The medicinal uses of cannabis, more typically referred to as marijuana, dates back thousands of years. One of the first known uses of cannabis was by the Chinese physician Hoa-tho within the early 2nd century as a surgical anesthesia. Today many experts recognize that medical marijuana (MMJ) as well as the healing properties of cannabis vapes offer relief for a variety of crippling health problems like nausea from chemotherapy, chronic pain, HIV/AIDS, and glaucoma.

Are you an applicant for MMJ? Opinions vary from expert to expert, but a common thread emerges with regards to the advantages of MMJ. The healing properties help many patients cope with their disease by improving the overall quality of their lives. A report by the Institute of Medicine entitled, "Marijuana and Medicine" points out that the cannabinoids in marijuana "have benefit in relief of pain, increase in appetite, and relief of nausea and vomiting."

Don't let this rather narrow list dissuade you in seeking out a medical recommendation. Medical cannabis has been well documented to be effective within the treatment of nausea, PMS, weight-loss, Cancer, glaucoma and muscle spasticity. New studies and findings are showing positive results for a whole host of health problems including: Chron's disease, fibromyalgia, migraines, multiple sclerosis, and even Tourette Syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

If you have problems with these or like conditions, seek out the recommendation of a qualified physician in your state. Your health and general well-being could be improved through the usage of medical marijuana.

Even with no pun intended it is hard to ignore the thriving business environment surrounding the production and sale of medical marijuana. With MMJ now legalized in 15 states and the District of Columbia, the marketplace is expanding vigorously.

THC, the active ingredient in marijuana has been shown to effectively treat a number of conditions. It can reduce nausea, insomnia, neurogenic pain and movement disorders and the symptoms of glaucoma. It may be useful in controlling the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, migraines and fibromyalgia. Recent studies have indicated that THC prevents the formation of deposits of plaques linked to Alzheimer's disease.

Of course more research is important in determining which conditions medical marijuana can certainly help, but even this short list is encouraging.

Medical marijuana opponents object strongly to the most frequent method of ingestion: smoking. On the flip side, there are various safer ways to ingest marijuana. Marijuana can be inhaled in a vaporized form and added to food after being processed into hemp oil. Both methods bypass the risks linked to any form of smoking.

Opening a medical marijuana dispensary involves a bit of work. In each of the states where the sale of medical marijuana is legalized the prerequisites are a bit different. Businesses must sign up for a license and provide proof that the storefront is either owned by the business or that the leaser has approved the business. Some states require a safety intend to be drawn up, or request tax documents and so forth.

One of the biggest challenges facing these legal businesses is obtaining the full selection of business services, for example merchant accounts for processing card sales or bank accounts, since marijuana is only legal on the region level, not at the federal level.

Perhaps the strongest argument that the government will respond to is the potential tax base that medical marijuana will generate. In tough financial times it truly is hard to turn away any source of much needed income.