Although it is clear that the U.S. Government is aware  of the fact that marijuana has medical qualities, it refuses to recognize it as such, with its continuing classification of it as a Schedule one narcotic (which as you read above are highly addictive and shown to have no medical benefit or harmful to the point of lethality) in fact, in 2003 the USA's Government as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services was awarded a patent on cannabinoids as antioxidants and nueroprotectants, U.S. Patent number 6630507  The patent states that unequivocally that " Cannabinoids are useful in the prevention and treatment of a wide variety of diseases including: Stroke, Trauma, Autoimmune disorders, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's and HIV related dementia." Today many people are asking " Why the US Government refuses to admit that marijuana is a medicine, and reschedule it so it can be legally prescribed in any firm including plant or pill?" Some believe that it is a attempt to "monopolize the cannabis market". Others say it is a result of the need of the government to "remain loyal to large financial backers such as the alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceutical industries." After all these industries do spend millions of dollars each year lobbying to keep marijuana illegal.