Marijuana Now

Marijuana is starting to feel like the new normal. In less than 25 years, it’s gone from illicit drug to accepted medical treatment in more than half the country — plus cannabis is now legal recreationally in 10 states.

It’s been a stunning transformation — one that’s thrust weed (and us) into a brand new reality. On this episode, we tackle some of the questions that have popped up along the way. How “medical” are those medical dispensaries, really? What are the risks for pregnant women and their babies? And what’s weed’s power and potential for abuse?

Also heard on this week’s episode:

• Medical marijuana is now legal in 33 states — but are we really treating it like other drugs?
• You’ve heard of CBD and THC — but what are they, and what do they do? Emergency room physician Avir Mitra gets a refresher course.
• Doctors say marijuana’s a no-no for moms-to-be — but for some, it’s a big help for pregnancy-related nausea. We hear from moms in Los Angeles about what it’s like using while expecting.
• We venture inside the kitchen of an edibles chef in Philadelphia, who says weed-infused goodies help her create community.
• Researcher and pediatrician Karen Wilson from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai says we don’t know enough about the potential health risks of second-hand marijuana smoke on kids.
• The mother of an autistic son says medical marijuana helped ease her son’s violent outbursts.