The US Government has a patent on Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants (Thank you, Lucy!)
No medical value. Liars!!! in 2001 The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services (Washington, DC) filed a patent claiming Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants!
US Patent 6630507B:
In Part:Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns pharmaceutical compounds and compositions that are useful as tissue protectants, such as neuroprotectants and cardioprotectants. The compounds and compositions may be used, for example, in the treatment of acute ischemic neurological insults or chronic neurodegenerative diseases.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Permanent injury to the central nervous system (CNS) occurs in a variety of medical conditions, and has been the subject of intense scientific scrutiny in recent years. It is known that the brain has high metabolic requirements, and that it can suffer permanent neurologic damage if deprived of sufficient oxygen (hypoxia) for even a few minutes. In the absence of oxygen (anoxia), mitochondrial production of ATP cannot meet the metabolic requirements of the brain, and tissue damage occurs. This process is exacerbated by neuronal release of the neurotransmitter glutamate, which stimulates NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate), AMPA (.alpha.-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate) and kainate receptors. Activation of these receptors initiates calcium influx into the neurons, and production of reactive oxygen species, which are potent toxins that damage important cellular structures such as membranes, DNA and enzymes.
The brain has many redundant blood supplies, which means that its tissue is seldom completely deprived of oxygen, even during acute ischemic events caused by thromboembolic events or trauma. A combination of the injury of hypoxia with the added insult of glutamate toxicity is therefore believed to be ultimately responsible for cellular death. Hence if the additive insult of glutamate toxicity can be alleviated, neurological damage could also be lessened. Anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory agents have been proposed to reduce damage[cutoff], but they often have poor access to structures such as the brain (which are protected by the blood brain barrier).
In my opinion: The Dept of Health and Human Services KNOWS that pot can CURE Brain cancers, and even help immensely with stroke recovery and Alzheimer's and OTHER wasting neurological disorders: and they are actively suppressing research into the helpful effects of pot with the aid of federal agencies like NIMH and DEA and NIDA - i.e. they are SITTING on IT!!!
They need to protect the huge profits of the pharmaceutical and medical fields - their biggest donors - because if people were not as sick ... the pharmaceutical industry wouldn't make the huge profits that they do make! What would happen to pharmaceutical companies if word got out that you could grow a plant, in your backyard, that would stop your child from having severe life-threatening seizures / or ameliorate severe chronic pain / or cure cancers? Nixon Decreed "Marijuana has No Medical value" in 1973 to delay - as long as possible - research into the medical benefits of MMJ ... at the command of the big donors in the pharmaceutical fields!!!
Dr. Sanjay Gupta recently APOLOGIZED to the American public: for having parroted the lies big government had fed him, and the rest of the medical industry, over marijuana's medical values.
See: Weed 2: Cannabis Madness
Also, see the report he released a year earlier that really opened his eyes to the lies the DEA is spouting:Dr Sanjay Gupta's CNN Special "WEED"
Whether you are as healthy as you can be, or not, is not as important to the government as is keeping up the steady supply of sick people to doctors, and hospitals ( - Oh and PLEASE keep billions of federal dollars flowing to the drug companies! - ) for their wealthy cronies!
As long as they can "prove" how harmful pot is, and keep it out of the hands of the people who need it most, they are safe from any all-natural competition to their filthy profits. Filthy because they profit from other people's suffering needlessly. They, themselves, will see to it that the NEED for pharmaceuticals grows every year - and that means stamping out pot!!!!!!
So, the Obama administration still spends $200,000 of taxpayers money - a day - prosecuting medical marijuana dispensaries in states where the state has deemed it legal - redoubling their doomed efforts to stamp it out!!!!
But The federal government DOES NOT want you to Know that they have already patented one known medical benefit of marijuana ... and that they are actively doing everything they can to suppress and DELAY new medicines derived from, and new research into, the known and unknown medical benefits of marijuana!
Oh, And PLEASE Note the Federal government's policy to Keep legal, and to tax, and making freely accessible (Even subsidizing production of!!!), known health risks such as Alcohol and Tobacco: while spending every penny they can villainizing, and keeping away from the people, marijuana!!!
SURE, they have your best interests at heart! (And I've got a lovely suspension bridge in Brooklyn I'll sell you the deed to ... 
)
How else can the US Government continue to claim marijuana has "No Medical Value" - and still put thousands of people a day in jail for touching this harmless plant - if not in the name of their great god MONEY?!??
Mind your Manners! Politeness is a Virtue here.