Cannabis – more commonly known as marijuana – is officially legal in Canada as of October 17, 2018. While it may be a hot topic of discussion, cannabis use is far from being a new phenomenon. In the 1980s, cannabinoids – active chemicals found in cannabis – were approved for medical purposes, such as treating the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy.
Medical marijuana is commonly used to treat pain, nausea, seizures, muscle spasms and more. Like any drug, there are side-effects associated with its use. Although it is now legal, there is still a lot of research being done to understand its benefits and harms, in both the short- and long-term.
See what the latest evidence says about medical marijuana and how it is being used.
