Robert Celt
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While there may be a new law legalizing medical marijuana in Pennsylvania, a sustained campaign is still needed to convince the medical community to accept its use, an advocacy group said Wednesday night in Bethlehem.
Members of Keystone Compassionate Care, which helped lead efforts that resulted in the new medical marijuana law, signed by Gov. Tom Wolf this month, led an informal seminar at Bethlehem Area Public Library. About 30 people attended the free program.
Dr. Bruce Nicholson, director of Pain Specialists of Greater Lehigh Valley, said the medical community, loyal to traditional practices, still has a long way to go before it endorses the use of marijuana.
Even in Colorado -- which has had a medical marijuana law since 2000 -- the majority of doctors agree it's an acceptable drug, yet only 17 percent of them would prescribe it, Nicholson said.
"It took a year for the first prescription to be written in New York," he said. "You can pass bills, but you need advocacy. The laws make no difference otherwise.
"Get your physician interested," Nicholson said. "Create a curiosity on their part."
Pennsylvania's law, which will take effect next month, will allow patients with serious medical conditions to access -- with a medical doctor's prescription -- medical marijuana at an approved dispensary. Up to 150 dispensaries are allowed in Pennsylvania under the law. It's expected to take 18 to 24 months for the program to be fully implemented. Nicholson said that approved forms of marijuana will be limited to pills, creams and oils that can be used in a vapor.
Like most physicians trained to follow traditional medical approaches, Nicholson said he was also resistant to embrace marijuana as a treatment.
He said his position changed when he saw more opioids coming to the market in the early 2000s and more opioid-related morbidity.
"Doctors are so concerned about the perception of medical marijuana," he said. "The medical community is trained to say never smoke. But marijuana can be vaporized, and clinicians are okay with using nebulizers."
Marijuana should play a central role, especially in palliative medicine, Nicholson said, adding that the human body naturally has cannabinoid receptors in the brain.
Nicholson was joined by Deena Kenney, also of Keystone Compassionate Care, who lobbied for the medical marijuana law to help lessen her son's seizures from a rare genetic disorder, and other patients who may have exhausted other traditional medical options.
Retired Philadelphia Flyer Riley Cote also spoke, saying that marijuana has been demonized and misunderstood for too long and has real benefits as "the greatest gift to mankind."
Once widely found in pain medications in the United States and used medicinally for thousands of years, cannabis helped him cope with the "bumps, bruises and swelling" from playing in the NHL. He said it's no different than the fresh ginger, turmeric and apple cider vinegar that he takes to promote good health.
"Cannabis is a game changer on so many levels," said Cote, now a coach for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. "The new law isn't perfect, but it's a great start."
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: PA: Medical Marijuana Advocacy Group Urges More Education To Support New Law
Author: Bryan Hay
Photo Credit: Youtube
Website: 69News
Members of Keystone Compassionate Care, which helped lead efforts that resulted in the new medical marijuana law, signed by Gov. Tom Wolf this month, led an informal seminar at Bethlehem Area Public Library. About 30 people attended the free program.
Dr. Bruce Nicholson, director of Pain Specialists of Greater Lehigh Valley, said the medical community, loyal to traditional practices, still has a long way to go before it endorses the use of marijuana.
Even in Colorado -- which has had a medical marijuana law since 2000 -- the majority of doctors agree it's an acceptable drug, yet only 17 percent of them would prescribe it, Nicholson said.
"It took a year for the first prescription to be written in New York," he said. "You can pass bills, but you need advocacy. The laws make no difference otherwise.
"Get your physician interested," Nicholson said. "Create a curiosity on their part."
Pennsylvania's law, which will take effect next month, will allow patients with serious medical conditions to access -- with a medical doctor's prescription -- medical marijuana at an approved dispensary. Up to 150 dispensaries are allowed in Pennsylvania under the law. It's expected to take 18 to 24 months for the program to be fully implemented. Nicholson said that approved forms of marijuana will be limited to pills, creams and oils that can be used in a vapor.
Like most physicians trained to follow traditional medical approaches, Nicholson said he was also resistant to embrace marijuana as a treatment.
He said his position changed when he saw more opioids coming to the market in the early 2000s and more opioid-related morbidity.
"Doctors are so concerned about the perception of medical marijuana," he said. "The medical community is trained to say never smoke. But marijuana can be vaporized, and clinicians are okay with using nebulizers."
Marijuana should play a central role, especially in palliative medicine, Nicholson said, adding that the human body naturally has cannabinoid receptors in the brain.
Nicholson was joined by Deena Kenney, also of Keystone Compassionate Care, who lobbied for the medical marijuana law to help lessen her son's seizures from a rare genetic disorder, and other patients who may have exhausted other traditional medical options.
Retired Philadelphia Flyer Riley Cote also spoke, saying that marijuana has been demonized and misunderstood for too long and has real benefits as "the greatest gift to mankind."
Once widely found in pain medications in the United States and used medicinally for thousands of years, cannabis helped him cope with the "bumps, bruises and swelling" from playing in the NHL. He said it's no different than the fresh ginger, turmeric and apple cider vinegar that he takes to promote good health.
"Cannabis is a game changer on so many levels," said Cote, now a coach for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. "The new law isn't perfect, but it's a great start."
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: PA: Medical Marijuana Advocacy Group Urges More Education To Support New Law
Author: Bryan Hay
Photo Credit: Youtube
Website: 69News
