Dear Sir,Marijuana contains a psychoactive chemical in it called THC. It also contains 400 other chemical compounds that, make it difficult to determine if it’s truly a medical plant. Also, when smoked it can cause or worsen respiratory symptoms (bronchitis, chronic cough etc). It also impairs short term memory, motor coordination, slows reaction time, alters mood, judgement and decision making; and in some cases, can cause some people to develop anxiety (paranoia) or psychosis (loss of touch with reality). Is all this really worth it?The flip side? Could marijuana be used in the creation of FDA-approved medicines? Yes. Research continues on the possible therapeutic uses of marijuana and its active ingredients. Resulting medications show promise for treating obesity, multiple sclerosis, addiction, neuropathic pain, irritable bowel syndrome and, other conditions. So, it all depends how you look at it.This won’t be easy to explain to the average smoker though (they’ll abuse it anyway despite what people think).ANONYMOUS