Shaniece Denson
Casarett, David. “What I Learned at the Weed Dispensary.” New York Times. New York Times, 28 July 2015. Web. 28 July 2015.
This online article deliberates on the controversy of whether or not the medical marijuana industry is taking the right approach in treating their patients. The author David Casarett sheds light on various methods used by marijuana clinics to provide assistance to individuals that seek relief from pain in marijuana. Casarett performs research and conducts interviews to obtain information that will give direction to the impact that the medical marijuana industry is having and determine whether or not our country’s healthcare system should follow suit. The author attends medical marijuana clinics and a weed dispensary to gain knowledge of the actual procedures that are being followed in such places. He also takes notice of the information that is shared between patients and the office staff members, as well as the knowledge that the patients share among themselves. Casarett considers the benefits within these communities and argue that the healthcare system must welcome the practices within the medical marijuana business.
David Casarett seems to be credible because he is a palliative care physician that lives to distribute aid to patients that suffer from serious illnesses, much like the patients that visit medical marijuana clinics to receive alleviation from unbearing symptoms. Though his position as a palliative care physician allows him to relate with his colleagues and understand their reasons for not giving medical marijuana patients extensive care, at the same time the research Casarett completes gives him the opportunity to identify counterclaims. This demonstrates that Casarett is willing to challenge the traditional approaches within his practice in order to make medical marijuana patients feel more secure. The author also provides quotes and the perspective of an individual that has rheumatoid arthritis and visits medical marijuana clinics and dispensaries in order to receive treatment and advice that will help ease her sufferings. Lastly, Casarett is considered a credible source because his article appears on the online site of New York Times. This venue is a distinguished newspaper that has won over 100 Pulitzer Prizes and that targets a broad audience. The fact that Casarett declares his argument in a responsible and insightful manner, and succeeds in having it published in New York Times shows his credibility.
Casarett announces that the medical marijuana industry is treating their patients in such an effective way that our “mainstream healthcare system needs to catch up”. He offers three “lessons” that can be learned from the medical marijuana system and how these lessons will benefit both physicians and patients. Casarett notes that physicians fail to treat medical marijuana patient with thorough care because of the claim that they do not have time to do so, in face Casarett agrees with his colleagues. Casarett also quotes a medical marijuana patient to show the desire that patients want to be “in control” of their own treatment. Therefore, he suggests that physicians like himself distribute responsibility to the patients and office staff members in order for medical marijuana patients to receive the type of care that they deserve, one of which that admits them to be in charge of their medical care. The first resolution that Casarett promotes is to let the patients learn from each other. He implies that such communities that offer advice and support are effective in disbursing information among patients. Next, he encourages the idea that office staff members should spend more time with patients to give “detailed answers”, this would minimize the time required with a physician. Finally, Casarett states that “we should give patients more ability to manage their treatments”. These three suggestions are behavior that Casarett witnessed in the medical marijuana industry and believe are necessary take up by the mainstream healthcare system in order to make patients feel secure.