As of March 2018, at least 29 states and Washington, D.C. allowed the legal use of marijuana for medical purposes, according to Vox. That means many people with common health problems have another treatment option at their disposal.
Even in states where recreational pot has become legal, there has been little (if any) negative impact on life there. For that reason, more politicians are considering marijuana a safe, affordable bet as prescription drug costs soar.
Most importantly, people who take medicinal marijuana don’t risk overdose or chemical addiction, as they would with prescription opiates. If you have been diagnosed with one of the following conditions, medical marijuana might be a treatment option in your state.
1. Cancer
- Legal as treatment in at least 25 states
The American Cancer Society has reported studies that showed patients in chemotherapy benefiting from marijuana as treatment for nausea and vomiting. Meanwhile, ACS noted the use of the drug as a pain reliever.
When smoked, users may experience shortness of breath and lung pain. Where available, marijuana oils could be the best treatment option.
2. Alzheimer’s
- Legal as treatment in at least 10 states
According to the list of legal marijuana treatments on Leafly, at least 10 states in the U.S. allow Alzheimer’s patients to use the drug. Studies have shown marijuana helping with aggression, insomnia, depression, and other symptoms of the disease.
3. Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS)
- Legal as treatment in at least 17 states
As of Spring 2018, at least 17 states allowed for the use of cannabis-derived substances as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Studies have shown the drug lessening symptoms of ALS patients.
Other studies showed a delay in the progress of the disease in animals but have not yet had major clinical trials.
4. Chronic pain
- Legal as treatment in at least 25 states
Nearly every state where marijuana is a legal treatment option makes the drug available for managing chronic pain. The same applies for most terminal illnesses and the end-stages of diseases.
In Minnesota, where medical marijuana has been legal since 2015, 60% of patients said they’d “benefited greatly” from using the drug. Remarkably, 63% said they reduce or eliminated opioid dosages after using marijuana.
5. Arthritis
- Legal as treatment in at least 15 states
While at least 15 states allow for treatment of arthritis with medical cannabis, Canada offers a lesson on how it can help patients suffering from the joint condition. There, marijuana has been an option for people with arthritis since 2001, and two-thirds of medical cannabis users in Canada take it for these symptoms.
In states where it is not listed as a qualifying condition, people with arthritis may need to call it “chronic pain.” It certainly wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
6. PTSD
- Legal as treatment in at least 25 states
In November 2017, New York became the latest state to add post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the list of qualifying conditions for medical cannabis. Military veterans, first responders, and survivors of domestic violence are among those who can access this treatment option.
Veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq have been pushing for this move across the country. For years, opiate overdoses have ravaged the military population, of whom 60% return from combat experiencing chronic pain.
7. Crohn’s disease
- Legal as treatment in at least 22 states
You see prescription drugs treating Crohn’s disease advertised on TV all the time, but medical cannabis may be a safer alternative. As of March 2018, at least 22 states listed it as a condition treatable with marijuana.
8. Epilepsy
- Legal as treatment in at least 30 states
There are several states — including Mississippi, Alabama, and Missouri — where patients can only take medicinal marijuana for one condition: epilepsy. Otherwise, anyone suffering from seizures will qualify in nearly every state where it’s a treatment option. .
9. HIV/AIDS
- Legal as treatment in at least 25 states
Only a handful of states with legal medical marijuana do not allow HIV and AIDS patients access to this treatment option. Patients with the virus and AIDS find relief from nausea, loss of appetite, and other symptoms when using the drug.
Iowa added HIV, AIDS, Parkinson’s, and cancer (among other health problems) to its list of qualifying conditionslate in 2017.
10. Depression
- Legal as treatment in at least 10 states
While pharmacological treatment of depression has been widespread in America for several generations, states have been less receptive to marijuana as an option. Nonetheless, there are at least 10 states that allow treatment of “persistent conditions” that limit someone’s ability to function.
It’s difficult to see depression, anxiety, and other conditions of this nature failing to qualify.
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