July

As practising physicians, we make ethical decisions every day, sometimes without even realizing it. This special issue is designed not only to help resolve ethical dilemmas and prevent potential problems from arising, but also to bring this ever-present factor to the foreground.

A few years ago I made an important mental-health maintenance decision. I decided to get off the emotional roller-coaster ride our politicians love to take us on whenever the BC electorate decides to give the incumbent majority a royal butt-kicking. The new group, flushed with their sense of importance and newfound power, grasping their list of election promises in upraised, victorious mitts, have always driven my optimism and almost carnal desire for change to new heights. However, reality quickly dampens the enthusiasm of novice health ministers within a few heartbeats.

This will probably come across as sounding like I get delight from terrorizing wounded animals, but I just had to comment on the BC HealthGuide. I have to wonder what went into the decision-making process that allowed the spending of so much money for so little potential benefit. There seems to be a paucity of literature that validates the creation and distribution of government-funded self-help books. The only obvious reason for advancing this project through the ministry had to be economic.

The federal government is conducting hearings on the legal status of marijuana that could result in a marked increase in the prevalence of substance use disorders. It seems that the predominant voice being heard is that of lobbyists in favor of legalization, decriminalization, and medicalization. As a medical educator familiar with the voluminous literature on addictions, I am concerned. Of course, making criminals of people for inhaling the smoke of a common weed is irrational.

This column describes choices for library services for BC physicians. Many organizations collaborate with the College Medical Library Service (MLS) and share responsibility for meeting your needs.

UBC libraries