Marijuana and its medical wonders in treating various conditions immensely helped in removing the usual negative correlation of marijuana to substance abuse. In fact, studies are being undergone to use marijuana in response to the ongoing pandemic on AH1N1 virus.

Marijuana has already been found effective in treating the likes of AIDS, anorexia, cancer, severe nausea and other serious medical conditions where marijuana provides relief. People with this disease can come to the California medical marijuana program so that they can be issued medical marijuana identification card.

The state of California is one of those who recognized marijuana’s medical significance and has created a medical marijuana program. This program was established so that qualified patients or their caregivers would voluntarily register.

The card authorizes the patient to use marijuana as treatment for their disease. Apart from the patient themselves, their caregivers may also be issued the identification card by the medical marijuana program. Confidentiality of personal information regarding the program is imposed.

Applicants for this identification card need only to provide proof of identity, residency in California and of course the medical proof that they are to be treated with marijuana.

However, there is one thing that the medical marijuana program cannot do for these patients. The marijuana program is not authorized by law to provide the marijuana to be used by the patient. Neither does it allowed to provide information about where to get one.

Initiatives are now being done to address the need for a safe and regulated dispensation of marijuana. The state of California proposes a law where in the federal and state will implement a plan for marijuana distribution to patients.

This proposed measures will significantly increase the function of the medical marijuana programs. When this bill is enacted into law, the program would not be limited to just identifying those patients who need marijuana as treatment by just issuing identification cards.

In the past, the use of marijuana is strongly opposed and prohibited. Nowadays, perhaps because of its medical importance and applications, citizens seem likely to agree in relaxing existing laws with regards to marijuana use. Lobbyist like the Marijuana Project Policy has been exerting its campaign to legislation. Even California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks its time to debate the legalization of marijuana not just for medical purposes but also for recreation.

But before that, patients are hoping that medical marijuana program such as that of California be empowered to dispense regulated amount of marijuana in order for them to access the drug whenever their treatment requires one.

They are counting on lawmakers to prioritize their plight. Once, the program is allowed to directly dispense marijuana on demand, only then can the medical marijuana program can really be useful and be considered a success.