UH....contradiction from Canadian Government

I was doing some digging and found this government publication.
It seems to contradict their stance of marijuana has no studies and no medicinal benefits...

http://www.parl.gc.ca/content/sen/committee/371/ille/presentation/amar-e.htm


THERAPEUTIC USES OF CANNABIS

Cannabis is currently used as a therapeutic product throughout the world.

The following benefits of cannabis have been documented around the world by various medical and government bodies.

• Feeling of well-being
• Increased sociability
• Muscle relaxant
• Analgesic effect
• Appetite stimulation
• Antiemetic effect
• Anticonvulsant effect
• Lower intraocular pressure

In Canada, section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act gives Health Canada the discretionary power to grant an exemption for medical reasons to persons who consider that the use of cannabis is beneficial to their health.

Hence, many sick people in Canada have obtained Health Canada approval to smoke cannabis for therapeutic reasons; however, it is still illegal to grow cannabis.

Health Canada has awarded funds for clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of marijuana.

• Community Research Initiative of Toronto (CRIT): usefulness of cannabis among individuals with HIV/AIDS
• McMaster University, Hamilton: usefulness of cannabis among patients with epilepsy
• Multiple Sclerosis Clinic, Saskatoon: evaluation of the effects of cannabis on muscle spasticity among sufferers of multiple sclerosis and
• G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre, Vancouver: evaluation of the effects of cannabis on spasticity of limbs among individuals with spinal cord injuries

N.B.: The mode of action of THC is still not properly understood.

ACUTE CANNABIS INTOXICATION

Central effects

• Euphoria: feeling of well-being and satisfaction
• Feelings of calmness and relaxation
• Loquacity
• Gaiety that may include infectious laughter
• Freedom from care
• Sociability
• Increased self-confidence
• Distorted perception of time, space and self-image
• Heightened sensory perceptions
• Impaired short-term memory, attention and concentration
• Impaired ability to complete complicated tasks
• Impaired balance reflexes and motor co-ordination (driving affected)
• Increased appetite (especially for sweet foods)
• Increased libido

Less frequently:

• Anxiety
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Convulsions

PERIPHERAL EFFECTS

• Orthostatic hypotension
• Tachycardia
• Bronchodilation
• Red eyes
• Dry mouth

OVERDOSE

• Drowsiness
• Disorientation
• Confusion
• Cognitive disorganization
• Impaired judgment
• Hallucinations
• Paranoia
• Rarely, toxic psychosis (especially among predisposed individuals)

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROGRESSION OF EFFECTS

Smoking cannabis

• Very rapid onset of effect (few minutes)
• Peak effect after 30 minutes
• Duration of effect: 2 to 4 hours (and residual effects)

Ingesting cannabis

• Slower onset of effect
• More progressive and prolonged effects
• Less euphoria

INTERVENTION IN THE EVENT OF ACUTE INTOXICATION

• Calm and reassure the patient
• Dedramatize the situation
• If necessary, sedate moderately with a benzodiazepine

N.B.:

• These problems are not life-threatening
• There is no antidote for cannabis, and no specific medical treatment

CHRONIC EFFECTS

• Impaired memory, attention and concentration (reversible)
• Amotivational syndrome: passivity, decreased initiative, apathy, loss of interest
• Variable effect on sexual function (in some cases, decreased fertility in males and females)
• Respiratory problems resulting from inhalation:

• • Pharyngitis, asthma, bronchitis, emphysema
  • More harmful than tobacco because the tar contained in cannabis smoke contains a higher concentration of carcinogenic agents, thereby resulting in an increased risk of lung cancer

• Decreased resistance to infection

TERATOGENICITY

* Heavy cannabis use during pregnancy may impair fetal development

* Possibility of fetal death, premature birth, organ malformations, failure to thrive, cardiac toxicity, and impaired immune system



TOLERANCE AND PHARMACODEPENDENCE

• Development of sensitization resulting from the transformation of THC into more active 11-hydroxy-THC by the liver
• Little tolerance among occasional users
• Significant tolerance if doses and frequency of use are high
• Minimal physical dependence
• Psychological dependence may be significant
• Withdrawal symptoms observed among chronic users of large doses
• Withdrawal symptoms: anxiety, restlessness, nervousness, irritability, insomnia, dysphoria, increased reflexes, headaches, sweating, loss of appetite, nausea, and intestinal cramps

Nice find

This is not about the merits of pot.

Only Mr. Magoo would fail to see the naked grabs for power on display here.

These people are greedy, self serving and frankly destructive to the idea of democracy. Pot is just another smoke screen, another distraction from the real problem; THEM!

More ammo for the case in Feb I'd say. Given the incompetence HC has shown in the past, I would not be surprised if anyone there was not aware of this being posted on a Government website. Bookmarked.

Once they start selling BS...it's only a matter of time until they forget about the initial BS they started.
We can only HOPE it bites them in the ass.

They've already made a bad situation into something far worse for patients. Won't take the court long to decide that much. Where it goes from there? Who knows. It's going to be quite a long haul...that's for sure.
I doubt med patients will have their court cases dealt with very fast when they get stopped from growing and producing, for their right of health.
I'm going to bet, years of limbo. BS...busts and more.

Money makes the world go round....SING IT!!!!

So reading this reminded me of something else I've heard about lately. Apparently HC has some sort of program that allows doctors to prescribe things like heroin and cocaine. I believe it's called the Special Access Program or something to that effect. So that made me wonder how regulated it is compared to the MMPR and what hassle/hurdles that doctors who choose to participate face? Does anybody have experience or information with what I'm talking about?

j0yr1d3 said:

So reading this reminded me of something else I've heard about lately. Apparently HC has some sort of program that allows doctors to prescribe things like heroin and cocaine. I believe it's called the Special Access Program or something to that effect. So that made me wonder how regulated it is compared to the MMPR and what hassle/hurdles that doctors who choose to participate face? Does anybody have experience or information with what I'm talking about?

Click to expand...

Yes I do.
My son gets treated at a pain clinic within a hospital here in sw ont.
Awhile back we were asking the doctor to increase his hydromorphone or start him on a patch. He was in pretty bad shape. The Ketamine infusions every 8 weeks were helping, but we needed something stronger for day to day relief.
We were very surprised when he asked us to consider dropping the hydromorphone (Dilaudid ) and start on a methadone program. I only knew methadone as a drug used to help addicts get off heroin. Methadone is a synthetic opioid, sometimes used as an analgesic (pain killer).
The doctor explained he was one of a few that had the training and special licence to prescribe methadone as an analgesic. It is a highly regulated program.
He has been on it for about 6 months and has helped him tremendously.

I could write a book about it...if you have any questions feel free to ask Joy.

leaffan said:

Yes I do.
My son gets treated at a pain clinic within a hospital here in sw ont.
Awhile back we were asking the doctor to increase his hydromorphone or start him on a patch. He was in pretty bad shape. The Ketamine infusions every 8 weeks were helping, but we needed something stronger for day to day relief.
We were very surprised when he asked us to consider dropping the hydromorphone (Dilaudid ) and start on a methadone program. I only knew methadone as a drug used to help addicts get off heroin. Methadone is a synthetic opioid, sometimes used as an analgesic (pain killer).
The doctor explained he was one of a few that had the training and special licence to prescribe methadone as an analgesic. It is a highly regulated program.
He has been on it for about 6 months and has helped him tremendously.

I could write a book about it...if you have any questions feel free to ask Joy.

Click to expand...

Thanx for the info Leaffan. I was basically just looking for some general information, if this was even a thing and how it compares to the MMPR.

The doctors have a lot of training, on going,...reports to write.
More intense patient tracking. Education sessions with the patient.
It's quite restrictive, so in the case of methadone only top pain doctors bother to jump through the hoops. Reason being patient fatality is a very real concern.
More involved than the MMPR for sure...
BTW...this doctor is great. Tons of respect for him. He's the one that suggested marijuana instead of Sativex.

leaffan said:

BTW...this doctor is great. Tons of respect for him. He's the one that suggested marijuana instead of Sativex.

Click to expand...

Glad to hear there are still some decent, compassionate doctors out there. Hope your son has found some relief from his situation.

Thanks.
He just finished a trial run with a Spinal Cord Stimulator implant. The SCS provided about a 40% reduction in pain. We are on the list for a permanent one

leaffan said:

Thanks.
He just finished a trial run with a Spinal Cord Stimulator implant. The SCS provided about a 40% reduction in pain. We are on the list for a permanent one

Click to expand...

I hope God blesses you and your Son. I also hope he get's all the help you feel he need's...peace man. Tough to be a parent at times.

Thanks Hippy, much appreciated. Ur right, it's tough being a parent at times.

My heart goes out to you and your family. I hope your son gets everything he requires to make him the happiest he can be. You sound like a great DAD !

Nothing special about the fact that heroin is LEAGL in cannada, by right it should have been all along.
Its the only pain relief that truly works for people who are dying or who need pain meds 24/7 365... And doesn't put them in an early grave like Morphine will. I don't expect many to know or understand this.
I say people who are in pain should be able to say what works best for them. Not to be dictated to about what others think works better..
I hope you find your kid the best relief possible.

Thanks again Hippy, gb123.

I have looked after a few EOLs ( End of Life ) and I couldn't agree more gb123.

I fully support every individual's right to address their own health (and those they love) as they see fit, and that includes the right to die and doctor assisted suicide. The government should butt out and let people manage their pain and have a choice as to how and when they go.

totally agree Devil...Imagine denying someone the right to die..seem ludicrous. We are way behind in this country on that subject.

getting rid of sick people fast only takes money away from the medical association.

leaffan said:

Yes I do.
My son gets treated at a pain clinic within a hospital here in sw ont.
Awhile back we were asking the doctor to increase his hydromorphone or start him on a patch. He was in pretty bad shape. The Ketamine infusions every 8 weeks were helping, but we needed something stronger for day to day relief.
We were very surprised when he asked us to consider dropping the hydromorphone (Dilaudid ) and start on a methadone program. I only knew methadone as a drug used to help addicts get off heroin. Methadone is a synthetic opioid, sometimes used as an analgesic (pain killer).
The doctor explained he was one of a few that had the training and special licence to prescribe methadone as an analgesic. It is a highly regulated program.
He has been on it for about 6 months and has helped him tremendously.

I could write a book about it...if you have any questions feel free to ask Joy.

Click to expand...

I used to take methadone for pain...there aren't many docs that can prescribe it. If you take it in liquid, they have to prep it each time. I found it very effective for pain, just couldn't deal with the side effects at the time.