What's the Difference Between Medical Marijuana and Recreational Weed?

[godshgian]

Medical and adult-use (recreational) cannabis are the two categories of state-regulated cannabis in the U.S. The differences between them can be confusing. And while one or both are legal in some states, all cannabis is still illegal at the federal level.

Here’s a breakdown of the differences between medical and adult-use cannabis and what they’re used for.

 

What is medical marijuana?

Medical marijuana (or the proffered term, medical cannabis) is state-regulated cannabis that’s intended for medical purposes. For example when suffering from  chronic pain  chronic pain . Medical cannabis regulations vary between states . Some have a specific list of health conditions that determine who’s eligible for medical cannabis. Others leave it up to your prescriber to decide if medical cannabis may help your specific health condition.

Most states require both the healthcare professional and the person consuming the cannabis to register with the state medical cannabis program. This process also differs between states, as does which healthcare professionals are allowed to recommend medical cannabis.

Despite its name, medical cannabis products aren't regulated by the FDA the way pharmaceutical medications are. Instead, they’re regulated by the state they’re sold in. And there aren’t approved doses or formulations of medical cannabis for specific health conditions.

This means that legally, healthcare professionals can't prescribe medical cannabis. They can only certify that you qualify for it or “recommend” it as a possible treatment option. This can make it hard for people to know what products to purchase and what dosage to take when they go to a medical cannabis dispensary.