What is medical marijuana?

Marijuana, also called cannabis, is a drug that's made of the leaves, flowers, and buds of the cannabis plant. Medical marijuana can help treat symptoms like pain, nausea, and lack of appetite. It may be used by people who have health problems like cancer, AIDS, or multiple sclerosis.

People can smoke medical marijuana. They can also:

• Brew it into tea.
• Inhale it as a vapor.
• Spray it under the tongue.
• Apply it to the skin.
• Eat it in prepared or homemade foods.

There are many types, or strains, of marijuana. Some strains are much stronger or have different kinds of effects than others. Talk to your health care provider or to the staff at the dispensary (sometimes called a budtender). They can tell you about the different strains you can try for your condition.

You may feel the effects for hours after you use the drug. How soon you feel them and how long they last can depend on many things. These include:

• How much of the drug you used.
• How you took it.
• How long you've been taking it.
• How your body responds to it.

Some people use medical marijuana after trying other common medicines.