Area physicians need more information on medical marijuana
As Pennsylvania moves closer to a policy that would allow medical marijuana to be dispensed at 50 locations throughout the commonwealth, many physicians throughout Western Pennsylvania say they still want more information and more clinical trials before endorsing its use to treat patients.
“There has not been enough scientific evidence on the long-term consequences and benefits,” said Dr. Larry John, president of the Allegheny County Medical Society, whose 3,000 members include doctors from Fayette, Greene, Westmoreland and Washington counties.
“The federal government has still not recognized its legal use,” said John, a family medical practitioner.
In April, Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law a bill that allows patients — after consulting with their physician — to apply for a state-issued medical marijuana card if they suffer from any of 17 conditions that include HIV/AIDS, cancer, Lou Gehrig’s disease, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, neuropathy, nervous tissue damage to the spinal cord, Huntington’s disease, epilepsy, inflammatory bowels, glaucoma, autism, post-traumatic stress disorder, sickle cell anemia, Crohn’s, intractable seizures and severe pain that cannot be alleviated through conventional therapies.
However, unlike “regular” marijuana, medical marijuana would be given out in either oil, pill, liquid or vapor form. It would not be smoked.
The Pennsylvania Medical Society, however, has said it wants more information before taking a stance on the drug.
“We are in favor of more research,” said spokesman Chuck Moran.
The society has asked the National Institutes of Health to facilitate grant applications to conduct more clinical trials on its use as a therapy, the society said in an October 2015 release.
Locally, officials from Washington Hospital and Uniontown Hospital declined to comment on medical marijuana.
John, a Uniontown native, said there also needs to be safeguards for children. And he has questions about dosage, something he said needs to be consistent.
“We need to ease into the process more,” he said.
Patrick Nightingale, executive director of the Pennsylvania Medical Cannabis Society, a Harrisburg organization whose mission is to foster the cannabis industry in the state through leadership, said patients need to ask questions and be their own health care advocate.
“I understand that health care providers may be reluctant to step outside of their comfort zone when it comes to medical cannabis,” said Nightingale, who is also a Pittsburgh attorney.
“I know they have concerns about issues, such as appropriate dosing, drug interactions and perceived lack of reliable data and clinical studies,” he said. “The society is working to educate physicians and patients starting with simply urging patients to have a conversation with their treatment provider. As some of the larger health care providers begin to embrace medical cannabis, I believe smaller hospitals and health care providers from more rural areas will be more supportive.”
The state said late last month that it would soon be issuing preliminary rules for 25 growers and processors, including where a medical marijuana dispensary could be located. Commonwealth officials have divided the state into six regions and have said the facilities need to be at least 1,000 feet from schools or day care centers.
Already, 24 other states have joined Pennsylvania in legalizing marijuana in some form or another. And in Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Washington, D.C., it is legal for both medical and recreational use. Neighboring West Virginia bans all marijuana use, but that could change in the coming years. Both gubernatorial candidates, Democrat Jim Justice and Republican Bill Cole, have gone on the record saying they would consider legalizing medical marijuana, but not for recreational use.