Mock 27? Legalization of Marijuana in Canada

[Guest MayFlower1]

So...what do you think about the possible legalization of Marijuana in Canada? Are you for or against it? Why?

 

Peter

[Guest Nightrider]

Personally, I am all for the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes (is it already? I suddenly can't remember). A close family friend suffered greatly during chemotherapy, and found that marijuana was the only thing that could help her cope.

 

As far as other legalization goes, proponents say the marijuana is less addictive than alcohol, can be beneficial (see above), etc. I have met some people who, shall we say, use marijuana more than occasionally, and there has been a definite effect (and not for the better). However, I would say that it should be a personal choice like smoking or overindulging in alcohol, because these too have detrimental effects and yet are legal.

[Guest macdaddyeh]

I have also thought long and hard about this. I used to agree with the legalization of pot both for medical reasons and for policing reasons (I think police should be chasing murderers, rapists and armed robbers not kids with 5 grams of pot!?).

 

That said, I am extremely opposed to tobacco; second hand smoking diseases and other smoking related diseases are out of control! The OMA is currently advocating/lobbying for a no-smoking policy province wide (currently these laws are under municipal authority). Also, as a doctor you will likely be assisting people to quit smoking. I feel it would be hypocritical (not Hippocratic) to say sure take some marijuana for relief to one patient and turn around to another patient and say "stop smoking!"......Just food for thought!

 

BTW, marijuana might provide pain relief and it may not be "addictive" but its actual long term effects are questionable psychologically and physiologically (I might advocate it if someone has a terminal illness though). Marijuana DOES destroy brain cells; that is FACT. Maybe an actual med student or addiction specialist or human biology major etc could elaborate...

[Guest shutterbug]

what would you do if a patient asks for a prescription? How do you know if it'll work or even how much to prescribe. What if you suspect the patient is faking the pain and just wants to get high legally. How would you justify withholding prescription to some and not others.

 

As for the long term effects of pot. I think you (the patient) will have to weigh the benefits and side effects just like any other drug. Although, isn't it possible to extract the active ingredient and use that instead - this would avoid the smoking part of the drug administration.

[Guest macdaddyeh]

Shutterbug:

 

Well stated position. Another think I would like to add is that I don't even know how these regulations work now. Does anyone know how one actually goes about getting a prescription for pot?

[Guest UWOMED2005]

Hmm. . . sounds like some of the same issues with Benzodiazepenes (ie Valium) and Opioids. Yet we prescribe them. And they're physically addictive!

 

I think any doctor can now write a prescription for marijuana. I have NO clue about how the dosing works (Cannabis 1 joint q4d? Marijuana 1000 mg p-lungs q4d?) but I think the even bigger issue is supply. . . you can't exactly go to Shopper's drug mart now and get pot. I do understand there's a marijuana "pharmacy" in Vancouver that was established for exactly this (quasi-legally,) but I'm not sure about other parts of the country.

 

My stance is, for now, it should be ok for medicinal use. But they have to work on the lung damage thing. . . either start selling "brownies" at Shopper's Drug mart or figure out a substitute like ?nabilone? that can be taken orally. As far as recreational use - I like Britain's approach. Decriminalize, not legalize. There, they are now handing out "tickets" for possession (under a certain limit.) This would save up money to go for the "murderers, rapists and armed robbers" while not condoning marijuana use.

[Guest Nightrider]

just to clarify, the family friend I mentioned before who found marijuana helpful received in a pill form (and so didn't smoke). She is a public health nurse, and was well-acquainted with the risks. As far as prescribing goes, I would agree with UWOMED2005 that many substances now prescribed fall into the same category. What about other painkillers such as morphine and fentanyl? Those are often abused.

[Guest UWOMED2005]

Actually, our lecturer on the use of opioids (including morphine and fentanyl) suggested that when prescribed appropriately, the rate of abuse was VERY LOW. . . in several studies involving 25,000 patients (without a history of drug dependence,) there were only 7 cases of iatrogenic addiction. Not bad.

 

I didn't realize they had actual marijuana in pill form. . . what exactly is in the pills? scrunched up plant? purified THC? Or are we talking about nabilone (just checked some of my pharmacology notes!) which, as my understanding goes, is a synthetic analogue of THC.

[Guest shelleyrn]

Very interesting topic.....

 

From a medical perspective, I, for one, have seen the benefits of taking THC (Nabinol?) in pill form with people living with HIV and also, those who are going through chemotherapy. It does work for some people. I know of people who prefer to smoke it rather than take it in pill form as it seems to have better effect through inhalation.

 

Should they make it legal....absolutely. The war on drugs is being lost. From an entirely political perspective, the powers that be could have another "resource" to tax,...hey...more money for health care...I think if they send a nice little baggy to Dubya & Saddam, we might not be sitting here with a dark cloud hanging over our heads ie War.....but I digress..."Saddam, pass me the Doritos....."

 

I think I need sleep...this had begun as a somewhat intellegent answer....dreaming of my Mac acceptance letter.......zzzzz

[Guest MayFlower1]

OK...candidate "J" ...I buy your argument for medical use...but what about non-medicinal use? Should it be legalized? What impact will legalization have on the healthcare system?

 

Peter

[Guest UWOMED2005]

ShelleyRN - I think it's "Nabilone." We covered it as an anti-emetic in our pharmacology course. . . it's a synthetic analogue of THC, but I wasn't sure if that's what they were talking about when prescribing "marijuana."

 

Mayflower1 - you talking to me? I think I did comment on that question above. . . I agree with what they've done in Britain (ie ticket for possession, not jail time.) My understanding is that the government almost put that into effect, but pressure from the US kept them from going through with it.

[Guest shelleyrn]

Thanks UWO2005....I agree, there is a difference in terms of the actual route of administration (both legally and medically). I agree with both...as I had stated, some people find inhalation more effective than the oral form. The problem being is concentrations of THC in the actual grown cannabis....can that be standardized somehow? Here in Manitoba, they (the Feds) were growing a test crop in an abandoned mine in Flin Flon. They had some difficulty in the aforementioned standardization of THC levels.

 

Some posters stated that they would be averse to prescribing it, as it falls into the smoking, etc category. Would further harm be done to that patient? What would be the outcome of the quality of that patient's life be without medical marijuana? As a practitioner, if you had difficulty with this, you may want to refer your patient to someone that may be more comfortable with this form of treatment, BEFORE, of course, exploring other "legal" options...ie. granisetron hydrochloride, maxeran, etc.

 

Again, my humble opinion...Shelley

[Guest MayFlower1]

UWOMED2005,

 

Nope...I wasn't specifically talking to you. I was just interested in people's opinions of using pot in general and what impact they believe it might have on the health of the Canadian population and the medical system (relative to today where it is illegal) if pot were to become legalized.

 

Peter

[Guest UWOMED2005]

Sorry. . . didn't mean to be narcissistic. The use of Candidate "J" kind of threw me!

[Guest MayFlower1]

Sorry...UOMEDS2005,

 

Candidate "J", was referring to candidate "joint" ... candidate "j-bar" ... candidate "jelly head" ... candidate "joo think you're going to get into med school this year?" :rolleyes

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

 

P.S. When are you back in the big "O"? I'd like to take you out for a beer or 20....

[Guest UWOMED2005]

I'd love to, but it may be a while. Our school year ends in June. . . I think I might be in Ottawa for some electives this summer.

[Guest MayFlower1]

Definitely give me a call when you're in town...I can bring you through my wife's clinic and introduce you to her and her business partner...you'll want to meet them...

 

Peter

 

P.S. email me at peterhill16@hotmail.com so I can give you my new email address...

[Guest bcdentalgirl]

You forgot my personal favorite: "magic J-bone"!

[Guest MayFlower1]

bcdentalgirl,

 

Oh my GOD...I don't believe I forgot that one

 

Pete