September

You were born in Vancouver, but you grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. Tell me about your background.? I was born at St. Paul’s while my dad was in grad school at UBC and my mother was a teacher.

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I enjoyed reading Dr Bates’s excellent article on addressing existential suffering in patients with terminal illnesses (BCMJ 2016;58:268-273). Spiritual/religious issues are important for many of our patients, not just those facing end-of-life issues. A study of 2000 physicians published in 2007[1] indicated that most psychiatrists and nonpsychiatric physicians believe that religion/spirituality helps patients cope with and endure illness and suffering by offering a positive, hopeful state of mind and/or a community that offers emotional or practical support.

References

Medicinal cannabis presents a unique dilemma for physicians and regulatory authorities because it represents an unapproved treatment with limited good-quality research to inform guidelines that clarify specific age-related indications, dosage, or risks. In addition, many myths portray negative effects, which results in a culture of ill-informed lack of medical support. Despite these barriers physicians have been designated as the gatekeepers of access to cannabis for medical purposes.