Finding a family doctor who is right for all the needs of all of your family members can sometimes be tricky. The right doctor will be able to diagnose and treat the obvious ailments that arise such as sickness and injury, but these days many people are looking for more than the bare minimum. We live in an age of advanced medical discoveries and developments, but we also live in a time of countless disorders, new diseases, and troublesome illnesses. Consider these statistics:

• In the United States, 40 million individuals 18 years old and above account for 18% of the American population, which is the number affected by the most frequently diagnosed mental illness: anxiety disorders.
• More than 80% of the population afflicted with depression never seek out the help of a professional.
• Alcohol is considered to be the main drug problem in the United States, and over 10% of kids in America live with a mother or father who has alcohol problems.

So the need for doctors who can treat a wide scope of issues is a very real one. And one of the latest controversies involving healthcare is whether or not, in issuing a medical marijuana card doctors are being progressive or irresponsible.

How does cannabis help improve health?

Doctors who prescribe medical marijuana could be doing so for any number of reasons. It is often used to lessen the unpleasant nausea and vomiting brought on by chemotherapy. It is also used to develop the appetites of those suffering from HIV and AIDS. As it is a relaxant, it is also used to manage chronic pain and severe muscle spasms. In prescribing a medical marijuana card doctors are giving patients who have little to no control over their ailment the opportunity to seize some control over their bodies on a daily basis. It is not a license to use recklessly, though it is said that overuse of marijuana rarely leads to the same catastrophic outcomes that alcohol abuse can produce.

When giving out a medical marijuana card doctors are hoping to make the life of a patient more manageable. Chances are, if you’re on the fence about medical marijuana use, speaking to a patient who has experienced pain without it, and how life is different with the prescribed medical marijuana, it won’t take long to understand why it’s not only a good idea, but sometimes even necessary.