Medical Marajuana Raises Concern Over Drug Interaction

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.