Doctors are not prejudiced against medicinal cannabis

Cannabis reform enabled
Otago Daily Times 9 February 2017
Family First Comment: ”I would be highly surprised if there was a doctor that objected to prescribing a drug that has been regulated: We know what’s in it, we know the benefits, and we know the risks. ‘Doctors would be reluctant to prescribe a medication if you don’t know what’s in it … doctors would be appropriately reluctant to prescribe that even if the patient was asking them for it.” – NZMA
Exactly.
Doctors are not prejudiced against medicinal cannabis, and will prescribe any drug whose benefit is proven, New Zealand Medical Association chairman Stephen Child says.
Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne announced yesterday a moderate reform whereby applications to prescribe non-pharmaceutical cannabis-based products will be considered by the Ministry of Health, rather than the minister.
Mr Dunne also took a swipe at New Zealand doctors, accusing them of being too conservative about medicinal cannabis, saying some doctors are rejecting patients’ applications because of their ”downright prejudice” about the drug.
Some medical professionals were afraid of being labelled ”Doctor Dope” and needed to be more open-minded about medical cannabis, Mr Dunne said.
Mr Dunne plans to write to the New Zealand Medical Association to express his view.
”I also intend to include a list of internationally available cannabis-based products that are either pharmaceutical grade or good manufacturing practice certified, to provide additional clarity on the issue,” Mr Dunne said.
Dr Child said doctors were cautious and looked at the evidence before prescribing drugs to patients.
He rejected the ODT’s suggestion that doctors had been too conservative in their approach to medicinal cannabis, and suggested the problem was more a lack of certified proven products.
”I would be highly surprised if there was a doctor that objected to prescribing a drug that has been regulated: We know what’s in it, we know the benefits, and we know the risks.
”Doctors would be reluctant to prescribe a medication if you don’t know what’s in it … doctors would be appropriately reluctant to prescribe that even if the patient was asking them for it.”
Dr Child said the list being drawn up would help to clarify which drugs were considered safe and well manufactured.
READ MORE: https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/health/cannabis-reform-enabled