This is similar to the question Mitt Romney asked Clayton Holton, referring to the FDA-approved pill Marinol, a drug designed to replicate marijuana's medicinal benefits.  "It makes me sick; it makes me throw up," Clayton explained.

Some patients do find relief with Marinol, which contains Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that has been synthesized in a lab.  However, many do not, and the drug is very expensive.  THC is only one active compound in marijuana, and scientists are only beginning to learn about the complex relationships between THC and other cannabinoids.

Even if an effective marijuana pill can one day be developed, smoked or vaporized marijuana will still be essential medicine for patients suffering from extreme nausea.  For many, including cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, there can be no substitute for the rapid onset of relief provided by inhalation; pills are useless unless the patient is able to keep them down.