ABSTRACT
Perhaps the issue of the medical utility of cannabis has never been as controversial as it is today, pruticularly in the United States. Although the drug is still federally classified under Schedule I in the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, several states (California, Arizona, Washington, etc.) have passed laws permitting the possession, cultivation, and use for medicinal purposes. One of the contributing factors to the continued prohibition of cannabis is the fact that for a long time the general opinion held by the majority of the sc ientific community is that cannabis preparations (such as marijuana) can be evaluated solely on the (_)_,,9_ tetrahydrocannabinol (,,9_ THC) content, to the neglect of other cannabinoids and chemicals in the crude drug. In fact, synthetic ,,9_ THC was referred to as "synthetic marijuana" by many.
