Pubdate: Wed, 01 Mar 2006
Source: Anderson Valley Advertiser (CA)
Copyright: 2006 Anderson Valley Advertiser
Contact:  http://www.theava.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2667
Note: Titled by MAP and author of referenced article's comments appended
Author: Jeff Meyers
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n232/a08.html?296091
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Denney (Philip A. Denney, MD,)

DENNEY CONTRIBUTED TO HIS CURRENT PROBLEMS

While I loathe the feds for targeting doctors and medical marijuana 
patients, it seems to me that Dr. Philip A. Denney contributed to his 
current problems.  Fred Gardner's recent piece left me wondering why 
an undercover cop was able to easily talk his way into Denney's exam 
room? Weren't any red flags raised when the narc's cover story didn't 
check out? Couldn't Denney have taken the minimum sensible 
precautions to protect himself, such as performing a detailed exam 
instead of what appears to be a perfunctory one? Couldn't he have 
held up issuing the actual recommendation pending authentication of 
this total stranger's ID?

And for Denney to send a letter to the narc expressing shock that a 
narc would lie, earth to the good doctor: that's what they're paid to 
do. On the Internet, they make believe they're 13-year-old girls in 
order to trap pedophiles. Sure, going after you is easier than going 
after real criminals, but that's because you make it so easy. Raise 
the level of your security, standards and paranoia, and the feds 
won't be bothering you.

Jeff Meyers

Oak View, CA

FG Comments-

Bishop's letter makes some key points. Pain diagnoses are almost 
always based on the patient's account of what he or she is 
feeling.  A doctor's willingness to prescribe or recommend drugs that 
provide relief should not be influenced by fear of law enforcement... 
Jeff Meyers is a journalist and filmmaker best known for a 
documentary about Jack Herer, so I was surprised by the tone of his 
letter and its false assumptions. Denney ITAL takes a detailed 
history and performs a thorough exam. (I have observed him at work, 
with patients' consent.) The narc's cover story ITAL did END ITAL 
check out: he had a scar on his neck. It couldn't be confirmed that 
he'd had previous treatment at a hospital in Santa Clara. Several 
hospitals were phoned in vain -which shows that the office was 
conscientiously trying to get supporting documentation. The doctor 
has every right to decide that a patient's claims and physical 
evidence suffice... More on Denney's situation in C Notes.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom