Marinol Medicine is designed to treat the sick and the injured. Its function is to either treat a condition or to better severe symptoms from a medical or physical condition. Some medicines, when first introduced, are controversial because of the ingredients that are used. In the modern era, Marinol has become the subject of heated debate over whether or not it should be provided to patients. Despite the fact that it has been proven to help people when other medications have failed, there are still some places where the medication cannot be gotten simply because it contains a synthetic form of a substance which is illegal in most states. Marinol is not made from an illegal material, but a synthetic version which replicates the effects of that illegal substance. The drug Marinol is a brand name of a medication which is a synthetic form of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC which is dissolved in sesame oil (Mack & Joy 2001,-page 142). This material, also known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is the primary psychoactive material in the cannabis plant. Dronabinol is the generic name for Marinol which is available in the western world as a medical treatment for pain management and nausea suppressant in people with chronic or serious illnesses. People who have not had success with other medications or treatments have turned to the use of Marinol to help them survive or to ease their final days in the case of a terminal condition. It is not marijuana but a synthetic form of the same active...

There are many medical conditions for which Marinol can help patients. It is most often prescribed to patients in order to treat the nausea and vomiting that accompanies chemotherapy treatments. It is usually only prescribed when other medications to treat such conditions have proven unsuccessful in the alleviation of symptoms. Some patients who suffer from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) receive the medication in order to treat loss of appetite and severe weight loss known as cachexia (Armentano 2005). There are also recorded instances where the drug was used to treat other symptoms and conditions. Besides cancer and AIDS, Marinol has been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, severe anxiety, and in patients with chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia (Loughlin & Generali 2006,-page 40). Marinol has been found to help these patients, but not as much as natural cannabis. Some patients do not respond to Marinol, but do respond well to the cannabis in its non-synthetic form. Actual marijuana has been shown to the be the most effective means of treating nausea, vomiting, and drastic weight loss in seriously ill individuals (Institute 2002,-page 24). Another reason for the difference is that Marinol only synthesizes tetrahydro-cannabinol whereas marijuana also contains "naturally occurring terpenoids (oils) and flavonoids (phenols)" which further help patients in their illness (Armentano 2005).
As with any medication, there are some potential side effects of using Marinol, some of them highly unsettling. Among the most prolific side effect experienced by patients was a "cannabinoid dose-related high" which included a feeling of elation and constant unmotivated laughing by the patient (Marinol 2012). In addition, about one-third of patients with AIDS report that while on the medication they had negative reactions involving their central nervous systems. This leads to tremors, heart palpitations, and other issues with the nervous system. Other side effects of the drug Marinol include but are not limited to: seizures and convulsions, paranoia or extreme fear, a fast heart rate, a light-headed feeling, fainting,…