How medical is medical marijuana?

The number of Canadians authorized to use medical marijuana has been skyrocketing. In 2002 – a year after the government first permitted access through Health Canada regulations – 500 patients had registered. Today, there are more than 50,000.

        This has happened despite the official position of the Canadian Medical Association that “there is insufficient scientific evidence available to support the use of marijuana for clinical purposes.” The CMA also believes we don’t know enough about its risks and benefits, about the interactions between marijuana and other medications or how to prescribe an appropriate dosage. It advises doctors they are not obligated to write cannabis prescriptions for patients.

        “It was very difficult to get my prescription,” said Jennawae McLean, who uses medical marijuana mainly for chronic pain due to arthritis. “A doctor was willing to prescribe me Percocets and Humira and Lyrica and different pills like this, but they weren’t...

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URL: 
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/our-passwords-ourselves-how-medical-is-medical-marijuana-a-life-on-hold-gideon-levy-1.3011278/how-medical-is-medical-marijuana-an-hour-long-special-report-1.3011955