HTTP/1.0 200 OK Content-Type: text/html Docs Get Their Pot Info From Patients 
Pubdate: Sat, 12 Jan 2008
Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2008 The Calgary Sun
Contact:  http://www.calgarysun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/67
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)

DOCS GET THEIR POT INFO FROM PATIENTS

OTTAWA -- Physicians who approve the use of medicinal marijuana say 
their clinical knowledge of the drug is hazy and they rely heavily on 
their patients to help them craft treatment plans.

The physicians' knowledge of medical marijuana "had most often come 
directly (in anecdotal form) from their patients' experience with the 
drug," concludes the study of physician attitudes.

"This model obscures the boundary between physician and patient and 
contravenes conventional medical practice which relies almost 
exclusively on scientific evidence-based information.

"Many physicians expressed concern about this blurring' of boundary 
between patient and doctor."

The study drew from a pool of 917 doctors nationwide who were 
involved at that time in treating patients with pot. The group was 
narrowed to 30 family doctors and specialists, with whom interviews 
were conducted. The survey is on a government website.

Overall, the group did not view marijuana as a "high risk" drug. "The 
majority agreed that the positive effects of marihuana [sic] for 
medical purposes outweighed its negative effects; the harmful effects 
of prescription drug abuse (namely narcotics) were considerably more 
of a concern and physicians maintained that marihuana was not 
physiologically addictive ," the study said.

But doctors still felt they needed to know much more about the drug, 
which, outside of authorized medicinal uses, is illegal to own, grow 
or sell in Canada.

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FAST FACTS

As of October 2007:

- - 2,261 people have Health Canada's permission to possess dried 
marijuana" for medical reasons.

- - 1,256 physicians "support" these patients.

- - 1,581 people are permitted to cultivate and produce marijuana for 
medical purposes.

Source: Health Canada
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom