VIANARCHRIS
Well-Known Member
My concern is that as marijuana becomes more readily available, Canadians might opt to self-medicate
By Scott McLeod, for CBC News Posted: Oct 14, 2017 5:00 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 14, 2017 5:00 AM ET
Many Canadians can hardly wait for the day that the recreational use of marijuana becomes legal. As a medical doctor, I'm far less enthusiastic. I worry about two things: the experimental nature of marijuana in medical practice, and the public health consequences of legalized marijuana.
Before you write me off as overly prudish or an anti-marijuana conservative, let me say out of the gate that I'm not opposed to legalized marijuana in principle – I'm just paying attention to the evidence, or r
I wish I could be more positive when they ask. I find the possibility of a new medicine to benefit conditions that don't respond well to current medications exciting. Unfortunately, the research is not there yet.
So, what do we know so far?
Here's the good news. In May of this year, a double-blind placebo controlled trial showed that cannabidiol — one of the active ingredients within the marijuana plant — reduced the number of seizures in children with Dravet syndrome, a condition that results in severe seizures, developmental delays and problems with movement and balance.
The drug may even be approved for use in difficult-to-treat epilepsy cases by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration, based on the latest research.
There's some other promising news: medical marijuana has also shown a moderate degree of benefit for patients with neuropathic pain and stiffness and involuntary muscle spasms related to multiple sclerosis.
Other uses, such as the treatment of nausea and vomiting following chemotherapy for those with cancer; assistance with improving weight gain in HIV patients; improvement in sleep disorders and the reduction of the symptoms of Tourette syndrome all have less evidence of benefit, but may be promising for some in the future.
By Scott McLeod, for CBC News Posted: Oct 14, 2017 5:00 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 14, 2017 5:00 AM ET
Many Canadians can hardly wait for the day that the recreational use of marijuana becomes legal. As a medical doctor, I'm far less enthusiastic. I worry about two things: the experimental nature of marijuana in medical practice, and the public health consequences of legalized marijuana.
Before you write me off as overly prudish or an anti-marijuana conservative, let me say out of the gate that I'm not opposed to legalized marijuana in principle – I'm just paying attention to the evidence, or r
I wish I could be more positive when they ask. I find the possibility of a new medicine to benefit conditions that don't respond well to current medications exciting. Unfortunately, the research is not there yet.
So, what do we know so far?
Here's the good news. In May of this year, a double-blind placebo controlled trial showed that cannabidiol — one of the active ingredients within the marijuana plant — reduced the number of seizures in children with Dravet syndrome, a condition that results in severe seizures, developmental delays and problems with movement and balance.
The drug may even be approved for use in difficult-to-treat epilepsy cases by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration, based on the latest research.
There's some other promising news: medical marijuana has also shown a moderate degree of benefit for patients with neuropathic pain and stiffness and involuntary muscle spasms related to multiple sclerosis.
Other uses, such as the treatment of nausea and vomiting following chemotherapy for those with cancer; assistance with improving weight gain in HIV patients; improvement in sleep disorders and the reduction of the symptoms of Tourette syndrome all have less evidence of benefit, but may be promising for some in the future.
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