Letter to the Editor

February 28, 2018

Letter to the Editor
       I read Dr. Roark’s endorsement of medical cannabis with considerable interest and a question or two. Her statements make it clear there is no remedy in her profession to treat some ailments and diseases as cannabis can.
       From what I have read in the past, the medical  profession is divided on this issue. She did not mention any
possible negative effects of cannabis. Does she know of any? In fairness, I think she should be objective enough
to state her position on that. Perhaps you can give her the
opportunity to do that.
       She also mentions: “it is a big focus because of the opioid addiction issue.” Is that her opinion or can she give
facts for that focus? Is there any chance of people becoming addicted to medical cannabis?
       A appreciate her position and I think she should be more objective in her professional endorsement.
Don Beeson, Cassville

Dr. Lisa Roark’s response to Mr. Don Beeson
       I’m happy to answer any questions, and enjoy having our community members take an
interest in the medical cannabis issue. For an in depth review of the petition, it is posted at www.newapproachmissouri.com.
       One of the biggest health issues across the United States is the Opioid Crisis. This is the
misuse of narcotic pain pills, as well as the accidental overdose using these medications. Currently in Barry County, the Health Department is working on a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program in the attempt to decrease narcotic overdoses. Opioid “pain pill” overdose deaths continue to rise in the US with an estimated 115 Americans dying daily from opioid overdoses (as reported by the National Institute on Drug abuse). Because  chronic pain is a major indication for medical cannabis, laws that establish access to medical cannabis are very important. This has led to my opinion that we need safer choices for pain management. Studies have been done that show a dramatic decrease in opioid deaths when medical marijuana laws are in place. States with medical cannabis laws had a 24.8% lower annual opioid overdose death rate (according to a study published in JAMA, October 2014 issue).
       As with any medication, there are potential side effects of medical marijuana. The most common side effects include dizziness, bloodshot eyes, increased appetite, forgetfulness, and excessive happiness. Another concern many have is the issue of addiction and withdrawal. In low doses, marijuana has not shown to be addictive. However, when dosed on a regular basis a person can experience withdrawal if they stop regular use abruptly. The symptoms are generally mild compared to other opioids and include irritability, sleep  difficulties, decreased appetite, and restlessness. This is very different than stopping narcotic pain pills abruptly; in this case a person can experience severely increased blood pressure, heart rate, nausea, vomiting, sweating, agitation, delirium and even death.
       I’m happy to answer any other questions Mr. Beeson, or other readers may have. Keep
them coming. My office is also keeping a petition during business hours if community members want to sign it.
-Dr. Lisa Roark, M.D., of Cassville

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