Pubdate: Fri, 08 Aug 2014
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2014 The StarPhoenix
Contact: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Sharon Kirkey
Page: C9

POT PUTS DOCTORS IN TOUGH POSITION

While there "may well be" legitimate uses for medical marijuana,
doctors have been thrust into an "untenable" position by being made
the sole gatekeepers to legal pot, says the incoming head of the
Canadian Medical Association.

"We have Health Canada telling us that marijuana is not a medicine, we
have our malpractice insurance company telling us to be very cautious
because nobody is taking responsibility for the safety of it," says
Queen's University cardiologist Dr. Chris Simpson, who assumes the
helm Canada's most powerful doctors' lobby at the CMA's annual general
meeting in Ottawa later this month.

Simpson said that while he has heard "many compelling anecdotes" that
marijuana can help patients with hard to treat seizures, HIV and other
conditions, "we have people out there saying marijuana can cure
cancer, which seems quite improbable."

"Somewhere in between those two extremes is the truth, and I think we
need to find the truth, and the way to do that is with the appropriate
research."

Other issues to be tackled at the Aug. 17-20 meeting include medical
professionalism and end of life, including the highly charged debate
over euthanasia.
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MAP posted-by: Matt