Who's Going To Educate The Doctors?

[+washtenaut]

I've heard a lot of folks saying the same thing, 'the Doctors in Michigan need to be educated on Cannabis'. Even the ones that aren't restricted from writing recommendations aren't doing so largely because they don't really know a lot about it relative to the other pharmaceuticals and they are unsure of legal restrictions. Speaking to my own primary care physician, he stated that he wasn't planning on writing recommendations even though he easily admits that he's seen dramatic reductions in my prescription drug use.

 

Doctors need to be educated on:

 

- Michigan's medical cannabis laws and their rights;

- Federal DEA licensing requirements to write recommendations;

- What studies have been completed concerning medical cannabis effectiveness;

- What other medical problems are being successfully treated in Michigan;

- Which patients should be given the medical cannabis option in treatment discussions;

- etc.

 

Now, who do we all think is going to step up and provide that education to doctors. In an earlier post on the wonderful new pain relief medicine, Sibannac, I mentioned that cannabis reps or cannabis educational seminars for Doctors were needed. The more I think down that path, the more I'm coming to believe that they absolutely are needed.

 

If this has all already been done, can someone point me to it. Please don't mention Granny Stormcrow as we need something much more focused. I'm hoping that we at the MMMA, especially those readers that are close to the topics I mentioned, might be able to post some educational materials that we can package up. It would be great if we had ready made, presentation quality, informational packets that we could email or print and hand out to physicians.

 

We all know this was not the way it was supposed to happen but who will teach these health care professionals about the medical benefits of cannabis if not us?

[Timmahh]

well it wont be the patients. a Majority of practicing Drs think they are better than the majority of those they treat.

 

I dont trust Drs. Educated or not.

[Cannalytics]

I've heard a lot of folks saying the same thing, 'the Doctors in Michigan need to be educated on Cannabis'. Even the ones that aren't restricted from writing recommendations aren't doing so largely because they don't really know a lot about it relative to the other pharmaceuticals and they are unsure of legal restrictions. Speaking to my own primary care physician, he stated that he wasn't planning on writing recommendations even though he easily admits that he's seen dramatic reductions in my prescription drug use.

 

Doctors need to be educated on:

 

- Michigan's medical cannabis laws and their rights;

- Federal DEA licensing requirements to write recommendations;

- What studies have been completed concerning medical cannabis effectiveness;

- What other medical problems are being successfully treated in Michigan;

- Which patients should be given the medical cannabis option in treatment discussions;

- etc.

 

Now, who do we all think is going to step up and provide that education to doctors. In an earlier post on the wonderful new pain relief medicine, Sibannac, I mentioned that cannabis reps or cannabis educational seminars for Doctors were needed. The more I think down that path, the more I'm coming to believe that they absolutely are needed.

 

If this has all already been done, can someone point me to it. Please don't mention Granny Stormcrow as we need something much more focused. I'm hoping that we at the MMMA, especially those readers that are close to the topics I mentioned, might be able to post some educational materials that we can package up. It would be great if we had ready made, presentation quality, informational packets that we could email or print and hand out to physicians.

 

We all know this was not the way it was supposed to happen but who will teach these health care professionals about the medical benefits of cannabis if not us?

 

I agree that this is an issue of great concern. The endocannabinoid system is not part of the medical school curriculum and many physicians are unaware of the the clinical uses of cannabis. While many physicians have been convinced by anecdotal evidence, I believe many more can be convinced by presenting the study data to them in an organized evidence-based manner. Clinicians need to understand the difference between use, abuse, and dependence when it comes to medical cannabis.

[debs]

One has to look at the whole picture. Even if the AMA educated doctors on the medical benefits of Marijuana, Federal and State (as it is right now) have so many regulations and mandates put on them, the risk of losing their license to practice, especially those tied to hospitals/Clinics, far out way their desire to treat patients with the use of Medical Marijuana.

I know, it's madness, but we have to remember it's the Pharmacutical Drug Manufacturers that are pulling the strings on Federal and State Laws (Schutte)to make sure they have full control over the drug industry. They pour millions of dollars into lobbying lawmakers with special perks (luxurious weekend getaways,called syposiums, conventions)and a whole lot more to sway their positions on anything associated with drug laws, doctors, etc.

The only thing that will change this situation lies in the strength of the will of the people, in multitudes. I say, directly contact your State Reps, not only once, but twice, for the many patients with debilitating health issues, who are unable to speak for themselves. Then continue to spread the word to your friends.

[Cannalytics]

One has to look at the whole picture. Even if the AMA educated doctors on the medical benefits of Marijuana, Federal and State (as it is right now) have so many regulations and mandates put on them, the risk of losing their license to practice, especially those tied to hospitals/Clinics, far out way their desire to treat patients with the use of Medical Marijuana.

I know, it's madness, but we have to remember it's the Pharmacutical Drug Manufacturers that are pulling the strings on Federal and State Laws (Schutte)to make sure they have full control over the drug industry. They pour millions of dollars into lobbying lawmakers with special perks (luxurious weekend getaways,called syposiums, conventions)and a whole lot more to sway their positions on anything associated with drug laws, doctors, etc.

The only thing that will change this situation lies in the strength of the will of the people, in multitudes. I say, directly contact your State Reps, not only once, but twice, for the many patients with debilitating health issues, who are unable to speak for themselves. Then continue to spread the word to your friends.

 

The majority of physicians I speak with aren't opposed to the use of medical cannabis, however they do lack fundamental knowledge of the functions of the cannabinoids and terpenes, the receptors that these molecules bind, which tissues these receptors are located in, and what signal transduction pathways are involved upon activating or blocking these receptors. Physicians are more comfortable prescribing other pharmacological interventions because this is what they have been trained to do, not because they are fundamentally opposed to medical cannabis. Also many of them that practice as part of larger health systems are prohibited from providing medical cannabis recommendations. I would say that most physicians want to be serving the best interests of their patients, not the pharmaceutical industry. If we can enlighten the minds of current and future physicians as well as convince larger health systems that allowing their physicians to recommend medical cannabis is an acceptable practice, we can bring some legitimacy to this area of need.

[TheBeagle]

We can compile the info on a website..blog style where everyone can input

[Timmahh]

I contend most medical issues, unless emergency in nature, are compounded by current medical practices

 

 

and even those that are emergency in nature, are designed around making money first, lives somewhere later.

 

I

[Medcare]

How well are other MMJ states doing with this situation? Are the Dr.'s in Cali. handling these issues better then MI.?

[+JuztBudz]

It is our responsibility, each and every patient, to make sure that our own individual doctors are somewhat educated in the possibilities that cannabis brings to the patient. I wish there were some way, feasibly, to educate them, en mass, but, presently, there is no vehicle which will accomplish this. So, it is up to us, through casual conversation, to do so. This response will likely bring some negative responses, but it had to be said...Peace ... j.b.

 

p.s. I wrote a pretty good, 7 page letter to my own personal physician and it is posted here somewhere (this was posted in '09), but I haven't been able to locate it thus far. It explained how both myself and my physician are (supposedly) protected by the MMMAct, how I would ingest, without smoking, and cited some on line studies that would be useful to my doctor. I also purchased and loaned some very good books to him, so that he would have some basis of an education in this matter.

[man of steel]

How well are other MMJ states doing with this situation? Are the Dr.'s in Cali. handling these issues better then MI.?

Welcome to the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research

www.cmcr.ucsd.edu/

 

 

 

Welcome to the University of California's Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR). The purpose of the Center is to coordinate rigorous scientific studies to assess the safety and efficacy of cannabis and cannabis compounds for treating medical conditions. The funding of the CMCR is the result of SB 847 (Vasconcellos), passed by the State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Gray Davis. The legislation calls for a three year program overseeing objective, high quality medical research that will "enhance understanding of the efficacy and adverse effects of marijuana as a pharmacological agent," stressing that the project "should not be construed as encouraging or sanctioning the social or recreational use of marijuana" (SB 847).

[Iceman081]

How well are other MMJ states doing with this situation? Are the Dr.'s in Cali. handling these issues better then MI.?

 

Nevada's program required the University of Nevada to be approved by the US government to research and test cannabis as part of their program, they used their patients as their research subjects. I'm sure all that research is available to all doctors in Nevada and has been used in educating their doctors, we should all demand this in our state the University of Michigan is very well setup for this kind of research program. We should demand it, then no one can deny it's medical value!

[+wolfgang]

I'm spilling my guts to my doctor this week,if she drops me she drops me.......But I want her to look and see where my triglycerides levels were 155 in May and have dropped to an astounding 78 in January. Just by eating olive oil infused with cannabis daily. so we'll see how she reacts I for one think it is huge.

[HeartoFgreen]

I can ask my dad what he thinks about this, he's an independent physician here in Illinois. Personally I think they should make an online mandatory federal test for the physicians to make them more familiarized with this.

[+washtenaut]

I can ask my dad what he thinks about this, he's an independent physician here in Illinois. Personally I think they should make an online mandatory federal test for the physicians to make them more familiarized with this.

 

Hmm, I might rethink that wish. The feds aren't exactly open yet to the idea of medical cannabis. I can just imagine the types of questions that would appear on a federal medical marijuana test....

 

Question 3) Because there have been no FDA approved studies on marijuana, a doctor who is approached by a patient regarding marijuana usage should:

 

a)Immediately report the individual to the police;

b)drop this patient;

c)get the name and address of the patient's supplier;

d)all of the above

[peanutbutter]

Nevada's program required the University of Nevada to be approved by the US government to research and test cannabis as part of their program, they used their patients as their research subjects. I'm sure all that research is available to all doctors in Nevada and has been used in educating their doctors, we should all demand this in our state the University of Michigan is very well setup for this kind of research program. We should demand it, then no one can deny it's medical value!

 

Wayne state has been trying to get a schedule one license for a couple of years now.

 

There are rumors that other schools are keenly interested, yet afraid.

 

I expect to be hearing from a head of department for Wayne state .. possibly today.

 

He suffers from diabetic nerve damage. Very very interested in my oil.

 

Cancer departments across the state have seen Simpson oil working. Tumor growth stops and the tumor shrinks. They are watching. Every time they see something their interest grows.

 

Inroads are being made .. I'm working on it.

 

Oh yeah!! Mike McShane is knocking it out of the park at the Detroit Medical center.

[peanutbutter]

I'm spilling my guts to my doctor this week,if she drops me she drops me.......But I want her to look and see where my triglycerides levels were 155 in May and have dropped to an astounding 78 in January. Just by eating olive oil infused with cannabis daily. so we'll see how she reacts I for one think it is huge.

 

Carry this in with you:

 

http://www.gwpharm.co.uk/metabolic-syndrome.aspx

 

This one is interesting also:

 

http://www.gwpharm.co.uk/other-trials.aspx

 

Since they seem to accept the word of a phama company, that may help.

 

From Cannabis science Inc .. :

http://www.cannabisscience.com/news-a-media/press-releases/254-medical-marijuana-frontier-cbis-brand-successful.html

[HeartoFgreen]

Hmm, I might rethink that wish. The feds aren't exactly open yet to the idea of medical cannabis. I can just imagine the types of questions that would appear on a federal medical marijuana test....

 

Question 3) Because there have been no FDA approved studies on marijuana, a doctor who is approached by a patient regarding marijuana usage should:

 

a)Immediately report the individual to the police;

b)drop this patient;

c)get the name and address of the patient's supplier;

d)all of the above

 

 

Good point, maybe state by state testing then? This was just a random thought, what would you suggest?

[peanutbutter]

Good point, maybe state by state testing then? This was just a random thought, what would you suggest?

 

"Cannabis has been found to be beneficial in Michigan while marijuana is deadly in Ohio."

 

Er... something like that.

[Croppled1]

I'm spilling my guts to my doctor this week,if she drops me she drops me.......But I want her to look and see where my triglycerides levels were 155 in May and have dropped to an astounding 78 in January. Just by eating olive oil infused with cannabis daily. so we'll see how she reacts I for one think it is huge.

 

I have been looking for a good recipee to ingest cannabis . One of the most prevailent objections to cannabis is heart health . I have been on several medications taken off the market for death a few due to cardiovascular issues . Since being on the program my blood pressure has stayed low and stable even when on medications that disrupted that severely in the past ,.I have a high heartrate after years on medications especially aeciteminaphen so having relief without having to take it is wonderful

 

.I am eating much better since on the program and even attempting to grow organic vegtables in my grow room off sidelight . I even get 30 minutes a day of exercise where at one time I was atrophying and unable to bend to pickup something off the floor . With high daily useage I feel normal at times until actually doing things then reality slaps me in the face . I am even typing more . This program is the greatest thing since sliced bread it is sad our hospital system has become so pro pharma because the best healing seems to require a mix of pharma with holistic / naturopathic medicine . It is always sad to be aware of the friction between disciplines . I hope all went well with your Doctor and if you can point me how to find your recipee I would appreciate it . It doesn't sound tastee but the results were wonderful . The only item I use for heart health besides my daily 81 mg asprin is the bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios or oatmeal every day . I am all for a heart healthy pain treatment too .

 

BTW Penutbutter about your comment on Ohio my insurance company is located there and they have been very accomidating . The penalties in Ohio for personal cannabis use are much more reasonable then Michigan except Ann Arbor . Though it is better to keep a low profile .

 

I would suggest on the topic of training Physicians , State Employees , Law Enforcement that one could write a manual or training brouchure and with a compelling arguement to the procurement division of the State and LARA proballey sell it to the State . Just like eventually someone will make a fortune off disigning a vaporizer that is licensed for use in a high oxygen hospital environment . I know there was a Doctor that practiced in California with a pro medical cannabis belief whom came back to Michigan expressly to educate other Physicians . He was at Wayne State a few years back . I thought this was a U of M Doctor but it may of been Grinspoon except he went to Harvard I believe . Maybe someone else remembers but I know for a fact his practice was open and advertising to train other physicians whether it was successful or not I do not know .

[Louie Baton]

I want to check out some careers in healthcare.

[Ms Chocolate]

It is our responsibility, each and every patient, to make sure that our own individual doctors are somewhat educated in the possibilities that cannabis brings to the patient. ...It is up to us, through casual conversation, to do so. This response will likely bring some negative responses, but it had to be said...Peace ... j.b.

You are so right. Patients should make it their business to discuss cannabis with their PCP or other doctors. Don’t to this because you what them to sign your paperwork, but because you have the right to discuss all facets of your medical care with members of the medical profession. We all have the right to this conversation, if not with our doctors, then with whom? There are studies being done around the world. Find some scholarly results, then bring in a print out or two. It has been three years, I sure that 1)our doctors are curious to know more, and 2)we are in a position to provide them with some. We only need to talk with one doctor for the information to reach 4-5 others.

[cujo]

You are so right. Patients should make it their business to discuss cannabis with their PCP or other doctors. Don’t to this because you what them to sign your paperwork, but because you have the right to discuss all facets of your medical care with members of the medical profession. We all have the right to this conversation, if not with our doctors, then with whom? There are studies being done around the world. Find some scholarly results, then bring in a print out or two. It has been three years, I sure that 1)our doctors are curious to know more, and 2)we are in a position to provide them with some. We only need to talk with one doctor for the information to reach 4-5 others.

that is what I did. and my doctor actually refered me to a mmj clinic. I was the first, and I think the only one, because he told me he didn't believe in it, at first.But now every time he sees me he is ready with questions eager to learn. I have a thirst for all knowledge canabis, and am trying to spread that wisdom. teach your doctor and if you have one of those doctors that thinks their patients are stupid and don't listen to you, then move on! knowledge is power!