POT DOCS NEED TO FOLLOW STANDARDS

In his Nov. 4 letter, "Clearing the air on Marijuana," Dr. George M.
Khoury, president of the San Joaquin Medical Society, didn't clear
the air with his justification by the San Joaquin Medical Society on
CMA's adopted policy; they created a purple haze instead.

The doctors who recommend you smoke marijuana are not following the
standards of care expected or required by state laws, licensing
requirements and medical accreditation boards including civil courts.

Here are some of the standards a doctor is expected to follow: Has
the patient misused marijuana or other psychoactive and addictive
drugs? Is there documentation that the patient has had failure of all
other conventional medications to treat his or her ailment? Do they
carefully examine and consistently follow up patients who use smoked
marijuana as a medical treatment? Is the smoked marijuana free of
microbial contaminants?

If you went to a doctor for a medical issue, wouldn't you expect them
to follow the standard of care? Is the medical society looking at the
therapeutic potentials of specific chemicals in marijuana? Are they
considering the drug approval process, not just for medical marijuana
but for all medicines and especially for controlled substances?

Controlled substances are drugs that have recognized abuse potential.
Marijuana is high on that list because it is widely abused and a
major cause of drug dependence. If Khoury and the medical society are
in an "untenable situation," why can't they just say no when a person
presents with a medical complaint and wants a card that authorizes
them to be in possession of pot.

Gary Armstrong

Past president, California Narcotics Officers Association

Lodi