The research into the medicinal properties of marijuana has, of course, been ongoing. According to Dr. Elaine Burns, medical director at Southwest Medical Marijuana Evaluation Center, the active ingredients in marijuana, THC and CBD, already are recognized as having different medicinal properties. We're not going to get strains that are specific to specific diseases, Burns said. In most cases, you want to dial down the THC to minimize the psychoactive component, which some people see as a negative. Using that theory, she added, has produced positive results. For example, marijuana containing high levels of CBD (cannibodial) and low levels of THC have been effective in reducing seizures while minimizing the drug's high. This aspect of marijuana research is critical to decisions on how marijuana can aid in the treatment of a variety of ailments.
