Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’re likely aware that there’s been a substantial shift in the cultural attitude towards using marijuana for both medical and recreational use over the past decade.

In fact, there seems to be more public support for reforming marijuana law than at any point in our nation’s history.

Today, recreational marijuana is legal in 11 states and the District of Columbia, medical marijuana is legal in 33 states plus the District of Columbia, and polls have shown that more than half the country is now in favor of legalizing marijuana across the board.

But, just because something is publicly acceptable or popular doesn’t mean it’s safe or the wise thing to do…

The uncertainties and dangers of using weed are especially important to understand for those who are using, or considering using, marijuana for medical purposes. While the very name “medical marijuana” seems to imply that marijuana can be used for medical purposes just like any other medicine prescribed by a physician, the ways in which medical marijuana has been approved, prescribed, and made available to the public differ vastly from other commercially available prescription drugs.

Unfortunately, these differences and the use of medical marijuana itself pose problems that seem to be largely unrecognized by many physicians and the public.

I encourage you to watch the following video on what’s in weed and why it’s much more dangerous than people realize by Dr. Jerry Callaway, an ASAM-certified addiction medicine specialist in Santa Clara County, California, who’s been working in addiction medicine for the last 35 years.

Inside the video, Dr. Jerry Callaway discusses:

[0:56] Why medical marijuana can’t be classified as a medicine
[2:02] The short-term and long-term consequences of weed (including a study done in New Zealand on marijuana’s effects on IQ and brain functioning)
[3:03] How you can help someone get off of marijuana
[3:32] Why marijuana stays in systems of users for so long
[3:58] The effects of marijuana on the liver and why they are so critical to long-term health
[5:06] The emerging public health effects in Colorado of legalizing marijuana that are now being seen in California

And much, much more!

What do you think? Do you believe weed should be legalized for both medical and recreational use, or just one or the other? Why or why not? Be sure to share your thoughts on this important and timely issue below. I look forward to hearing from you and I know we can all help each other!