increasingly involved in discussions about the wisdom of such a course. When the subject of medicinal use comes up, I am forced to concede my ignorance of marijuana’s efficacy. Dalrymple’s take:
The scientific evidence about the medical benefits of cannabis is suggestive but not conclusive, in large part because governments have placed legal obstacles in the way of proper research, but also because the smoke of marijuana contains so many compounds that need to be tested individually. But it seems that cannabis can relieve nausea (one of the most unpleasant of all symptoms when it is persistent) and some kinds of pain.