Life does not end with a stage IV diagnosis (really!)

There are also several threads on the alternative and complementary forums regarding medical marijuana in various forms. Yes, it is a plant that anyone can grow, however a pharmaceutical company can produce and patent active ingredients in various forms or various delivery systems. Although, state by state varying degrees of legality exist, on a federal level it is still illegal. When enough scientific research exists (not only efficacy, but strengths and dosing standards) and if/when the federal government changes the legal status, I feel quite certain that pharmaceutical companies will get into the game.

Case in point, we have a hugely lucrative trade in opiate based drugs that thrives on both the black market and the legal pharmaceutical market. When the federal government changes the status of marijuana, it's easy to envision the same type of thing occurring. You can indeed patent delivery systems with dosages based on research based science. If we didn't have plant based pharmaceuticals we'd be without a lot of drugs! I believe that saying that marijuana will never be adopted by the pharmaceutical companies because it's a plant, is an old meme which doesn't hold water anymore