Controversy over the recreational and medical use of medicinal marijuana continues to swirl, sparking heated debates over whether legal medical marijuana is a viable alternative to prescription medication. The use of legal medical marijuana continues to garner national attention, as more and more states continue to legalize different types of weed, or cannabis, for medicinal purposes. Regardless of the controversy surrounding medical marijuana, the benefits of marijuana are undeniable.

While legal medical marijuana is something fairly new to Western society, the use of marijuana as medicine dates back thousands of years to ancient cultures. Two of the oldest forms of medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Indian Ayurveda praise cannabis for it’s healing properties. In fact, cannabis is one of the 50 fundamental herbs of TCM and was used in the treatment of many of the same conditions people experience today.

Though many people, including some government officials, claim that marijuana has no medicinal value, the available research shows otherwise. In addition to anecdotal evidence, several research studies have shown that marijuana is highly effective in treating chronic and acute pain, nausea, loss of appetite, anxiety and depression, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel disease, among many other ailments. Some anecdotal evidence has claimed that cannabis oil has cured cancer.

The landscape of the American healthcare systems is rapidly changing. Skepticism regarding the practices of the pharmaceutical industry, in addition to the efficacy of vaccinations, has created a niche for more holistic healing practices. As such, more and more people are taking their healing into their own hands, and incorporating practices from ancient forms of medicine, such as TCM and Ayurveda. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that use of medicinal marijuana is only expected to increase.