A Bona-Fide Relationship Case From Colorado

[lawyercaregiver]

-3 minute visit, no appropriate records review? What precisely WOULD have been appropriate?

 

 

^{Doctor in trouble over recommending marijuana for a 7 month pregnant woman}

 

A doctor in Denver, Colo. is in danger of losing his license after recommending medical marijuana this past January to a woman who was seven months pregnant.

 

Dr. Manuel De Jesus Aquino recommended the marijuana following a brief three-minute exam without appropriate review of the patient's medical history or request for a follow-up appointment, according to a recent report in The Denver Post. When the 20-year-old mother gave birth in April, her infant tested positive for marijuana and reportedly suffered feeding difficulties.

 

The Colorado state attorney general's office filed a complaint last week on behalf of the Colorado Medical Board against Aquino, whose license is currently suspended pending the outcome of proceedings against him.

 

Dr. Lester Grinspoon, professor emeritus of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a long-time proponent of the medical use of marijuana, told AOL Health Thursday morning that marijuana is actually safer than a lot of medications that are available over the counter, incuding anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, which cause thousands of deaths per year. "There has never been a death directly attributed to marijuana," Grinspoon says.

 

More on Medical Marijuana

 

* Medical Marijuana Patient Sues Wal-Mart Over Drug-Test Firing

* Doctors question whether medical marijuana is worth the trip

* California employers can fire over medical marijuana

 

While he doesn't advocate the use of marijuana among pregnant women, he does not believe it's harmful to the mother or the fetus. He points out that in cases of pathological nausea in pregnant women, marijuana can actually be helpful by curing the nausea that prevents mothers-to-be from eating and digesting food. "You shouldn't use any kind of medicine when you're pregnant if you can avoid it," Grinspoon adds, "but there are some times when you don't have a choice."

 

Some in the medical community believe marijuana can be used to treat a variety of conditions and symptoms, including nausea, headaches, neuropathic pain, Chrohn's disease, multiple sclerosis and glaucoma. "It's a remarkably untoxic substance," says Grinspoon, whose own son took advantage of medical marijuana to fight the nausea and vomiting he experienced while undergoing chemotheraphy for the treatment of leukemia.

 

Grinspoon believes it should have the same standing as over-the-counter medications like aspirin and ibuprofen.

 

As for the doctor in Colorado, he may still be in tough straits regardless of whether or not marijuana is dangerous to pregnant women because Colorado law requires that physicians have bona fide relationships with patients before prescribing the drug for medical use.

[greenbuddha]

Doctors may have to go to a 'five' minute exam... 'two' minutes more than they spend on almost every other type of examination.

 

But even then the 'anti-cannabis' folks won't be happy.

 

But the foot is in the door and it isn't going to be easy to close it.

 

The elections in '2012' are going to be VERY important.

 

Not only here in Michigan but across the nation as well.

[AmishRnot4ganja]

Doctors may have to go to a 'five' minute exam... 'two' minutes more than they spend on almost every other type of examination.

 

But even then the 'anti-cannabis' folks won't be happy.

 

But the foot is in the door and it isn't going to be easy to close it.

 

The elections in '2012' are going to be VERY important.

 

Not only here in Michigan but across the nation as well.

 

I am continuously surprised by the speed at which my medical exams/visits are carried out by my "regular" doctors. My MM doctor took more time with me than my family physician usually takes, and I had the most unusual feeling that he really cared about me. I have not felt that way in a Drs. presence for YEARS.

 

Re: the upcoming elections. You are fooling yourself if you think the public will wake up and "vote right". They have all been lulled into complacency by TV ads and politicians stories. The nation of sheep can be counted on to return to office the same politicians who have screwed them for years.

[bobandtorey]

I am continuously surprised by the speed at which my medical exams/visits are carried out by my "regular" doctors. My MM doctor took more time with me than my family physician usually takes, and I had the most unusual feeling that he really cared about me. I have not felt that way in a Drs. presence for YEARS.

 

Re: the upcoming elections. You are fooling yourself if you think the public will wake up and "vote right". They have all been lulled into complacency by TV ads and politicians stories. The nation of sheep can be counted on to return to office the same politicians who have screwed them for years.

 

 

Sad but true

[greenbuddha]

I am continuously surprised by the speed at which my medical exams/visits are carried out by my "regular" doctors. My MM doctor took more time with me than my family physician usually takes, and I had the most unusual feeling that he really cared about me. I have not felt that way in a Drs. presence for YEARS.

 

Re: the upcoming elections. You are fooling yourself if you think the public will wake up and "vote right". They have all been lulled into complacency by TV ads and politicians stories. The nation of sheep can be counted on to return to office the same politicians who have screwed them for years.

 

 

I'm 'sure' that I'm as good as the next guy in 'fooling' myself.

 

But I was thinking more in terms of the 'legalization of cannabis' votes that I think we can 'all' agree are going to be on the ballots in states like California and Washington in 2012.... votes that 'will' effect the rest of the nation.

 

I don't have any delusions as it regards our politicians, none at all, but I still retain some faith in the 'average' voter.

 

And I for one am looking forward to the 2012 voting and I will support in any way I can the 'legalization' efforts that will be coming our way.

 

I'll give up on this when I'm dead... and not before.

[+EdwardGlen]

Double Post Sorry

[+EdwardGlen]

I don't get this obsession about having a long term Patient - Doctor relationship for the recommendation of medical marijuana therapy. The first visit and meeting with my Dr and he prescribed Vicodin and Valium.

 

So does forty five minutes waiting in an exam room and then sort of an exam constitute a long term relationship? No of course not! But its perfectly Ok for him to prescribe narcotics to me on my first visit?

 

But Michigan wants a patient to have years in the care of a Dr before they'll deem his recommendation for MM as being legitimate.

 

Ludicrous

 

Peace