Cannabis, marijuana, pot...

Cannabis laws and regulations:
international, U.S. and Canada

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International status of cannabis:

The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961) is the "... international treaty against illicit manufacture and trafficking of narcotic drugs." It include cannabis. ₁

Article 2 of the convention states that countries that are party to the convention shall:

"... if in its opinion the prevailing conditions in its country render it the most appropriate means of protecting the public health and welfare, prohibit the production, manufacture, export and import of, trade in, possession or use of any such drug except for amounts which may be necessary for medical and scientific research only, including clinical trials therewith to be conducted under or subject to the direct supervision and control of the Party." ₂

Cannabis laws in the U.S.:

According to Wikipedia:

     States with medical cannabis laws
     States with decriminalization laws
     States with both

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has concluded that:

Cannabis laws in Canada:

Although Marijuana remains a controlled substance in Canada,  "Health Canada grants access to marihuana for medical use to those who are suffering from grave and debilitating illnesses." ₄ These include relief of certain symptoms of multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, spinal cord disease, cancer, HIV/AIDS, severe forms of arthritis and epilepsy. Additional disorders and diseases are considered for individual patients "if a specialist confirms the diagnosis and that conventional treatments have failed or judged inappropriate to relieve symptoms of the medical condition." A patient can apply for permission to grow marijuana for personal use or to have someone grow it for them. ₅

In 2005-APR, Health Canada approved the use of Sativex under prescription use for the relief of neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis, Additional approval for the relief of pain caused by cancer is expected late in 2007. Sativex contains two active ingredients: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). It is derived from the cannabis plant. ₆

References used:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

1. "Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs," Wikipedia, updated 2007-AUG-15, at: http://en.wikipedia.org/
2. "Legal and medical status of cannabis," Wikipedia, updated 2007-AUR-27, at: http://en.wikipedia.org/
3. "Exposing the Myth of Smoked Medical Marijuana: Marijuana: The Facts," U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, undated, at: http://www.usdoj.gov/
4. "About Medical Marihuana," Health Canada, at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/
5. "FAQ - Medical Use of Marihuana," Health Canada, at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/
6. "Sativex," Wikipedia, updated  2007-SEP-04, at: http://en.wikipedia.org/