A term describing the cultivation and usage of marijuana for its medicinal value. Medical marijuana is taken by patients for its therapeutic effects in alleviating pain, nausea, and to increase appetite. In California, for example, under the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act people can purchase medicinal cannabis if they have a valid recommendation from a physician. A noteworthy case involving medical marijuana is Gonzales v. Raich, in which the Supreme Court held that Congress has the authority under the Commerce Clause to regulate local growth or use of marijuana even if this conflicts with state law, as it falls under a class of activities that has a substantial effect on interstate commerce.
[Last updated in July of 2020 by the Wex Definitions Team]