In 2016, new laws were created around using marijuana for medical purposes. Doctors can authorize it for a patient if they have a condition that may benefit from the use of marijuana. Currently, mental health conditions (like depression and anxiety) and learning disabilities do not qualify as one of the authorized conditions.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not recognized or approved marijuana as medicine but has approved two medicines containing synthetic (meaning human made or not from a plant) marijuana in pill form.
Even though “medical” marijuana may sound safer than “non-medical” marijuana, the drug has similar risks and health consequences whether it is used for “medical” or “non-medical” purposes.