Name: 【TED】David Casarett: A doctor's case for medical marijuana (A doctor's case for medical marijuana | David Casarett)
Uploaded: 2017-10-29T08:28:57.000Z
Duration: 15 min 8 s
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I would like to tell you about the most embarrassing thing

that has ever happened to me in my years of working as a palliative care physician.

I was asked as a consultant to see a woman in her 70s --

retired English professor who had pancreatic cancer.

I was asked to see her because she had pain, nausea, vomiting ...

When I went to see her, we talked about those symptoms

she asked me whether I thought that medical marijuana might help her.

that I had learned in medical school about medical marijuana,

which didn't take very long because I had learned absolutely nothing.

medical marijuana had no benefits whatsoever.

And she smiled and nodded and reached into the handbag next to the bed,

and pulled out a stack of about a dozen randomized controlled trials

showing that medical marijuana has benefits

for symptoms like nausea and pain and anxiety.

"Maybe you should read these before offering an opinion ...

That night I read all of those articles and found a bunch more.

I had to admit that it looks like there is some evidence

that marijuana can offer medical benefits

and I suggested that if she really was interested,

This 73-year-old, retired English professor?

She said, "I did try it about six months ago.

I don't know why it took me 73 years to discover this stuff. It's amazing."

I needed to learn something about medical marijuana

because what I was prepared for in medical school

So I started reading more articles, I started talking to researchers,

and most importantly, I started listening to patients.

I ended up writing a book based on those conversations,

and that book really revolved around three surprises --

that there really are some benefits to medical marijuana.

Those benefits may not be as huge or as stunning

as some of the most avid proponents of medical marijuana

Those risks may not be as huge and as scary

as some of the opponents of medical marijuana would have us believe,

But it was the third surprise that was most ...

And that is that a lot of the patients I talked with

who've turned to medical marijuana for help,

weren't turning to medical marijuana because of its benefits

or because they thought it was a wonder drug,

but because it gave them control over their illness.

in a way that was productive and efficient

To show you what I mean, let me tell you about another patient.

Robin was in her early 40s when I met her.

She looked though like she was in her late 60s.

She had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for the last 20 years,

she had to rely on a wheelchair to get around.

but emotionally, cognitively, psychologically,

she was among the toughest people I've ever met.

in a medical marijuana dispensary in Northern California

to ask her about why she turned to medical marijuana,

what it did for her and how it helped her,

that I had heard from many patients before.

when her pain was better, she slept better.

But then she said something that I'd never heard before,

and that is that it gave her control over her life

at the dose and frequency that worked for her.

And if it didn't work for her, then she could make changes.

was she didn't need anybody else's permission --

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【TED】David Casarett: A doctor's case for medical marijuana (A doctor's case for medical marijuana | David Casarett)

anxiety

sort

chronic

absolutely