Doctors should think twice before prescribing medical marijuana: guideline
EDMONTON — A new medical guideline suggests family doctors should think twice before prescribing medical marijuana to their patients.
The Simplified Guideline for Prescribing Medical Cannabinoids in Primary Care, published Thursday in the medical journal Canadian Family Physician, says there is limited evidence to support the reported benefits of medical marijuana for many conditions.
It adds that any benefit could be balanced or even outweighed by the potential harm.
“While enthusiasm for medical marijuana is very strong among some people, good quality research has not caught up,” project leader Mike Allan, director of evidence-based medicine at the University of Alberta, said in a news release.