The legal status of marijuana is rapidly changing, with important implications for public health and physician practice. The evidence for the legitimate medical use of marijuana or cannabinoids is limited to a few indications, notably HIV/AIDS cachexia, nausea/vomiting related to chemotherapy, neuropathic pain, and spasticity in MS. Although cannabinoids show therapeutic promise in other areas, robust clinical evidence is still lacking. The relationship between legalization and prevalence is still unknown. States with legalized marijuana do have higher rates of use than nonlegal states, but these higher rates are generally found even prior to legalization.
