You can hardly drive anywhere in this city without seeing a cannabis shop on any street corner. Some look pretty sleazy; others very legitimate; and many use the green ìredî cross to give them an ethical flare of real medicine.Whether disguised as a gas station or as a ìnaturalî health store, there is no doubt the marijuana laws in Colorado have forever changed the landscape, and attracted thousands of new people to the state just to get cannabis. For those parents of children with untreatable seizures, I am pleased they can come here to get this compound and help decrease their childís seizures. I also support other documented and legitimate uses, such as pain control. But the onslaught of ìmarijuana tourismî this has created is causing a huge burden on law enforcement; and, of course, not all of these ìtouristsî are good for our state. Since late 2012 and the passage of Amendment 64, adults in Colorado can possess up to 1 ounce of retail marijuana. Consequently, we now have many pet owners already using the drug as medicine for their pets, and veterinarians are in a difficult position because of the lack of scientific evidence. Animal ERs are inundated with calls about dogs and cats that have been over-dosed with marijuana. In fact, the number of marijuana poisoning cases at just two Colorado veterinary hospitals quadrupled during a five-year period. Our general practices are now being asked about the use of marijuana for pain, seizures and a slew of medical problems. Pet owners are making the natural leap, thinking that marijuana will now help their pets. At a time when our profession is highly focused on ìevidence based medicine,î along comes this new possible treatment or drug (a complex compound containing at least 60 chemicals) that has become all the rage. But what about evidence? We know almost nothing about dose, extracts, formats, uses, controlled studies and even antidotes for over doses or unusual reactions. What is the truth, and what do we know? †Federal law currently prohibits all uses of marijuana, and anyone violating the law faces serious legal penalties. In our state where medical marijuana use has been approved, officers with the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration periodically raid medical marijuana dispensaries, seizing their assets and shutting them down, even if temporarily.†In April, the Pew Research Center reported that, for the first time in four decades, most Americans (52 percent) favor legalizing marijuana. In addition, 77 percent of those surveyed said marijuana has legitimate medical uses. This is fascinating given the Food and Drug Administrationís position that marijuana is neither safe nor efficacious for treating any human or animal disease. It is a real problem for scientists and those of us who would like to know things like doses, efficacy, reactions and interactions with other drugs. Then, there is the problem for the DEA. Marijuana has been classified as a schedule I controlled substance since 1970. Schedule I is THE most restrictive of the federal Controlled Substances Act categories, and is reserved for drugs with no currently accepted medical uses and a high potential for abuse. For example, heroin, LSD and ecstasy are schedule I drugs; while cocaine, methamphetamine and morphine are schedule II drugs.†Scientists have identified more than 60 chemicals, or cannabinoids, unique to marijuana. The regulatory hurdles for clinical research on a single chemical classified as a schedule I drug is so high as to act as a deterrent. Numerous physician and health care organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Public Health Association, are urging the federal government to reschedule marijuana to allow more research that could yield new cannabinoid-based medications.If itís good enough for me, then why not my pet.Humans who believe marijuana has helped them are often too ready to give it to their pets. Hopefully, they are giving it to pets in serious pain or pets that have bad epilepsy, but many times it is just given for fun; and these pets often end up in the emergency room with an overdose.Pets are being given cannabis extracts for many conditions such as separation anxiety and noise phobia, as well as irritable bowel syndrome and feline immunodeficiency virus; infections, pain management, nausea and seizures. Cannabis oil is also being used topically to treat tumors.In my practice, I see a majority of end-stage cancer and pain. I would love nothing better than to find the magic extract in a reliable pure form I can trust. I would love to know the dose and any side effects (as these dogs are on a slew of other drugs). At that point, I would be one of its biggest proponents. We are just not there yet. Many people who have had it work for them arenít waiting on the science. They are just giving it to their pets and hoping for the best. What you will hear are the success stories. What you wonít hear are the ER visits and expensive treatment bills to get a pet over an overdose, or worse yet, a death on arrival. †Human physicians in states where medical marijuana is sanctioned are exempt from prosecution by the state for recommending the schedule I drug to patients. Please note: Such protections do not apply to veterinarians, and it is illegal in every state to prescribe or recommend marijuana to treat a patient. It also can be toxic. Giving the drug to a pet as medicine is actually putting the animal at risk.†Donít be surprised if your veterinarian is not firm on any advice for using cannabis extracts in treating your pets. At this point in medical history, while we think there may be some benefit in this plant, there is far too many unknowns to be able to give you advice on what to do. I wish it was different, as pain control is so important in veterinary medicine, so for now we have to rely on those known drugs we have in our arsenal. Dr. Jim Humphries is a veterinarian and provides hospice and end-of-life care for pets in the Colorado Springs area. He also serves as a visiting professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University. He lives in Falcon with his wife, horses and Great Danes. www.HomeWithDignity.com
