Meical cannabis refers to the use of the drug cannabis as a physician-recommended herbal therapy, most notably as an antiemetic (to treat vomiting and nausea). So far, the medical use of cannabis is legal only in a limited number of territories, including Canada, Belgium, Australia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Spain, and U.S. states of California, Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. This usage generally requires a prescription, and distribution is usually done within a framework defined by local laws.