Pubdate: Thu, 27 Oct 2011
Source: Tucson Weekly (AZ)
Copyright: 2011 Tucson Weekly
Contact:  http://www.tucsonweekly.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/462
Author: Dr. Kevin Lewis

NOT ALL LEGIT DOCTORS ARE AFRAID OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA

I am a local physician who provides medical-examiner services for the
certification of medical marijuana, commercial driver's licenses and
pilot-license physicals. I find no shame in the services I provide ("A
Sticky Stigma," Medical MJ, Oct. 6). If a person qualifies under the
state guidelines and has medical records to confirm their claim, then
I do a physical and a record-review.

There is shame for the clinics (mostly from out of state) that will
certify patients for medical marijuana based upon undocumented medical
history. These people are indeed shameful if they fail to do a
comprehensive evaluation before they certify a patient for medical
marijuana; the law is very specific in the medical-examiner duties for
qualifying a patient for medical marijuana. I personally pre-qualify
every patient before an appointment at Med Mar Plus. At the
appointment, the emphasis is not on obtaining certification, but upon
obtaining treatment for the patient's medical condition. I am proud,
not shameful, that I utilize medical marijuana as part of a
comprehensive treatment plan.

The certification mills need to be shut down. Medical marijuana is a
tool, not the answer. If certifying physicians would treat marijuana
in this manner, then the shame associated with medical-marijuana
certification would fade.

Dr. Kevin Lewis
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.