CANCER PATIENTS WILLING TO TRY MARIJUANA

Pot May Not Benefit Everyone, MD Tells Conference

ALTHOUGH marijuana may do nothing for many cancer patients, significant numbers
of Winnipeggers who are battling the disease are still willing to smoke up.

Winnipeg oncologist Dr. Paul Daeninck, the incoming president of the Canadian
Society of Palliative Care Physicians, said about 10 per cent of his patients
have asked about it, and another 10 per cent have tried it and found some
benefit.

Daeninck said tests have shown that cannabinoids -- compounds of marijuana, or
cannabis -- can help in the treatment of some symptoms, but it's not clear that
cannabis in its smokable form is as effective.

"We don't know enough about the smoke stuff to say, 'Sure, smoke this joint,' "
Daeninck said. "But we do know with cannabinoids it will help nausea and weight
loss... and for palliative care, it helps in pain area and nausea. But for
appetite stimulation, the jury is still out.

"For multiple sclerosis, it seems to help with pain and the spasms... the
evidence toward pain is growing.

"Should we be using it for everyone? I don't think the data is there yet. You
have to pick your patient." The doctor was speaking about the medicinal use of
marijuana during a seminar at the 13th annual provincial Hospice and Palliative
Care conference, organized by Hospice and Palliative Care Manitoba.

The use of marijuana is a hot topic because the federal government itself is
now producing marijuana for patients by contracting the work out to a private
company that is growing the plant in a former mine in Flin Flon. As well, the
federal government is considering decriminalizing the drug.

Currently, eight states in the United States allow the medicinal use of
marijuana, while the Netherlands allows the sale of marijuana in pharmacies.
New Zealand is considering allowing the medicinal use of marijuana.

Earlier this month, some of the Health Canada-approved patients who received
the federal pot complained it is weak, and not fit for human consumption.

Daeninck said new marijuana treatment methods coming in the next few years,
which will work through either a puffer or a patch, offer more promise.

Dr. Mike Routledge, a family physician who researches medicinal uses of
marijuana, said the first recorded use of the drug for medicine was by the
Chinese in 2700 BC to treat gout, dementia and malaria. Routledge said it
wasn't until the 1970s and 1980s that scientific researchers began testing
marijuana to see if it could help alleviate the ravaging effects of some
illnesses.

"Overall, there is no evidence (supporting) widespread use, but there may be
benefits for some individuals," he said.

Meanwhile, Margaret Clarke, executive director of the organization, said about
800 health-care workers from all disciplines attended the conference held at
the Winnipeg Convention Centre on Thursday and yesterday.

"They're looking for knowledge and to find out what's happening out there,"
Clarke said.

"They're also looking for a new perspective on what they already know."

Clarke said about 45 per cent of the delegates came from outside of Winnipeg.

"For most of rural Manitoba, they'll never have a facility for hospice and
palliative care," she said.

"But the concept of care is one that can be applied and practiced wherever
people are living. "Most of us want to die as close to home as possible.
Sometimes it's not feasible to manage the care at home, but more and more it is
feasible."