Local doctor claims amazing results in treating patients with medicinal marijuana

A local physician, who has for the last 15 years been prescribing medicinal marijuana to his patients with “amazing results,” now wants the blessing of the authorities to do so legally.

In a letter dated March 9, Dr Chester Toney, who specializes in obstetrics, gynaecology and sexology, said that he has repeatedly{{more}} found the use of the cannabis plant and the cannabis oil to be very successful, especially when conventional medicine had failed patients in a number of circumstances.

Toney, who is also an expert in holistic medicine and acupuncture, said that he has achieved amazing results (with medicinal marijuana), namely in the treatment of fibromyalgia, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), neuritis, asthma and gastrointestinal dysfunctions.

“I must further emphasize that I have supervised many of the protocols of treatment for patients, who request medical cannabis as their medicine of first line therapy, including members of the Rastafarian community, who vehemently demand treatment by medical cannabis at all times,” said Toney, in the letter, which was copied to Governor General Sir Frederick Ballantyne, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, Minister of Health Luke Browne, Attor-ney-General Judith Jones-Morgan, Commissioner of Police Michael Charles, head of BBC Caribbean and the media houses in SVG.

The physician, who holds a postgraduate diploma in Alternative Medicine, said he established his Bedford Street, Kingstown clinic shortly after he returned to SVG, following an 11-year sojourn in Cuba, where he pursued postgraduate studies in holistic medicine and acupuncture. He said that he has also done local research in and explored the use of cannabis to treat illnesses.

“A practical common sense approach to the use of medical cannabis and cannabis oil and local herbs, in addition to my commitment that every sick person needs a chance at a healthy life, has shaped my philosophy towards medicine and healing, therefore allowing me to assist many people in St Vincent and the Grenadines and the wider Caribbean,” Toney said in his letter, adding that his success rate in healing patients with medical cannabis is over 80 per cent.

He added that the combination of alternative medicine and conventional treatment has done wonders for patients and a number of them are willing to verify his claim.

“I am kindly soliciting your permission and legal assistance to prescribe medical cannabis to all patients in need. Please sir, don’t let us be left behind when the world is miles ahead,” Toney stated in his letter.

Recently, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said that under our law, doctors may prescribe marijuana under certain conditions, but he was not aware if many persons know this.

“Of course, the conditions under which such prescription could be done is very controlled and it is very understandable, because marijuana can be controlled and misused, but the fact that it can be abused and misused cannot take us away from the fact that it contains properties that if administered in an organized scientific way, it can aid persons with certain ailments,” said Gonsalves, who noted that he was being modern and scientific about the marijuana issue.

Under our Drugs (Prevention and Misuse) Act, Section 9, Authorization of activities otherwise unlawful under foregoing provisions, “The Minister may by regulations, make such other provisions as he thinks fit for the purpose of making it lawful for persons to do things which under the following provisions of this Act, that is to say, sections 6 (1), 7 (1), and 8 (1), it would otherwise be unlawful for them to do.”

The Act also allows the Minister (of Health) to make regulations stating, “that it is not unlawful under section 6 (1) for a doctor, dentist or veterinary practitioner acting in his capacity as such, to prescribe, administer, manufacture, compound or supply a controlled drug”.(LC)