: News

Filed Under:

Medical Marajuana Raises Concern Over Drug Interaction

Play associated audio
One doctor says aging baby boomers risk the possibility of hazardous drug interaction with the use of marijuana.
NBC4
One doctor says aging baby boomers risk the possibility of hazardous drug interaction with the use of marijuana.

By Elliott Francis

As lawmakers in the district consider legalizing medical marijuana, some doctors are considering the unknown health risks of pot use, in an aging population.

Dr. David Charles, an internist based in Rockville, MD says aging baby boomers who may have used marijuana when they were young, might find its medical use raises the possibility of hazardous drug interaction.

"As you get older many patients are taking cholesterol drugs, high blood pressure medicine, heart medication, diabetic medication, etc. Once you start adding these drugs with the possibility of marijuana, certainly that could cause patients problems," says Charles.

So what if the benefit outweighs the risk? According to Dr. Charles, "for patients who are in hospice or have metastatic cancer, certainly that's a drug that should be utilized for a small segment of the population."

A recent survey by the AARP found most adults in favor of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes.

NPR

Book News: Alice Munro, Author Of Pensive Short Stories, May Retire

Also: The Apple ebook trial wraps up; the unique horror of Kafka's stories; James Salter's woman troubles.
NPR

And The Winner Of The World Food Prize Is ... The Man From Monsanto

The prize is sometimes called the "Nobel Prize for food and agriculture." And this year's winners include Monsanto executive Robert Fraley, a pioneer in genetically engineered crops. If there's a single person who personifies the company's controversial role in American agriculture, it's probably Fraley.
WAMU 88.5

Associate Of D.C. Businessman To Plead Guilty To Making Straw Political Donations

Lee Calhoun, a former associate of the D.C. businessman at the center of a wide-ranging investigation into D.C. corruption, is said to have made campaign contributions in the names of other people.

NPR

In More Cities, A Camera On Every Corner, Park And Sidewalk

A growing number of cities are using surveillance cameras in the hope of fighting crime, but all that video is almost useless without powerful search tools to sort the material. The municipal camera trend is proving to be big business for companies that design video analytics software.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.