I just read this article at Fox New’s website (see link) discussing the dangers of using medical cannabis. Please read it. http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/06/22/going-to-pot-the-science-behind-marijuana/#

In this article Dr. Mark Siegel, a practicing internist in New York’s NYU Medical Center, is quoted as saying “The idea that it(cannabis) needs to be commonly used, there’s no medical indication for that whatsoever. Not only that, it has a risk for lung cancer associated with it, a risk of psychiatric problems, anxiety, depression, dissociation and suicide.”

I WISH FOX NEWS WOULD HAVE ME ON TO DEBATE HIM ON THIS ONE!

For one you can’t make a blanket statement about any medication.  You have to look at it in the context of the individual patient.   For example, it ABSOLUTELY is indicated for daily use in many patients.   Patients who live in chronic pain whose only other option are Fentanyl patches or Morphine/Ocycontin are the perfect example.  How about patients who can not get sleep or wake up throughout the night and can’t tolerate Xanax, Trazadone, and Ambien.  Is cannabis not a safer option for them?

Cannabis causes lung cancer?   I agree that if you smoke it you are increasing your risk for malignancy.  Cannabis smoke contains carcinogens.   But here’s a question for you Dr. Siegel:  Are you aware that most patients in California use a vaporizer and expose themselves to NO SMOKE or CARCINOGENS.    You DO NOT have to smoke cannabis in order to use it.  So I suggest you read up a little bit more before you make a blanket statement about whether or not cannabis is indicated for every day use under ANY circumstance.

Cannabis leads to an increased risk of suicide?  There is NO LEGITIMATE DATA about the increase in suicide rates and cannabis.   HOWEVER I can show you numerous studies and PATIENTS that HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE as a result of being placed on SSRI’s (Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac) for depression.    Why then, if a patient tells you that “Cannabis really improves my mood, reduces my anxiety and helps me function” would you not consider them using it as an alternative.

In an ideal world patients do not take any medications and are completely healthy.  But the reality is that modern medicine in many instances does more harm to a patient than it does good.    Patients regularly become opiate dependent, commit suicide because of an SSRI, develop perforated ulcers because of chronic use of NSAID’s (motrin, alleve), die of heart attacks because of medications like Vioxx and Celebrex etc.  The list GOES ON AND ON.

FOR MANY OF THESE PATIENTS CANNABIS IS AN EXCELLENT ALTERNATIVE.

OK. WHAT SAY YOU???

Respectfully,

Dr. Breen