Medical cannabis
Medical cannabis is used for children with severe illnesses such as cancer and epilepsy. The use of cannabis relieves the pain and is seen as a “healthier” alternative because it is less addictive than drugs such as morphine and Oxycontin. Other pain-relieving medicines that are opioids tend to cause nausea and vomiting, while cannabis reduces these side effects. Because of this, many advocates argue that if opioids are acceptable to treat a minor’s pain, then cannabis should be as well. As cannabis consumption among minors has increased, the rate at which they consume alcohol and smoke cigarettes has decreased dramatically.