Pubdate: Mon, 30 Jul 2001
Source: Fort McMurray Today (CN AB)
Copyright: 2001 Fort McMurray Today
Contact:  http://www.bowesnet.com/today/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1012
Author: Robert Ashcroft

DOCTORS CONCERNED ABOUT LEGAL MARIJUANA

Marijuana becomes a legal prescription drug this week despite concerns 
raised by medical communities across the country.

In a letter to federal Health Minister Alan Rock, Dr. Clayne Steed, 
president of the Alberta Medical Association, said the regulations coming 
into effect Tuesday "place physicians in an untenable position."

"I think that's an excellent piece of work," Dr. Al Nicholson, medical 
officer of health for the Northern Lights Health Authority, said of Steed's 
letter. "It outlines the problems very well."

In the letter, Steed said the AMA finds the new regulations unacceptable 
because: * this method of treatment is not evidence-based and has not yet 
had any rigorous testing regarding long term implications; * there are no 
clinical practice guidelines in place for the medicinal use of marijuana 
including appropriate dosage; and * physicians have no way of knowing 
product potency or consistency. Steed advised doctors to think twice before 
filling out marijuana requisition forms for patients, especially filling 
out forms that come from any source other than Health Canada.

"I just wish the federal government was as keen and eager about OKing 
things that have proper clinical studies," Nicholson said. "They should be 
approving other things a lot faster than they are marijuana."

Nicholson said the federal government is moving with "unseemly haste 
without getting good clinical advice ahead of time."
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