ABSTRACT

Cannabis is currently used for medical purposes by an estimated 15,000 patients under California's medical marijuana law, Proposition 215. Its use was popularized by "cannabis buyers' clubs," which were originally heavily oriented toward AIDS patients. However, recent surveys show a growing majority of patients with other conditions, notably chronic pain and mood disorders. Over 250 separate indications for medical cannabis have been reported in interviews of 2,480 patients by Mikuriya (see Table J 2.2). For many patients, cannabis clubs may afford distinctive therapeutic benefits not available through a conventional pharmacy.