Pubdate: Mon, 11 Aug 2014
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Marc Wayne
Page: A11

MDS NEED FACTS ON CANNABIS

Re: Doctors left in ' untenable' position on medical marijuana, says 
CMA president elect, Aug. 8

Dr. Chris Simpson, incoming president of the Canadian Medical 
Association, made some important points regarding medicinal cannabis. 
By default, doctors have been made the "gatekeepers" for the legal, 
legitimate use of cannabis for medical purposes. Patients look to 
their doctors for guidance on managing their health conditions, 
including options such as medicinal cannabis.

Dr. Simpson is correct that cannabis is different from other 
treatment options. It is regulated by Health Canada separately from 
traditional prescription medicines, and while there is a growing body 
of clinical research on the therapeutic benefits and the risks of 
cannabis, it is still less than exists for many prescription drugs.

However, thousands of Canadian patients are already authorized to 
receive medicinal cannabis for conditions such as chronic pain, side- 
effects from cancer chemotherapy, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and 
other illnesses. The number of patients will continue to grow. And 
they will continue to look to their physicians for guidance on how to 
use cannabis as safely and effectively as possible.

To that end, it is vital that doctors have access to the latest 
information regarding medicinal cannabis, and that licensed cannabis 
producers both play by the regulatory rules and continue to invest in 
both physician education and clinical research.

Marc Wayne President and CEO Bedrocan Canada, Inc. ( Bedrocan Canada 
is a Health Canada-licensed producer of medicinal cannabis)
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom