Medical marijuana policies under fire by top B.C. doctors

Medical marijuana could cut down on the use of addictive painkillers according to anew paper in the Canadian Journal of Public Health, but some of Vancouver's best known researchers say reluctant doctors and a confused federal government are failing to act.

"When it comes to prescription marijuana, patients' needs shouldbe considered above political considerations," said study co-authorDr. JulioMontanerof the B.C.Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS."There could be greatharm in ignoring the medical uses of marijuana."

Study co-author Dr. ThomasKerrsays Canadais in the midst of an epidemic of opioid abuse and related overdose deaths, and thatnumerous studies have shown painkillerssuch asoxycontin are dangerousandprescribed too frequently.

At the same time there is strong evidence showing thatprescription cannabis can be as effective in controlling pain in some cases, but with far less risk.

"If we can enhance access to medicinal cannabis for the right conditions it may have the positive effect of reducing prescriptionopioidmisuse and the associated overdose epidemic," saysKerr.

Under Canada's current medicalmarijuana lawspatients mustobtain prescription cannabis from federally licensed producers,generally through the mail. There are currently 26 licensedproducers listed on Health Canada'swebsite.

Kerr says sending a prescription drug through the maildoesn't make sense.

"We would never do that in the case of treating someone withdiabetes," he said.

The caution towards cannabis comes because it is illegal andbecause the federal government has been making up the science onthe flyaccording toKerr.

"It's unfortunate that the federal government has really failedto deliver an effective medical-cannabis program and it's
unfortunate that they've also misrepresented the science in thisarea," he said.

In response to thepublication, the Canadian Medical Association released a statement saying there is a role for medical marijuana, but prescribing it remains a challenge under the current system.

Dr. Mark Ware of Montreal's McGill University Health Centreresearches cannabis for pain and prescribes it to his patients. He considers it unrealistic to demand clinical trials for a drug that isalready used to treat many conditions.

"I think it's just unreasonable to expect that kind oflevel of data to be produced," Ware said. "It sort of sets the whole thingup as an impossible target to meet."

Ware saidif the CMA truly wants more confidence in prescribingcannabis, there are more than enough scientists in Canada eagerto share their research, but the CMA should take the lead.