DOCTORS RELUCTANT TO PRESCRIBE POT

Many doctors in Manitoba say they have a problem with the federal
government's decision to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes.

"The drug ... has never been studied in such a way to know what the effects
are going to be and what the dosage should be," said Dr. Mike Omichinski,
co-chairman of the medical advisory committee for the Regional Health
Authority - Central Manitoba Inc.

The doctors' concerns about the legislation were taken to the RHA's board
of directors in hopes it will develop a policy.

The regional health authority has no plan to deal with the use of medicinal
marijuana, particularly in hospitals.

A number of issues will have to be taken into account when developing a
policy, said Dr. Chris Burnett, the RHA's vice-president of medical services.

"The most common way of using marijuana is to smoke it. All of our health
care facilities have non-smoking policies. That would certainly have to be
looked at," he said. "Of course, this will only be necessary if the RHA
decides, based on the available research, that marijuana should be made
available for medical purposes (in hospitals)."

There's been no indication from regional health authority board members
whether a decision on the matter will be made anytime soon.

In the meantime, the primary regulation governing doctors is the physicians
code of conduct. It says doctors must recommend only those diagnostic and
therapeutic procedures that are considered beneficial to their patients or
others.

"Whenever we prescribe a medication, we discuss risks and benefits. There's
no knowledge out there about risks and benefits of (marijuana). It's all
anecdotal. It's not been obtained by scientific means," said Omichinski, a
Portage la Prairie doctor. "As a result, a lot of doctors won't prescribe
marijuana to the patients who want it."

Omichinski admitted he is one of those physicians.

He said since there is no medicinal supply of marijuana, numerous patients
throughout the region have asked their doctors to fill out government
documents to allow them to cultivate and possess cannabis.

"I've been approached to fill out the government forms, which are quite
lengthy," he said. "Some of the questions that are asked, (doctors) just
can't answer because there's no scientific data, so I have no problems not
prescribing marijuana."

He isn't the only Portage doctor who feels that way.

"The majority of my colleagues agree on this issue. They won't prescribe
the drug until there's more information, more scientific evidence to show
that it works," added Omichinski. "You don't just go giving medication
willy-nilly to people because it might work. There has to be a basis."

He's called on the federal government to conduct further studies on the
drug and its supposed medical benefits.

That's something the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba is also
demanding.

"There ought to be properly controlled, carefully controlled academic
studies as with any other medication," said Dr. Bill Pope, college
registrar. "They should look at the side-effects and most importantly
compare it to other medications. But as far as we are concerned,
(marijuana) is absolutely never the number one choice of medication."

Pope said the college has also advised its 2,100 members to make an
informed decision before writing prescriptions for marijuana.

"The one message we're trying to get out there is that if you don't think
you know what you're doing with it or you don't think it's safe, you should
not prescribe it," said Pope. "It's as simple as that."