Practitioners should encourage medicinal use of dagga
I WOULD like to thank Dr WJ de Wet for bringing our attention back to the “cannabis debate”. It is definitely a subject that is here to stay. There is definitely no sin, nor crime in making “light work” of some of the adverse effects of cannabis use within the context of the conference, notwith- standing the fact that “joking”, in itself, is a useful coping mechanism for those of us that are exposed to the trauma of disease on a daily basis. So letting off a bit of “steam” in the context of the conference was not inappropriate.
Given the content of De Wet’s criticism in the media, it is quite evident that he clearly missed the significance of the conference…
Is there an argument in favour of medical doctors becoming more knowledgeable about the use of medical cannabis under specific medical conditions, especially in so far as their patients are concerned.
Many patients are currently choosing to use the plant to treat themselves, with or without a doctor’s permission.
I believe that a failure by doctors to acknowledge this fact, and not wanting to immerse themselves into learning about the medicinal properties of this plant, which would then allow them to provide appropriate medical advice into the use of the medicine, is tantamount to medical malpractice.
Unfortunately, a lot more members of the public are more knowledgeable about medical cannabis use than the average doctor.
In this regard, South African Society of Integrated Medicine members have climbed out from under the stone, and are educating themselves about the properties of the plant as responsibly as they can in order to provide sound advice to their patients. There is no doubt that the consequences of alcohol and drug abuse in the Western Cape – and throughout the world – is a tragedy, especially for the families involved. But no bigger tragedy than medical practitioners believing that the use of medical cannabis is merely an excuse to use and abuse drugs.
I don’t know whether De Wet has witnessed the healing properties of the plant because of the “drug” label that is still attached to it. But, unfortunately, behind every public toilet door, one will always find graffiti.
Medicinal use of cannabis has nothing to do with smoking it over the longterm so that it can “cause long term brain and mental deterioration”. As integrative practitioners we simply do not encourage taking cannabis socially. Legalising cannabis, and allowing for “licensed producers” as small entrepreneurs, to produce medical cannabis under controlled conditions – as opposed to giving the mandate to “produce” to big pharma, will at least take care of the current status quo where quality and price of “natural” products is questionable at times.
Regardless of De Wet’s comments, the evidence for the beneficial use of specific hybrids of medical cannabis within specific guidelines, for specific health conditions, is building up a momentum that can never be stopped. It is not a cure for everything, but its use within specific contexts is far more superior than many medications prescribed by medical practitioners.
The horse has already bolted from the paddock… The question of cannabis use in a medical setting needs constructive debate, not criticism.