The medical use of marijuana provokes sharp controversy outside the scientific community. If marijuana is made medically available, however, the quantities prescribed are likely to be minuscule compared with what is sold on the black market. In this sense, the medical use of marijuana poses no threat to drug control. Nonetheless, the debate over the medical use of marijuana has taken on a symbolic significance for drug policy reformers, even though research shows marijuana has therapeutic potential. Further research is recommended on biomedical views about marijuana's medical benefits in relation to political concerns. It is concluded that the Federal Government's extreme stance against legislation seeking to legalize the medical use of marijuana may be self-defeating and that marijuana may benefit patients with advanced AIDS and terminal cancer. At the same time, however, the need to protect young people from the harmful effects of marijuana is acknowledged. 6 references and 1 figure