EASIER WAY NEEDED TO GET MARIJUANA

Lack Of Common Sense Forces Patients To Suffer

The Doctor Game

I'VE been a medical journalist for 27 years. It's made me a terrible
skeptic. But for good reason.

I've seen too many distortions of the truth in medicine. I've seen
too many colleagues sit on the fence rather than take a stand on
controversial issues. I've seen too many fight the use of painkillers
when they could ease the agony of dying cancer patients. Above all,
I've seen too often a complete void of common sense. Now I'm seeing
it again, patients who need marijuana to ease their suffering but
can't obtain it.

In July 2001 the federal government legalized the use of marijuana
for terminally ill patients, and for patients suffering from cancer,
multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, AIDS, severe forms of
arthritis and epilepsy. Marijuana alleviates severe nausea,
persistent muscle spasms and seizures associated with these diseases.
Marijuana also can be legally prescribed for other diseases when
conventional medication fails.

My initial reaction was, "Hallelujah!" The government finally had
taken a reasonable stance. But it didn't make the purchase of medical
marijuana easy. Not like picking up your prescription from the local
pharmacy.

Patients first must find a physician who will write a letter stating
that marijuana is needed because conventional medication has failed.
They must then write about themselves and their medical condition.
They also have to indicate if they wish to grow their own supply or
obtain it from a licensed dealer. This information, along with two
passport-sized photographs, must be sent to Health Canada's Office of
Cannabis Medical Access.

But it appears the government has legalized a medication it doesn't
possess. Sources tell me Health Canada is growing some in an
abandoned mine which won't be available for a year. In the meantime,
ill patients have to obtain marijuana from authorized "compassion
clubs" (there are about 20 in Canada) which also require a doctor's
letter. And huge parts of this country are without clubs. Even in
good health this would be a tough assignment. But if you are
nauseated or vomiting due to AIDS or chemotherapy this process
becomes a nightmare. The first major obstacle is obtaining a doctor's
letter.

Since first initiating a study of this problem, I've been contacted
by numerous patients who can't find either a family doctor or
specialist to sign on the dotted line. Physicians argue that more
research is needed to test the safety of marijuana. Yet a report from
the Harvard Medical School says that "one of marijuana's greatest
advantages is its remarkable safety."

Critics forget that our so-called "safe" drugs often cause drug
reactions and sometimes death. Most drugs have a list as long as your
arm of possible drug reactions. But, to my knowledge, no one has ever
died from an overdose of marijuana. Tests on mice show the ratio of
marijuana needed to overdose to the point of intoxication is 40,000
to 1. By comparison, for alcohol it's 5 to 1 to 10 to 1!

Opponents always mention "the slippery slope theory." That people
will go from marijuana to a variety of illegal drugs. But this is a
legal, political and law-enforcement problem, not a medical one.
Besides, patients suffering from these severe diseases are seldom
"slippery slope customers."

I can understand that no doctor wants his office loaded with people
seeking marijuana unjustifiably. But surely this shouldn't be a
problem. It's easy to document which patients are receiving
chemotherapy or suffer from multiple sclerosis or AIDS. Yet I could
not find a major cancer centre in Toronto or neurologist who was
prescribing marijuana.

This issue reminds me of the battle I fought in the '80s to get
heroin legalized for terminal cancer patients. The facts of its
benefits were documented. But I was fought all the way by the
Canadian Cancer Society, cancer specialists , pharmacists and the
RCMP. All due to political, moral and religious reasons. Like
marijuana, heroin was not considered a "nice drug!" Yet the British
had been using it for 90 years to treat cancer patients, women in
labour, heart attacks and burned children with excellent results. I
don't condone smoking marijuana for pleasure, just as I'm appalled to
see so many people still smoking tobacco. But I can't understand how
any doctor could refuse to write a letter for those suffering from
the terrible complications of AIDS and other diseases when marijuana
can offer comfort. Surely there should be an easier way for patients
to eventually obtain marijuana. The best route, I believe, would be a
doctor's prescription to be filled at a pharmacy.