Pubdate: Thu, 25 Aug 2016
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Pamela Fayerman
Page: 6

DOCTORS WEIGH IN ON PM'S POT PLANS

BAD IDEA: Physicians say marijuana is far from harmless and legalizing
it will drive up health-care costs

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked doctors for their opinions on the
Liberals' promised legalization of the recreational use of marijuana.

He's about to hear an earful from them.

At one of the final sessions of the annual meeting of the Canadian
Medical Association in Vancouver on Wednesday, delegates aired their
concerns. Among them: The fact a psychoactive drug is being
legitimized to the point where the public thinks it's a benign
substance; the fact marijuana affects brain development, not just in
the young but into the 60s; that there is no solid evidence it's safe
and effective as a medical treatment, so using the term 'medical
marijuana' is a misnomer.

Marijuana can be prescribed for medical purposes in Canada, but it's
still illegal for recreational use, although numerous doctors
attending the conference commented on the ubiquitous smell of cannabis
every time they went outside the Westin Bayshore where the annual
meeting has been held. As one doctor noted: "It's ironic we're having
a convention here in Vancouver - the cannabis capital of Canada -
where there's already a plethora of marijuana storefronts."

Jeff Blackmer, the CMA vice-president of professional affairs, said
after the feds announced plans to legalize marijuana, the CMA was
asked to collect the views of the profession, so an electronic poll
was recently done, eliciting nearly 800 responses. Poll findings include:

* Doctors think it's a bad idea to have marijuana sold in pharmacies
and they want the federal government to ensure the quantity of THC is
labelled and even regulated.

* Sixty-five per cent of doctors disagree with mail service being used
to distribute non-medical marijuana, and 57 per cent disagree with
pharmacies being used for distribution. Fifty-six per cent think
existing non-health care structures like liquor stores should sell it
and 47 per cent think legal storefronts (dispensaries) are suitable
for the purpose.

* Doctors are split on whether people should be allowed to grow their
own non-medical marijuana.

* Asked where people should be allowed to consume marijuana, 80 per
cent said their homes, 36 per cent said designated public places and
43 per cent said wherever tobacco is permitted.

* Forty-five per cent of doctors said Canadians over the age of 21
should be able to buy legal marijuana and 35 per cent said the age
should be 18 or 19.

* Seventy-two per cent said government should regulate THC levels in
non-medical marijuana.

Dr. Barb Blumenauer of Kamloops said children have required intensive
care unit admissions, and mechanical breathing support for comas and
seizures from using marijuana. She called for the establishment of a
national database to measure hospitalizations.

"It's a misnomer that marijuana is a harmless substance."

She said that is certainly not the case with children, adding that
B.C. has seen pediatric poisoning cases, seizures and comas.

Ottawa obstetrician/gynecologist Jennifer Blake said she can't recall
another drug that's been licensed and legalized with "such little
evidence." She said that when the CMA makes its submission to the
federal government, it should stress the need for quality research and
long-term post-market monitoring.

Dr. Larry Barzelai, a family doctor in Vancouver, said at least once a
week he gets requests from patients to give them exemptions so they
can buy medical marijuana but "I don't have any guidelines" from the
CMA.

A palliative care physician from New Brunswick said the discussion
gave her the distinct impression that doctors aren't happy about the
Liberals' plans and don't like where it's all going. "Unfortunately,
our patients do." A psychiatrist said the CMA should propose the
government restricts marijuana to those 25 and older.

Doctors said that, while marijuana can cause anxiety and paranoia,
addiction, decreased cognition, behavioural problems and impaired
driving, the fact that the government has promised to legalize it
means they can only try to persuade the government to anticipate the
effects on current and future health system costs, to protect public
safety and ensure there is surveillance.

Vancouver's Dr. Janice Wong said: "If you're stoned, you are at high
risk of making poor decisions." She wants to make sure the federal
government knows it can expect impaired driving cases.

Doctors were divided on whether people should be allowed to grow their
own marijuana. Eighty per cent believed people should be able to
consume marijuana in their own homes but a majority felt recreational
use shouldn't be permitted in designated public places.

The CMA will now prepare a submission to the federal government.
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MAP posted-by: Matt