on November 2, 2013
This week on White Coat Black Art: Medical marijuana -- the new system for providing it to Canadians and why much of organized medicine wants no part of it - even though thousands of patients are clamouring for it. A chronic pain specialist in Calgary tells Brian she's worried about being asked to give patients drug that may not be safe or effective. The head of the Canadian Medical Association agrees, but is hopeful the government will heed the warnings from MDs to "get it right.' Brian also talks to one doctor who wholeheartedly embraced the drug and signed 4,000 forms that Health Canada previously required of people who wanted to consume or grow the drug. He's now facing serious criminal charges - but says he'd do it all again. Then, one of the few researchers in Canada to study the drug says the regulations are a positive step forward.
Under the old system set up in 2001, medical marijuana users had to get approval from a doctor and then they could grow their own plants under a special license or have it supplied by Health Canada.
With the new system set to come online, MDs and in some cases nurse practitioners will simply give their approval and patients can take that directly to a large-scale private grower.
Dr. Lori Montgomery, a chronic pain specialist in Calgary is so wary of medical weed that she's sounding a warning. She says we might end up repeating the mistakes of the past if we aren't careful.
Dr. Louis Franscescutti, the head of the Canadian Medical Association tells Brian that asking doctors to write prescriptions for marijuana under the new rules is "akin to having a blindfold on."
While many doctors are skeptical, others have embraced medical marijuana whole-heartedly. Beginning in 2009, Dr. Robert Kamermans signed forms for about 4,000 patients who wanted to use or grow medical marijuana. As a result, he is now up on criminal charges and could lose his license.
Finally, Montreal's Dr. Mark Ware one of Canada's foremost authorities on medical marijuana asks his colleagues to "look deeply into their souls" to help patients who might need the drug.
You can read or listen on https://www.facebook.com/Canadian420nurses
Under the old system set up in 2001, medical marijuana users had to get approval from a doctor and then they could grow their own plants under a special license or have it supplied by Health Canada.
With the new system set to come online, MDs and in some cases nurse practitioners will simply give their approval and patients can take that directly to a large-scale private grower.
Dr. Lori Montgomery, a chronic pain specialist in Calgary is so wary of medical weed that she's sounding a warning. She says we might end up repeating the mistakes of the past if we aren't careful.
Dr. Louis Franscescutti, the head of the Canadian Medical Association tells Brian that asking doctors to write prescriptions for marijuana under the new rules is "akin to having a blindfold on."
While many doctors are skeptical, others have embraced medical marijuana whole-heartedly. Beginning in 2009, Dr. Robert Kamermans signed forms for about 4,000 patients who wanted to use or grow medical marijuana. As a result, he is now up on criminal charges and could lose his license.
Finally, Montreal's Dr. Mark Ware one of Canada's foremost authorities on medical marijuana asks his colleagues to "look deeply into their souls" to help patients who might need the drug.
You can read or listen on https://www.facebook.com/Canadian420nurses
1 Liked
1 person likes this.
Sponsored
