Medical Marijuana: What You Need To Know

More about this controversial drug and its uses.

Whoosh! - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has scored an endorsement that will help him with Democratic and African-American voters. In a 30-second video ad, the basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal praised Christie's work on education and in inner cities and declared him "a great man." (Photo/Mel Evans, File/AP Photo)

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Medical Marijuana in the News - With New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie approving medical marijuana for kids in his state, the drug is front and center in the news. Read more about this controversial drug, how to obtain it and where it’s legal in the U.S. — Kellee Terrell(Photo: AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)

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What Is It? - Medical marijuana, an herb used since ancient times in China, can be one of two things: the part of cannabis that is used for healing purposes or synthetic weed that is made in a lab for healing and pain relief purposes. There are different ways to take medical cannabis that include smoking, vaporizing and infusing it into food or drinks, to name a few. (Photo: David McNew/Getty Images)

Photo By David McNew/Getty Images

Medical Marijuana Bill Advances in Illinois - Illinois may become the 19th state to legalize medical marijuana. A bill made its way through the state’s legislature and now sits on Governor Pat Quinn’s desk for approval. Under this bill, patients must have one of the 42 qualifying illnesses such as cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis in order to be prescribed the 2.5 ounces allowed every two weeks, reported the Chicago Tribune.  (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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What Is It Used For? - Medical cannabis can be used for a range of illnesses such as AIDS, cancer, ADHD, multiple sclerosis, nausea resulting from chemotherapy, Crohn's disease, glaucoma, epilepsy, insomnia, migraines, arthritis and lack of appetite, writes Discovery.com. It can also be prescribed for terminally ill people who may need comfort before they die. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Strains of Medical Marijuana - Medical marijuana is made of two different species: Indica and Sativa (or a combination of the two), says United Patients Group. Strains are made from breeding and crossbreeding these two to come up with an herb that serves as an exact purpose for someone’s particular illness. Read about the top 16 strains here.  (Photo: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

Health - Some doctors warn that increased marijuana use will result in more emergency-room visits. There's not enough data to show if that is happening, though some hospitals have reported spikes in child admissions for pot overdoses. With no Food and Drug Administration oversight, the two states are producing their own product-safety standards to make sure pot is as potent as labeled and doesn't contain harmful molds or other contaminants.(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Where Is Medical Marijuana Legal? - Obtaining medical marijuana is legal in the following places only: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, D.C., Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington state. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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New Research Underway on Black Health in St. Louis - In hopes of creating better health policies, researchers from Washington University and Saint Louis University are teaming up to address racial health disparities among Blacks in the city of St. Louis. They will focus their work on a range of issues including risk factors for chronic conditions, access to care and mental health illnesses, says a Washington University press release. (Photo: LWA / Getty Images)

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How Do You Get It? - In order to get medical marijuana it depends on which you state you live in. But generally, patients would have to have a prescription from a doctor, get a special ID card that says you are allowed to have medical cannabis, pay a fee and get approved. (Photo: LWA / Getty Images)

Where Do You Get It? - Even though you need a prescription, you can’t get medical marijuana at a regular pharmacy — you have to go to a place called a “dispensary” that will fill your prescription. Advocates claim that dispensaries are safe, clean, are usually staffed with security and have employees who are certified. Learn more about them here.(Photo: David McNew/Getty Images)

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Where Do You Get It? - Even though you need a prescription, you can’t get medical marijuana at a regular pharmacy — you have to go to a place called a “dispensary” that will fill your prescription. Advocates claim that dispensaries are safe, clean, are usually staffed with security and have employees who are certified. Learn more about them here.(Photo: David McNew/Getty Images)

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Does It Work? - It depends on which researcher you ask. Some doctors hail that the drug does help. Past studies show that medical cannabis marijuana can relieve pain better than traditional painkillers. Yet other researchers warn of the potential dangers of the drug and believe that the same benefits if not better ones can come from prescription drugs that mimic weed, WYNC.com reported.  (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Is It Safe? - While the FDA has approved delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — a form of marijuana — for medical use for adults, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Mayo Clinic both warn against its use for children because the drug can be addictive and could possible impact children’s development. The debate about its safety for everyone continues to rage on as we wait for more studies that focus on long-term effects. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Is It Safe? - While the FDA has approved delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — a form of marijuana — for medical use for adults, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Mayo Clinic both warn against its use for children because the drug can be addictive and could possible impact children’s development. The debate about its safety for everyone continues to rage on as we wait for more studies that focus on long-term effects. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Medical Marijuana vs. Street Weed - Medical marijuana is regulated and dispensed in a controlled environment and is created to reduce the “high effect” that one experiences when smoking street weed. Street weed can be sold by anyone, can include any type of harmful substance and it’s not possible to control how much someone smokes of it, Teen Health FX points out.(Photo: David McNew/Getty Images)

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Medical Marijuana vs. Street Weed - Medical marijuana is regulated and dispensed in a controlled environment and is created to reduce the “high effect” that one experiences when smoking street weed. Street weed can be sold by anyone, can include any type of harmful substance and it’s not possible to control how much someone smokes of it, Teen Health FX points out.(Photo: David McNew/Getty Images)