Medical Marijuana Doctor Gives Straight Answers to Salem-News.com Visitors (VIDEO)

This is the 20th segment in our ongoing interactive look at medical marijuana with noted expert, Dr. Phil Leveque and reporter Bonnie King.

(SALEM, Ore.) - In this half-hour interview, we pose a variety of new questions to Dr. Leveque. Each week we receive dozens of letters, comments, stories and questions about medical marijuana and other toxicology/pharmacology issues, and we encourage our viewers participation in this ongoing discussion.

This series with Dr. Leveque is a "head on" opportunity to address the legal rights, boundaries and success stories that go along with medicinal marijuana use, especially in the state of Oregon. We also attempt to qualm urban legends, rumors or untruths that reveal themselves frequently, so that the public has full and correct information as informed decision makers.

Eleven states have medicinal marijuana laws, so far. The old misunderstandings stating ill-effects have been solidly proven wrong for many years. Science backs up the use of marijuana as a medicinal healing agent. Many believe that only when the federal government lifts their ban on its use, will all Americans openly accept marijuana as a low risk option over the legal use of alcohol, prescription narcotics and other drugs, reducing our addiction problems on a grand scale. Until then, millions of Americans continue to keep their marijuana use a secret.

Here are the topics we covered in this, the twentieth on-camera interview with Dr. Phil Leveque. Watch the video for his answers.

Q: Laura is 50 yrs old and has Fibromyalgia. Symptoms included Muscle Fatigue, Stress, Sciatica, Arthritis, Depression and she also had BAD spasms and neuropathy, her hands swell and have for years. She was first put on flexeril, then oxycontin, and more. She really HATED IT. She now takes 10 mg of Norco and Methadone every 6 hrs on regular days. Her whole life has changed physically and mentally, she's aged 20 yrs in two years. Do you think Medical MJ could help with, replace part (or all) of her Medications?

Q: How can one go about asking a new doctor about medical marijuana use without coming off as a drug fiend?

Q: A woman says she agrees with much of what you explain about methadone. She says the local methadone clinic where she lives actually had a celebration for being open three years. She says babies born to mothers on methadone usually arrive prematurely at the beginning of the eighth month of pregnancy and are usually put into neonatal intensive care while they battle to live and experience painful withdrawal from methadone. Yet, she says pregnant women are prescribed methadone frequently. She wants to know if you know about the methadone children who survive birth? Q: Josh is a 32 year old family man with full time, professional employment. And, he has been a lab rat for at least 10 years. He has been given "tons" of anti-depressants, anti-convulsants (even though he has no history of seizures), and anti-psychotics. He is currently on 20 mg of aderall three times a day. Is there any hope of Josh being able to legally self medicate? Josh is located in Pennsylvania where there is no legal medical marijuana program.

Q: Luis is an aspiring doctor, soon to be graduate from a University of California as a Neurobiologist. He plans to do research for the next two years and then apply to medical school. Four months ago, Luis injured his back and the pain escalated to the point where he was prescribed vicodin.

When he ran out of vicodin and complained in front of friends that he needed to get the prescription refilled, the friends sold him on the marijuana remedy to rid the body of aches and pains. He smoked twice that week and the pain disappeared. He doesn’t want to continue smoking illegally so he has considered applying for a medical marijuana card. But he wants to go to Medical school. If he qualifies for a card, would it affect his acceptance into medical school?

Q: Blenner writes, “My parents are very old-fashioned and they believe that marijuana is completely bad for your health and it should never be use for any purpose whatsoever. What they don't know is that I've used it to relieve stress from inside and outside my house. I don't understand why people say it has a negative effect on your memory because I smoked and got A's on all my tests in school. Could you help me explain to my parents that marijuana isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be?”

Q: Miles says that after living with Juvenile Myclonic Epilepsy, Bi-Polar Disorder, Depression, Insomnia, and Audio and Visual hallucinations, he got off all his medications and has been correcting his problems with medicinal cannabis, proper diet and exercise. He says he is just writing share feedback on this topic. He says medical cannabis has been a better line of treatment, even though it is illegal in Texas where he lives, than any of the medicines they wanted to pop into his system. He says, “On cannabis, I don't gain 40 additional lbs. nor do I pass out while driving to work in the morning and crash into a parked car.” Is that a fair expectation for people who suffer a variety of illnesses like this man?

Q: Ricardo has a question about medical marijuana; he hurt his back 3 yrs ago lifting heavy stuff at work. Can he get medical marijuana for his chronic back pain condition without a past medical history?

Q: Matt is also a sufferer of chronic back pain. 2 years ago he was diagnosed with degenerative disk disease, arthritis of the spine and minor sciatica and has been using marijuana for the pain. He says the only problem is that he does not have a permit and he’s getting afraid of the ramifications of the illegal use.

He also suffers from irritable bowel syndrome but the THC clinic in Portland wants a current diagnosis for this. As for the diagnosis on his back, he says the doctor who gave made the diagnosis then turned around and disagreed with his own diagnosis.

He says, “Frankly, I am at a loss as to what to do because the marijuana does help tremendously. Long story short, I have no insurance so no one will help me. Is there anything you can do to help or any advice you can give me?"

WATCH THE VIDEO SEGMENT AND GET THE ANSWERS WITH DR. LEVEQUE & BONNIE KING, BELOW.

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Watch for more streaming video question and answer segments about medical marijuana with Bonnie King and Dr. Phil Leveque.

Click on this link for other articles and video segments about PTSD and medical marijuana on Salem-News.com: Dr. Leveque INTERVIEWS & ARTICLES

Salem-News.com Marijuana Coverage

Where and How to Smoke Legal Marijuana without Fear of Arrest in the U.S.

Eulogy of a Great Warrior: Hoss Plourde

The Ripple Effect How Marijuana Laws Are Impacting Society

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Welcome Home, Tom

Comments Leave a comment on this story.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

esha September 29, 2010 2:17 am (Pacific time)

I'm 6mos pregnant and am diagnosed with severe nausea and vomoting my doctors hve tried different types of medicines but only smoking marijuana works . When I dnt smoke I can't eat or even stop vomiting can I get a medical card legally...

EDITOR: Esha, a legal medical marijuana permit may be attained in 14 states. Perhaps you are in one of them. Do a search about your state laws, and you may learn what you need to know. If you have more questions, please email: newsroom@salem-news.com, good luck!

liibaan August 9, 2009 12:07 pm (Pacific time)

yes weed

M.T. July 9, 2009 8:47 pm (Pacific time)

Hi, my name is Matt and im 16 years old and i have really bad back pain, so i was wondering if i could get medical medical marijuana and i live in colorado springs CO. Thank you! hope to hear back from you.

EDITOR: Matt, please email Dr. Leveque your questions and he'll get back to you via email. Thanks! newsroom@salem-news.com

Jacob March 20, 2009 10:32 pm (Pacific time)

i am 15 years old and i have a.d.d with hypertension and i cant sleep i have depression because i never met my father and the only thing i know about him is that he use to beat me and my familiy all day every day i am wondering if medical weed will help because therapy and pills just make it worst ..please help!!!

EDITOR: Jacob, please email Dr. Leveque for his feedback at: newsroom@salem-news.com

ABIEL October 9, 2008 1:57 pm (Pacific time)

HI MY NAME IS ABIEL FROM MIAMI,FL ... AND I AM 16. I HAVE A BROTHER WHO SMOKES POT ILLEGALY BUT THRERES THIS PROBLEM, HE WENT THROUGH ALOT THROUGH OUT THE YEARS AND WHAT KEPT HIM HAPPY WAS SMOKING POT. HE HAS A PROBLEM HE IS ALWAYS DEPRESSED AND STRESSED BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION AND I WANT TO HELP HIM GET A MEDICAL MARIJUNA PERMIT. IM TRYING TO DO RESERCH ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND HOW TO HELP HIM GET A PEMIT. HE DID NOT GRADUATE HIGHSCHOOL BECAUSE HE BEEN THROUGH TOUGH TIMES WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER.. ITS HARD FOR HIM TO WORK HIS ASS OFF EVERYDAY TRYING TO MAINTAIN HIS FAMILY AND HAVE HIS LITTLE EXTRA MONEY TO TRY AND RELIEVE SOME OF THE DEPRESSION AND STRESS THE SITUATION IS CAUSING..\ HE DESERVES MEDICAL MRIUANA BECAUSE OTHER DRUGS JUST WONT DO IT AND EVERYBODY'S NEGATIVE TALKS IN THE FAMILY ABOUT HIM AND HIS POT SMOKING HABITS MAKES HIM MORE DEPRESSED, STRESSED, AND SAD...MY FAMILY THINKS MARIJUANA IS BAD BUT I BELEVE THAT IF HE HAD A PERMIT EVERYTHING WOULD B OKAY AND HE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET HIS LIFE ON TRAKWITHOUT WORRIES.. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY HAPPY/POSITIVE .... IM TRYING TO HELP HIM PLEASE HELP!

George October 4, 2008 6:25 pm (Pacific time)

Dr.Leveque this is George from CA. I am 17 Years old. Ive been having extremly bad migranes for five months know,That i begin to black out very often. Ive starded to take 350mg a couple of months ago which has not relief anything. I got Proscribed to take 450mg for my migranes but it didnt turn out to have worked Infact i began to get a bloody nose every 10 minutes before i take my pill. I really dont know what to do anymore or what to take for my migranes if theres anything that could help me on getting rid of my migranes or the pain for it ill be glad to hear from you soon. Thank You.

John September 20, 2008 September 19, 2008 10:27 pm (Pacific time)

Dr. Leveque this is John from FL, I am 20 years old. I have chronic back pains, neck, shoulder, and pains in my hands from work accidents and broken bones. I been given Ibuprofen for the pain but it doesn’t really work and I hate taking pills. I’ve smoked every now an then it helps the pain go away and I’m able to do daily tasks easier. I wanted to know if I can get a medical marijuana permit for this and how to get it. Also I am planning on going to college an I want to know where there are schools to study about marijuana so I can learn more about it an I hope to help other people with there health problems one day. Please let me know I’ll be waiting to hear from you hope you can help.

Ricardo June 9, 2008 11:00 pm (Pacific time)

I live in CA ,I did not mean any medical history at all,I have two months of medical history but do not have any past history because I didnt have any insurence.Iv been proscribe ibuprofen600mg at first did not work,now im taking flexeril 10mg and naprosyn500mg they do not work and there really messing up my stomach,id rather be in pain then take those pills again.marijuana really works for me. my injury was a sprained lower back that still hurts alot till this day after 3yrs.thank you for answering my question

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Medical Marijuana Doctor Gives Straight Answers to Salem-News.com Visitors (VIDEO)

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