vol2 - Page 133

 Schedule ! drugt made clear8 cogent, consistent communication
 between the physician and the patient difficult, if not impos-
 sible. It also deprived patients of the ability to obtain
 marijuana within a regulated system and to employ the drug
 under close medical supervision. This also, in addition to
 marijuana_s illegality, further complicated an appropriate
 ethical approach. Does the physician withhold information from
 a patient? Or, by providing information without being able to
 supply the product itself, does the physician force the patient
 into a situation of criminality to meet his medical needs?
 12. The likelihood of adverse _eaction under such
 conditions is greatly increased. Yet_ to the best of my
 knowledge, of all the patients I treated during this period of
 time, I am aware of only one patient who had what could be
 termed an adverse response to marijuana.
 13. This patients a woman who had never smoked
 marijuana before, and who was a nonsmoker of tobacco
 cigarettes, obtained some marijuana from an illegal source she
 did not know and then first attempted to use the drug on the
 way to her chemotherapy treatments. The reactlon_ which could
 be called a Wpanic response _, lasted for a brief period of time
 _a two to three hours _- and did not cause the patient any
 long-term or significant injury either biological or mental°
 14o In reviewing this woman's situations several
 things should be pointed out. Firsts it was the only such
 adverse effect of which i am aware. Second, the adverse effect
 . itself was highly transitory_ and there was no actual damage to