Pubdate: Wed, 09 May 2001 Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON) Copyright: 2001, Canoe Limited Partnership. Contact: http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoSun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457 Author: Dick Chapman DOCTORS FUMING ABOUT MEDICAL POT PLAN Don't hold your breath waiting for Canadian doctors to jump on board Ottawa's medical-marijuana bandwagon. The Canadian Medical Association is already balking at a draft federal plan to expand medical access to smoked marijuana. In a submission to Health Canada over draft regulations to be in place by July 15, the CMA says too much about smoked marijuana is still unknown. Doctors don't want to be forced to prescribe smoked marijuana to patients, the CMA says, because the draft regulations will hold them legally and professionally responsible for a virtually untested form of the drug. "The CMA is unable to support the regulations in their present form," the submission says. It's 'Addictive' The brief, signed by association president Dr. Peter Barrett, a Saskatchewan surgeon, cites many "fundamental" concerns about widening legal access to pot. "Marijuana is an herb, and as such can be considered a natural health product," it says. "Unlike many natural health products, however, marijuana is an addictive substance, is known to have psychoactive effects and in its smoked form, is harmful to health. We are concerned, as well, about the broader social implications of marijuana as a medicine and its potential impact on one's ability to function at home or at work." The federal draft rules describe a "catch-all category" of candidate illnesses which are not defined, the CMA complains. "The CMA is concerned that physicians may come under pressure from patients ... who are seeking psychoactive drugs for predominantly recreational purposes," it says. Doctors should not have to be involved in the supply chain, the CMA argues. The draft rules call for doctors to approve pot patients for possession permits, and even approve patients or their agents to grow pot. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth