The medicinal uses of cannabis, more commonly known as marijuana, dates back thousands of years. Among 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 offer relief for a variety of crippling health problems like nausea from chemotherapy, chronic pain, HIV/AIDS, and glaucoma.

Are you a candidate for MMJ? Opinions vary from expert to expert, but a common thread emerges in relation to the benefits of MMJ. The healing properties help many patients cope with their disease by improving the overall quality of their lives. A report through the Institute of Medicine entitled, "Marijuana and Medicine" points out that the cannabinoids in marijuana "have benefit in relief of pain, rise 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 in 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 conditions including: Chron's disease, fibromyalgia, migraines, multiple sclerosis, and also Tourette Syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

If you suffer from these or like conditions, seek out the recommendation of an experienced physician in your state. Your health and general well-being may be improved by the utilization of medical marijuana.

Even with no pun intended it really is hard to disregard 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 market 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 as well as the symptoms of glaucoma. It may be useful in controlling the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, migraines and fibromyalgia. Recent research has indicated that THC prevents the formation of deposits of plaques affiliated with Alzheimer's disease.

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

Medical marijuana opponents object strongly to the most usual method of ingestion: smoking. Conversely, there are many 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 involved in any type 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 apply 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 plan to be drawn up, or request tax documents and so forth.

Among the biggest challenges facing these legal businesses is obtaining the full array 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.

Probably the strongest argument that the federal government will respond to will be the potential tax base that medical marijuana will generate. In tough economic times it is hard to turn away any our source of much needed income.