As more information comes out about the use of marijuana and its ability to help people deal with the effects of disease, weed doctors are increasingly coming out in favor of the drug.

The caveat is that they feel they should be the ones to regulate it.

And it shouldn’t be given to people who don’t have a real knowledge of the medicine and health benefits behind the plants.

The Case for Marijuana

Proponents of marijuana claim that it has fewer side effects than other legal substances.

They said that it promotes a sense of well-being and can help people in pain deal with their situations better.

Marijuana doctors don’t necessarily agree that marijuana should be legalized for recreational purposes. Though some states do allow it, such as even allowing monthly subscription for weed boxes for casual use.

But there does seem to be a clear consensus that marijuana can help people with pain management and treat certain conditions like glaucoma, epilepsy and cancer.

Marijuana may also be used to help decrease anxiety, slow the progression of Alzheimers disease and ease multiple sclerosis pain.

Doctors for Cannabis Regulation (DFCR)

This group of over 50 physicians is announcing its formation on Monday, April 18, 2016.

The group believes that the role of marijuana in medicine should be dictated and determined by physicians and not lobbyists and other unqualified politicians.

They are calling for a nationwide legalization of marijuana, and they believe it is a matter of public health.

The members of this group are varied, and it includes a former surgeon general, faculty members in medical schools and other health professionals.

In contrast to the typically held view of doctors, the DFCR is advocating that marijuana becomes legal for recreational purposes. There are several studies that have shown marijuana is useful for controlling weight.

It helps people to process sugar and insulin better, and despite the fact that many who use marijuana also notice a stimulation of the appetite, on average, marijuana smokers are skinnier.

When you compare it to other legal substances like alcohol and cigarettes that have been proven to cause cancer, it’s a wonder why marijuana is illegal in the first place.

The Criminalization of Weed

Perhaps one of the biggest issues with the use of marijuana is that’s it’s prosecuted as a criminal offense.

The DFCR takes the position that making marijuana illegal does more harm than good. It allows drug dealers to continue to operate, and it results in thousands of arrests annually.

The group isn’t necessarily advocating the use of the drug, but they do believe that it should be offered as a legal option for people to enjoy their recreational time.

They are quick to point out that about 9 percent of adults who use marijuana may develop an issue of dependency, and there should be warnings and cautions about its use.

Still, researchers agree that the drug is generally less harmful to people and society as other drugs, including alcohol and tobacco. Heavy use can also be harmful to the brains of adolescents who are still developing.

Managing the Risks of the Drugs

As the current policy on marijuana use exists, it’s difficult to have an honest discussion with the public about the pros and cons of marijuana use.

The best way to manage the risks and inform the public is to make marijuana legal and put a higher tax on it like many states do for alcohol and tobacco products.

These taxes can be used for honest programs that help people to understand the risks associated with marijuana use.

Instead of grouping marijuana users into groups of people with much stronger addictions to substances like cocaine and heroin,it would be possible to deal with the comparably mild side effects of marijuana use. Using marijuana won’t make you dependent for life like some other drugs have the ability to do.

History of Marijuana Legislation

Proponents believe that the drug should be open to regulation and that weed doctors should support these regulations.

Marijuana was banned back in 1937 despite the advice from the American Medical Association.

Back then, the AMA objected to a strict ban on marijuana because it was a relatively benign substance and denying it would prevent further research on the drug.

They believed that there were potential health benefits that would largely go unexplored and undiscovered if marijuana was banned.

The Marihuana Tax Act was enacted in 1937. It imposed a tax on the sale of marijuana-related substances like cannabis and hemp. The substance wasn’t that well known amongst doctors at the time.

Many weed doctors didn’t realize that the drug that was being outlawed in the act was actually the substance known as cannabis that they had been using for years.

Doctors had been using the drug to treat a large variety of ailments, and over time, they became increasingly cautious about the use of marijuana. It eventually reached a point where marijuana use was demonized, and a logical and scientific-based discussion could no longer develop.

Today, the AMA is opposed to the legalization of marijuana. It’s known as a dangerous drug, and they cite that it is a public health concern. However, the DFCR maintains that it’s essentially a soft drug and is no more harmful than alcohol or tobacco use.

Proposing that marijuana is a dangerous drug prevents the ability for there to be any real research into the health benefits. Even the AMA wants to make it easier for research into the drug, and they propose that the federal government make it easier to do this.

Public Opinion Should Matter

The formation of the DFCR couldn’t come at a better time.

Public support for the use of marijuana is more than 60 percent. Majority of the public advocates home cultivation where you can  set-up indoor weed grow tent kit systems or cheap stealth grow box cabinets.

When you consider that support for legalization under weed doctors supervision is at 90 percent, it’s clear that the public no longer believes that marijuana is a dangerous substance.

Even substances like Pseudoephedrine are controlled by the government for a fear that individuals may be able to turn it into a methamphetamine, but yet, it’s still not an illegal substance.

If use is a concern, marijuana could just as easily become available as an over-the-counter substance that required tracking by the DEA.

This would ensure people don’t become dependent on the drug, and it would protect the public while further research is done to determine the health benefits and real risks of long-term use.

According to scientists, the only harm caused by smoking marijuana is various illnesses of the gums.

Scientists from the USA and New Zealand concluded that the only serious risk from smoking marijuana is the progression of illnesses of the gums.

A report of this research is published in JAMA Psychiatry. Staff from Duke University in Durham and the University of Otago in Dunedin and their colleagues from other universities analyzed the data of 1037 New Zealanders who were born in Dunedin in 1972 and 1973. They were aged under 38 and had taken part in the population research Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study.

The scientists were interested in the level of weed use and tobacco by the volunteers, and, moreover, their health, including overall health, the existence of diseases of the oral cavity and respiratory path, signs of system inflammation and metabolism (waist circumference, body mass index, arterial pressure, levels of high-density lipoproteins, triglycerides and glucose in the blood).

Their health was analyzed at the ages of 26 and 38. Monitoring was carried out from the ages of 18 to 38. The level of consumption of marijuana and tobacco was measured at the ages of 18, 21, 26, 32, and 38. Altogether, 484 volunteers were smoking tobacco every day at some point in the period, and 675 volunteers had smoked marijuana.

After adjusting for smoking tobacco, alcohol abuse, frequency of cleaning teeth, initial health and lifestyle, the scientists found that the frequency of smoking marijuana correlates with the state of the gums. The health of the gums of marijuana smokers at 38 was worse than the health of the gums of the other volunteers and worse than the health of the gums at 26.

The scientists did not register any other deviations in their physical conditions that correlated with smoking marijuana. At the same time, smoking tobacco correlated with poor levels of all aspects of health.

Related:

Is It Legal to Get Weed Card Online, Weed And Cannabinoid As A Compound Part Of It, Medical Marijuana For Pregnancy, Marijuana Effects Sperm Quality, Medical Marijuana Service As A Compound Part Of The Health Care System

The structure of canabinoids, the compound part of weed. During many years it was common knowledge that weed was the only plant who had an ability to produce cannabinoids.

But, in the last time, the results of investigations showed that these matters, which were, as though, unique for the weed, can be found in other plants rather often!

So, the industry has more abilities to produce medical marijuana, and the number of weed cards will become higher.

What are Cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are molecules on the base of lipids, and all of them influence on the receptors of cannabinoids, which are the main components of the endocannabinoids system (ES).

Cannabinoids are produced by plants (weed is the most famous of them) but moreover by the organism of a man (just imagine, your weed doctor has his cannabinoids!) and by the majority of animals, and they can also be produced in a laboratory.

Cannabinoids which are produced by plants are known as phytocannabinoids; these which are produced by animals are known as endocannabinoids, and, finally, analogs of natural cannabinoids, created in laboratories, are named synthetical cannabinoids.

The majority of enthusiasts of weed heard about classical cannabinoids, like Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol. During many years it was common knowledge that only these could influence on cannabinoids receptors.

All the traditional cannabinoids have the same chemical structure – C21H30O2. All of them are used in medical marijuana.

But then our knowledge about endocannabinoids system was growing up, and the list of various matters, influence on the receptors, was becoming wider.

At the same time, the industry of this branch of medicine was growing up too, so now everybody has an ability to get medical marijuana card.

So, we ought to widen our opinion towards the substance which is a cannabinoid – in addition to 120 classical cannabinoids exists an unknown number of relevant matters which influence on receptors too, but their structure differs from the conventional one.

Which is Cannabimimetic?

Besides cannabinoids, exists another class of non-classical cannabinoids, known as cannabimimetic.

They are named like this because they imitate the activity of classical cannabinoids, although they have another structure.

Cannabinoids attract more and more attention of investigators of healing qualities of cannabinoids. Classically, ES as analyzed as a pure compound of two types of receptors and two ligands (term “ligand” denotes a compound, which is connected with a receptor)

However, the investigations of the last years demonstrate us more and more that the structure of ES is more difficult.

Nowadays, various compounds are known, influencing on ES directly of by implication, and the central part of them impact on important biological signal systems too, like opioids system, serotoninergetical system, and dofarminergetical system.

Various examples of known cannabinoids:

N-acylethanolamine and N-alkylamines

N-acylethanolamine is the class of compounds of fat acids, which take part in biological signal processes. One of them is well-known anandamide, which closely imitates the activity of Tetrahydrocannabinol because it directly activates the primary cannabinoids receptors – CB1.

Nowadays it’s also determined that anandamide influences on cannabinoids of the third type, known as GPR119.

Moreover, this and other N- acylethanolamine mediately affects on ES. The deal is they inhibit the levels of ferment FAAH, which degrades anandamide, and its levels in tissues become higher in future.

N-alkylamines is a similar class of cannabimimetic which is less investigated. They selectively affect on the receptors CB2 and, like anandamide, possess antiphlogistic qualities.

Beta-caryophyllene

This important terpene (aromatic compound) can be found in marijuana, and its oxide (which forms after the contact with oxygen) is the substance which can be accessed by police dogs!

B-caryophyllene, as it was established, is the antagonist of the receptors of CB2, though it doesn’t influence on the receptors of CB1.

The investigations have shown that this terpene possesses antiphlogistic and aesthetic influence on mice, but not on those who were denuded of the receptors CB2- so this effect can be explained by the effect on receptors.

Salvinorin A

Salvinorin A is the main component of psychoactive species of plants Salvia divinorum (Sage foreteller)

It’s interesting that Salvinorin A, apparently, doesn’t collaborate with classical cannabinoids receptors, but activates cannabinoids receptors of the third possible type, which occurs only in the case of inflammations.

It’s connected with cappaopiods receptors, which are crucial for anaesthetization and are the target for the primary number of hallucinogens!

Myrcene

Myrcene is another important terpene of weed and the main component of the essence of hop.

Thought it’s an opinion that myrcene doesn’t affect directly on cannabinoids receptors, it was determined that it’s biological activity modulates the effect of Tetrahydrocannabinol

Myrcene, as known, can be found in various natures of weed, which give the “sofa’s effect” or “stone’s effect” to the smoker.

The sedative effects of plants which contain myrcene, as, for example, hop and verbena, was known over the centuries.

So, although, myrcene is not usually classified as cannabinoids in modern scientific literature, it influences on the subjective perception of marijuana’s scandals.

Further investigations, without any doubts, will determine the character of the existing connection; nowadays, in spite of the fact that such laboratories as Steep Hill Halent in California possess the data, accumulated during many years, official investigations were not done.

Plants Which Produce Cannabimimetic

Let’s start with the fact that some plants give the big number of terpenes, like beta-cariofillen and myrcene.

Myrcene is contained in extremely high concentrations in the essence of hop – practically 80% in some sorts of it. Moreover, myrcene is contained in mango, lemon grass, timian, and verbena.

B-cariofillen is contained in black pepper, carnation, rosemary, hop, caraway, basil, lavender, cinnamon and others.

In the majority of these species beta-cariofillen is the main component of the essence (20% in some species of hop)

Salvinorin A – is rarer and, evidently, it’s high concentration can be found only in S. Divinorum. But nevertheless, there are facts that other species of sage can contain a low concentration of the compound or its related molecules.

N-acylethanolamine can be found in various species of plants. For example – in cacao. Even more, black truffles, according to messages, contain the anandamide!

Finally, N-alkylamines were found in various species of echinacea, and it’s common knowledge that this explains the effectiveness of echinacea in phototherapy.

In future, the list of plants, containing cannabimimetic, will be wider, because the science permanently discovers substances, which can influence on endocannabinoids system.

But do exist plants (except weed) which produce classical cannabinoids? It seemed to the scientists till the last time that only marijuana could synthesize traditional cannabinoids.

Much less, this traditional point of view was disproved in 2012 when the researchers determined that seeds of flax produce cannabidiol! (CBD) At least, cannabinoids compounds which look like KBD and possess the same antiphlogistic qualities.

Moreover exists the earlier investigation, which proves that cannabigerol (CBL) and its precursor cannabigerol acid are contained in the herbaceous plant from South Africa, and the study of 2011 lets us suppose that cannabichromene (CBC) and some related compounds of it are in Chinese rhododendron.

Finally, in New Zeeland grow Radula marginata which produces cannabinoid similar to Tetrahydrocannabinol, and it probably can activate the receptors CB1! We now don’t know exactly if this plant can imitate the effect of marijuana.

And now the most impressive fact – no plants which are known to the humanity, except marijuana, produces Tetrahydrocannabinol.

Related:

Marijuana Effects Sperm Quality, How To Get A Medical Cannabis Card, How Does Marijuana Affect Blood Pressure, Medical Marijuana As A Remedy For Arthritis, Medical Marijuana And Whoopi Goldberg

The digital age has opened the door for some fairly profound capabilities and opportunities, but not all of these abilities should be utilized, and the original way of doing things should be maintained in some circumstances.

This often surrounds the concern of legality; if something feels illegal, it probably is, after all. Coinciding with this very concrete fact is the manner one is able to obtain the heavily sought after medical marijuana card.

Of course, the ways to legally get one of these cards vary between the states where the substance has been legalized, but a fairly uniform set of rules is shared among these regions.

However and as people have become accustomed to heading online for everything that they need to accomplish, some controversy has finally brewed–ultimately keeping the blurred line for legalizing the substance entirely still smudged, and growing worse by the second.

Applying For Cannabis Card Online

Applying for a cannabis card online is highly illegal in the majority of the states the substance has been made legal, though there is one slight exception in the state of California.

Despite this fact, however, enthusiasts and those who have yet to be diagnosed with qualifying conditions cannot resist the temptation.

After all, who can really resist the effectiveness of going to a website, filling out some information, paying a small fee, and clicking submit?

Not many people can, which is making this not only become something open for discussion, but a serious issue in the positive argument offered in favor of this natural substance.

At this point, you might be wondering why it would be illegal to get a medical cannabis card online if you reside in a state where marijuana is legalized, but that usually stems from the misunderstandings on how to get this pass at all.

The manners to go about this process legally are incredibly clear, though a few factors differentiate among the states.

Overall, it is important to ask the questions, receive the right answers, and to do additional research in order to better understand why some processes are illegal, and why they will continuously be kept that way if people refuse to cooperate.

Overview of Legal Process to Obtain Medical Cannabis Card

Regulations exist for any process and while that may pose irritating for some people, it is a necessary evil to make certain that nobody is abusing the privilege and ruining it for those who really need these rights.

Essentially, the legalization of medical marijuana is in its trial and error period, so it is absolutely crucial that nobody demonstrates mistakes that could set the country back one hundred years.

The legal process of obtaining medical cannabis cards is fairly painless, but does take some persistence in certain circumstances. Concisely, the legal process includes:

Visit to a Licensed Weed Physician

When you have finally had enough of the pain or have an illness that is preventing you from living your life and decide to go to the doctors, it is important that you translate all of your symptoms to your physician.

One symptom could make the difference between an okay to fill out the card application, or the reception of a, “Sorry, try again next time.”

Certain states agree on conditions that qualify for a card, while others are very limited to what they deem acceptable. Uniformly, though, these conditions qualify for a card:

• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Seizure-causing conditions
• Cachexia, which is a disease that deteriorates the human body over time.
• Persistent nausea–especially that is caused by an underlying condition.
• Multiple sclerosis
• Chronic muscle spasms

If you are diagnosed with any of these conditions in a legalized state, the chances of you being allowed to fill out the application to apply for a card are fairly high.

Some states, though, recognize more than one doctor visit in a twelve month period for the same pain as being a qualifying condition; Oregon and California are two of those states, but it is important to research into your area’s act and general viewpoint of the subject.

Fill Out the Application and Pay Government Fees

Once you have filled out the necessary application that has been equipped with your medical records and doctor recommendation, you will have to pay government fees in most states that must be maintained annually, assuming that you have been approved.

The only state that a fee is not necessary is Maine, but not all states graciously allow that benefit.

After these necessary steps, you do have a brief waiting period before receiving the status of your application.

If you are approved, though, you are able to visit medical marijuana dispensaries across your state, but always remaining aware of your legal rights is important. Essentially, what are the boundaries of your card?

The Problem with Obtaining Marijuana Card Online

When you think about it, the government views marijuana as a medicine, which is the entire reason behind its legality in the majority of the states across the United States.

While, in no way, should cannabis be compared to prescription opioids, like codeine or fentanyl, it is crucial to relate the substances briefly to understand the reason that taking to the internet to get a medical cannabis card is illegal.

As it has already been established, you need a licensed physician’s recommendation to even be granted access to fill out an application for the card.

This same concept, in a sense, applies to the way that people get opioid prescriptions: They must be prescribed them by a doctor.

The entire reason that the legalization of marijuana was put into effect was because it would be monitored by qualifying weed doctors, which would reduce the risk for anyone abusing the substance.

Again, the only comparison between medical cannabis and prescription opioids is the manner that they are to be legally obtained.

Taking to the internet, however, defeats the entire regulations established in support of the legalization of the substance.

How Is a Person Able to Even Get a Card Online–Illegally or Not?

The concept is fairly simple: You discover a website claiming to give the cards out online in a fast manner (most of them claim you will have your card the next day).

The websites typically require a sign-up and registration to use the medical marijuana services, and it usually costs a fee. From there, you are connected with supposed licensed physicians who are willing to write recommendations.

The application is then completed and filed with the state; government fees ensue. While this process seems harmless, it is important to recognize that they are sometimes scams and totally unrecognizable as being in compliance with federal regulations in most scenarios.

Prior mention was made that obtaining a card online was legal in California with the use of Telehealth Technology, but only if the following points are understood and complied with:

• The Compassionate Use Act of November 6, 1996, which permitted the use of medical marijuana for those who qualify must be followed in its entirety. [The Compassionate Use Act of November 6, 1996]
• Under the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act, marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 Hallucinogenic, which only allows medical possession of the substance. The California Uniform Controlled Substances Act
• A licensed physician is the only authorized personnel to provide medical recommendations; taking to the internet to obtain a card must be monitored by licensed doctors via video consultations [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug]
• Anyone entertaining a dispensary or wishing to apply for a card must have a valid recommendation, under California law Proposition 215 & SB 420. California law Proposition 215 & SB 420
• Physicians must be licensed through the state of California and in compliance with the State of California Medical Board. State of California Medical Board

Reputable, verified websites have licensed physicians who provide the appropriate recommendations as the result of a diagnosis that was made through secure video consultations, store medical records in a HIPPA compliant system, and require the payment of appropriate fees.

Additionally, the websites tend to be tools that better allow to manage the medicinal purpose, and are not separate branches of medicine–ultimately allowing them to practice without issue.

Validating Licenses Of Medical Marijuana Doctors

The licenses of the physicians are easily validated through the California Medical Board. If this concept continues without issue, more states might adopt it, too.

Certain states recognize primary care physicians and their diagnoses as being sufficient enough for a recommendation, but the appropriate, routine visits in which qualifying conditions were demonstrated or verified must be proven.

This is often where the legality issues are involved with taking to the internet to obtain a card–there is no solid foundation of proof, and people are easily able to fabricate symptoms during the online medical marijuana evaluation.

Essentially, the regulations fall into a very gray area on the internet, and disprove the foundation of the very black and white laws in place for the controlled substance.

This also coincides with the reality that even those who have obtained their cards legally can still fall victim to arrest in all states where the substance is legalized.

If those who went through the proper channels are able to be detained, why would those who illegally possess their cards be an exception? Federal regulations recognize the following as punishable offenses:

• The distribution of any amount to a minor.
• The consumption of the substance in unauthorized areas.
• Most states recognize being under the influence of the substance while operating a vehicle sufficient enough for a DUI; the proper charges can ensue if this happens.
• Illegally obtaining a card, whether through the improper channels or without receiving the recommendation of a licensed physician.
• The sale of medical cannabis.

On the contrary, acceptable factors that comply with federal regulations include:

• Possession amounts of one to two and a half ounces in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, and Montana, to name a few.
• Home cultivation that does not exceed twelve plants and in an allotted, regulated space such as in a marijuana grow tent complete system or in a stealth box ghost cabinet.
• Reciprocity and the ability for a card to be renewed, as long as the patient still qualifies and has been free from citations throughout their previous year.
• On states Alaska, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington that has legal recreation use now allowing monthly subscriptions on weed dab boxes.

Although not all states allow for the obtainment of a card online, a lot of them have adapted to the allowance for a card renewal online.

Keeping track of when your card is due to expire is crucial because anytime past the official date in which the renewal was not paid results in a suspended card along with all of its rights, and can sometimes require undergoing the entire application process again.

Differentiating Between Acceptable and Unacceptable; Legal vs. Illegal

The major points of this discussion included:

• How to Get Medical Weed Card Online?
• Why This Action Is Illegal or Legal in Some Circumstances
• The Steps to Take in Order to Obtain a Legal Card

Patience is a virtue and, though the substance has been depicted throughout history and used in a multitude of cultures throughout the globe, the legality surrounding it in the United States is fragile; it is new and needs time to become more accepted, researched in the manner deemed acceptable by this country, and regulated.

The failure to allow for this crucial time by going about things on your own could prove threatening to the entire trial period as a whole, so it is important to follow the necessary steps to receive a card.

If those who use medical marijuana demonstrate to the necessary administration that the substance has a profound impact on both their physical and mental health without breaking the law, those in states where cannabis is illegal will take notice and adjust accordingly.

In closing, it is profoundly important that you, as a legal cardholder, know your rights, exercise them appropriately, research your limitations, and to remain a positive example for other states and those attempting to obtain a card.

Related:

How to Treat Migraine with Marijuana, Medical Marijuana As A Remedy For Arthritis, How Does Marijuana Affect Blood Pressure, Is It Legal To Grow Marijuana?