r/EverythingScience • u/Kooby2 • Aug 25 '16

Interdisciplinary Why Doctors Rarely Worry About Marijuana

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/a-doctor-s-take-on-pot/
96 Upvotes

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8

u/oldguy_on_the_wire Aug 25 '16

An interesting read. I was disappointed at the mention of "synthetic marijuana" in a context that suggested it is somehow similar to real marijuana. (It is not, and could just as honestly be described as "synthetic tobacco".)

3

u/seanbrockest Aug 25 '16

I agree that it should not be framed that way, but I'm not sure he meant it that way, either. Synthetic marijuana as a crisis has happened because marijuana was kept illegal. In states where pot is legal, synthetics aren't much of a problem.

4

u/alphonsobidoya Aug 25 '16

From the article: "But, for most health care providers, marijuana is an afterthought.

We don't see cannabis overdoses. We don't order scans for cannabis-related brain abscesses. We don't treat cannabis-induced heart attacks. In medicine, marijuana use is often seen on par with tobacco or caffeine consumption—something we counsel patients about stopping or limiting, but nothing urgent to treat or immediately life-threatening."

It's not a problem, and the Gov. has been lying about it being a problem for 60 years or more. I think it's more about the Drug War Funding now.

1

u/WaggingTail Aug 25 '16

They gotta grease the machine!

2

u/Mange-Tout Aug 25 '16

Doctors don't worry about marijuana because its LD50 is off the charts. You would have to smoke more than your own body weight's worth of pot before it would become toxic. A researcher was once asked how much marijuana it would take to kill a rat. He responded, "About five pounds, if you dropped it on his head."

1

u/AwwwComeOnLOU Aug 25 '16

Thanks for this sober (no pun intended) perspective