Should people be allowed to legally use medical marijuana?

Doctors are trusted to make decisions about their patients. We already trust doctors to safely and correctly prescribe many dangerous and extremely addictive drugs. Why can't we let doctors prescribe an arguably safer remedy, marijuana? Why isn't it OK to trust doctors with discretion in the case of marijuana but OK to let them decide who needs Oxycontin?

I wanted to add that I'm on the side of legalizing it and feel really lucky to live in a medical marijuana state--New Mexico. Just wanted to see what people think. I also think Oxycontin is a useful but horrible drug after watching many friends struggle with an addiction that is worse than heroin.

The pharmaceutical industry puts a lot of money into lobbing against decriminalization. Their motive is profit. They manufacture synthetic products. They don't own farms on which to cultivate marijuana.

The fact that doctors can prescribe an array of mood-altering, physically addictive, and potentially lethal synthetics; and not, in most states, marijuana, is an oxymoron. And, frankly, ridiculous. I do not think it's okay, and neither do a growing number of folks.

We spent a lot of time and money in the US putting people through the court system and into jail for few grams of pot. Though the DEA makes money on seizes, the individual states are spending their money on prosecuting the vast majority of controlled substance cases, stretching the resources needed for actual criminals. (The vast majority of cases are for possession and very low-level distribution. These people don't have yachts to seize.) And that's not okay, either.

because oxycontin is a legal pharmaceutical. Marijuana is illegal. Only like seven people in the US can legally smoke and its because of some extremely rare disease that nothing but pot can help. It's just another of the BS policies. A safer remedy wouldn't work, that's why pain meds are are so strong, sothat they work and make the pain go away. But bc, they work, they are addictive. A person gets used to being painfree and the "disorientation and drowsiness" side effects that are actually kind of euphoric, and then you need it. Your body needs it because it has adapted to rely on the chemicals. But the chemicals work to relieve the pain. Its usually the side effects that are addictive.You still feel pain if you smoke pot. A lot of times, if the person has glaucoma or HIV or cancer, they will prescribe a pill form of THC (which is legal) and it will stimulate appetite and pretty much keep a person hungry so that they don't die of starvation. My uncle had cancer and dropped down to like 110 lbs. bc he couldn't eat bc of the sickness from chemo. He had stopped smoking pot years before, but his wife suggested he try it again. He did and he gained like 60 lbs in the few months after and the doctor said (unofficially of course) that it was a good thing and that he should keep doing it.
So, considering my uncle's use of it, I would say that yes it should be used medically. but if it is legalized for that, it would be just like it is now. People 'hospital hopping' to get prescriptions to take or sell. It would be a mad house. and a major problem because the people who actually needed it couldn't get it or would have a really hard time getting it. So I guess you could still use it medically, just not legally.

The only thing holding us back is the drug industry and law enforcement. They are both making huge profits off it being illegal.
Marijuana has been proven less harmful than any other approved drug on the market and is beneficial to people with a number of ailments.

Because if they do that it really would be a lot of violence going on...Its seems like the more one achieve, its always one that try to achieve too instead of making their own goals. People will be trying to do anytime to get that prescription filled....

Yes...and it is legal in twelve states
http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3391

mostly west /west coast
the west is the best
and piss on the rest

It's already legal in several states.

We should be allowed to use it period... medical or not