Can marijuana be used as a medicine/supplement?

Assalaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuhu

Can a person use marijuana or such things as a prescription drug recommended by a doctor for the treatment of a certain sickness?

And can a person use marijuana or such things as a supplement for better health care like using vitamin and mineral tablets daily?

Wa Alaikum Assalaam,

Marijuana is not permissible to use just as it is not permissible to use intoxicants. Hence, when it becomes part of a drug/medication, then that drug/medication will be considered as having unlawful substance in it.

If a doctor recommends such medicine which comprises of unlawful substances, then he should be told by the Muslim patient that such medications are unlawful for him, and he should recommend another drug/medicine which is free from such substances. Today, there are countless drugs/medications available in the market which are free from unlawful substances. A Muslim is required to search and find out about such medications before turning to anything that contains unlawful substances.

If however, a person suffers from such a sickness/illness and no other medication/drug can cure such sickness except that which has some unlawful substance, then it will be permissible to use this to the extent of necessity when it has been officially prescribed by a genuine and reliable doctor as the only drug to help cure the sickness.

Seeing that marijuana is an illegal drug, it is highly unlikely that a doctor may recommend this to a patient. If he recommends it, then this cannot bring about an allowance to use it, since the doctor’s recommendation means that he is simply suggesting that it can be used or maybe helpful. A recommendation does not indicate that such a drug is the only thing to use and there is no alternative. One must therefore be careful in this matter.

It will be unlawful to use marijuana or any other similar haram/unlawful thing as a supplement for better health care. This does not bring about good health nor does it bring benefits to one’s health. It is very harmful to a person and hence, should not be used. There are many vitamin and mineral tablets that can be used which are lawful and permissible.

And Allah Knows Best.

Mufti Waseem Khan.

11/01/17.