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Opinion: Emergency Physicians Need Better Education on Medical Cannabis

By Scott A. Bier, MD, FACEP | on October 14, 2017 | 2 Comments
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Photo: shutterstock.com

Dr. BierDr. Bier is vice chair of emergency medicine at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands in Shenandoah, Texas. He is also CEO of Green Well, a Texas-based company that aims to provide a full range of wellness solutions.

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ACEP Now: Vol 36 – No 10 – October 2017

References

  1. Bradford AC, Bradford WD. Medical marijuana laws reduce prescription medication use in Medicare Part D. Health Aff (Millwood). 2016;35(7):1230-1236.
  2. Shi Y. Medical marijuana policies and hospitalizations related to marijuana and opioid pain reliever. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2017;173:144-150.
  3. Kim JH, Santaella-Tenorio J, Mauro C, et al. State medical marijuana laws and the prevalence of opioids detected among fatally injured drivers. Am J Public Health. 2016;106(11):2032-2037.
  4. Kovaleski SF. Medical marijuana research hits wall of U.S. law. The New York Times. Aug. 10, 2014:A4.
  5. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: the current state of evidence and recommendations for research. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2017.
  6. Grotenhermen F, Müller-Vahl K. Medicinal uses of marijuana and cannabinoids. Crit Rev Plant Sci. 2016;35(5-6):378-405.
  7. Mikuriya T, ed. Marijuana: Medical Papers 1839-1972. Oakland, Calif: Medi-Comp Press; 1973.

Pages: 1 2 3 | Single Page

Topics: AddictionCannabisDrug UseEducationEmergency DepartmentEmergency MedicineEmergency PhysiciansMarijuanaMedicalPatient CarePublic HealthResearch

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2 Responses to “Opinion: Emergency Physicians Need Better Education on Medical Cannabis”

  1. November 12, 2017

    Larry A. Bedard Reply

    I want to thank Dr. Bier for an excellent and informative article about cannabis.

    I was also disappointed by the one-sided argument published in ACEP Now’s May 2017 article “Experiencing the Dangers of Marijuana Firsthand” by Brad Roberts, MD.

    As a relatively new resident Dr. Roberts clearly doesn’t understand the difference between correlation and causation. My brother, Dr. Charles Bedard, practiced ENT in Pueblo of more than 40 years. When he arrive Pueblo was a prosperous town with a thriving large steel mill. When the steel mill closed, the rates of unemployment, poverty and homelessness greatly increased.

    The so-called “cannabis refugees” who move to Colorado for medicinal cannabis are parents of children who suffer from complex seizure disorder. A randomized, double blind study reported in the NEJM demonstrated a 40% reduction in seizures with 5% of kids becoming seizure for. Last year only 9% of medical schools taught students about the endocannabanoid system, discovered in 1988

  2. November 12, 2017

    Vinny Reply

    Dr Bier,
    AMEN! And Thank you

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