In recent years, medical marijuana has made a rapid spread across the U.S. as more states adopt legislation allowing for its use.

With 23 states currently allowing their residents to legally use marijuana for its medicinal properties, more people than ever before understand the benefits it can have. In fact, an astonishing 83% of Americans polled currently support prescribing medical marijuana to individuals who would benefit from it.

However, there are still many myths and inaccuracies that pervade society on the topic of medical marijuana — and the things you may have heard could be based in misconception. To get the story straight on medical marijuana, here’s a list of the three most common myths that exist today, along with the realities many people don’t know:

Myth 1: Medicinal marijuana use gets you high.

Fact: Medical marijuana strains are typically cultivated to strengthen the plant’s medicinal properties and to reduce the amount of cannabinoids responsible for getting people high. So when an individual uses medical marijuana, the medicine he or she takes will not have enough THC to result in a high.

Myth 2: There’s no proof on the medicinal benefits of marijuana.

Fact: Did you know that more than 20,000 scientific studies have been conducted on the effects of medicinal marijuana use? With many more studies to come, there is a huge body of literature regarding marijuana’s medicinal benefits. It has been shown to alleviate everything from chemotherapy side effects to improving one’s mood and increasing appetite.

Myth 3: Medicinal marijuana leads to dependence.

Fact: Medical marijuana patients are very unlikely to become dependent on it. In fact, only about 10% of people who use marijuana at all will develop a dependence. This is significantly lower than the addiction rate of prescription drugs used to treat some of the same illnesses and conditions that medical marijuana can treat. Even more amazing? There are zero recorded deaths in the entire world that stem from marijuana use — it’s virtually impossible to overdose on it.

What are some other myths you believed about medical marijuana? Want to know more about the facts on medical marijuana? Share your thoughts and ask any questions you may have by leaving a comment below.