Pubdate: Tue, 14 Jan 2014
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2014 Al King
Contact: 
http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-editor.html
Website: http://www.calgaryherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Al King
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n034/a08.html

LOTS OF QUESTIONS

Re: "Canada doesn't need to be a nation of potheads," Naomi Lakritz, 
Opinion, Jan. 10.

This was a well-written and important column. As a grandparent, I'm
concerned that, with all the media coverage about the legalization of
marijuana in Colorado and other U.S. states, our young people will
conclude there's nothing wrong with smoking marijuana.

Since our federal government allows doctors to prescribe marijuana, it
must be OK, right? Wrong!

Those who want to better understand what we know and don't know about
this substance should check out the CBC website for a regular radio
program, White Coats, Black Art. It covers medical issues and the
moderator is Dr. Brian Goldman.

He had an illuminating program about medical marijuana and interviewed
several notables, including the head of the Canadian Medical
Association and Dr. Laurie Montgomery, medical director of the Chronic
Pain Centre in Calgary.

He also had an interesting interview with a doctor in rural Ontario
who wrote over 4,000 prescriptions for "medical" marijuana for which
he charged from $100 (if done in his office) to $250 (if done in a
local motel). He is under investigation.

Goldman concludes by saying that "we know little about the safety and
efficacy of marijuana."

Al King, Calgary 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D