THE CANADIAN PRESS

VANCOUVER 香蕉视频直播� Not all medicinal marijuana is created equal. That香蕉视频直播檚 what some experts are saying as they warn about the health risks and curtailed effectiveness associated with smoking medicine.

As medical pot becomes increasingly mainstream and Canada moves toward legalizing the substance, health experts are emphasizing the need for doctors and patients to consider the sometimes serious side effects linked to the various ways of consuming the drug.

Paul Farnan, an addictions specialist at the University of British Columbia, likened a recommendation to smoke medicinal marijuana to a doctor handing out a prescription to light up an opium pipe.

香蕉视频直播淲e know there香蕉视频直播檚 something in opium that helps pain, and we香蕉视频直播檙e able to pharmaceutically develop morphine and other analgesics, but we wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 say to people, 香蕉视频直播榊ou have pain? Why don香蕉视频直播檛 you smoke opium?香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e kind of saying to people, 香蕉视频直播榃e think there香蕉视频直播檚 some stuff that cannabinoids will be helpful for. Why don香蕉视频直播檛 you just smoke cannabis?香蕉视频直播� First of all, cannabis is actually a really dangerous thing for your lungs.香蕉视频直播�

Mikhail Kogan, medical director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., said he sees no reason for people to smoke marijuana medically anymore.

It香蕉视频直播檚 difficult to absorb enough of the drug through the lungs, and gastric acids interfere when someone eats it, he said, adding that it香蕉视频直播檚 more effective to take the drug by other means, such as under the tongue.

香蕉视频直播淩ectally is actually a lot more preferred because of the volume of absorption. You can put a lot more and it gets absorbed a lot better, but not everybody is open to this way of administration,香蕉视频直播� Kogan said.

香蕉视频直播淲e have so many other products now, so many modes of delivery, that smoking in my opinion is very archaic and has very little clinical applicability,香蕉视频直播� he added.

香蕉视频直播淗aving said that, I think that probably the majority of people still smoke because it香蕉视频直播檚 the most available method.香蕉视频直播�

Health Canada officially recommends against smoking marijuana.

香蕉视频直播淢any of the chemicals found in tobacco smoke are also found in cannabis smoke,香蕉视频直播� reads its website.

The Canadian Medical Association has no formal position on the consumption of medicinal pot, but it officially opposes the inhalation of any burned plant material.

Association spokesman Jeff Blackmer added that many physicians are reluctant to prescribe medical marijuana because of the absence of peer-reviewed research into whether the drug is medically effective, its possible side effects, appropriate dosage and more.

A 香蕉视频直播渟trong majority香蕉视频直播� of doctors would prefer not to be involved as so-called gatekeepers, Blackmer added.

香蕉视频直播淢ost of them hate it,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淭his is something that was imposed on us by the government and the majority of physicians do not want to have anything to do with it.香蕉视频直播�

Debra Lynkowski, head of the Canadian Lung Association, urged patients and doctors to take lung health into consideration when discussing medicinal marijuana.

香蕉视频直播淲hen you burn something, that combustion releases toxins and carcinogens, and they香蕉视频直播檙e released regardless of what the source is,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淥ur primary concern with regard to that is just to be considering any kind of lung health implications.香蕉视频直播�

Colette Rivet, head of the association that represents licensed cannabis producers in Canada, said that while the industry is against smoking medical marijuana, ultimately it can香蕉视频直播檛 restrict what patients do.

香蕉视频直播淲e know that there香蕉视频直播檚 an issue with smoking. However, we can香蕉视频直播檛 control it at the patient level,香蕉视频直播� Rivet said.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e trying to develop new product forms so they would be more inclined to go away from that.香蕉视频直播�

Each licensed producer has its own unique document that physicians fill out when prescribing medical marijuana, which includes a minimum amount of information required by Health Canada, Rivet said.

Beyond that, some companies ask whether a patient would prefer dried marijuana or oil, while others don香蕉视频直播檛, she added.

A Health Canada spokesman confirmed that patients are in charge of requesting the form of medical marijuana they prefer, whether dry leaf or oil, and they are not restricted in how they wish to consume it.

The sale of edibles is banned, but a June 2015 decision from the Supreme Court of Canada ruled medicinal marijuana patients have the right to prepare their medication however they want, including cooking it.

香蕉视频直播� Geordon Omand, The Canadian Press