Living the life of a healthcare provider I’m constantly inundated with new research that offer new views on the inner workings of the human condition. My focus on Cannabis Medicine increases that new information delivery by 100-fold. Every day, it seems, there are new research studies that prove or disprove some facet of my chosen area of study. Arguments abound within the healthcare community as to whether Cannabis is positive or negative medicine. How do we know what’s truth and what’s not?
That got me thinking about experts and their opinions. What occurs for me after thinking long and hard about this is there is no such thing as an expert. Seriously the term “expert” is completely and utterly useless. At the root of expertise is knowledge of a particular subject and that’s where the issue lies.
There have been experts throughout millennia that have shouted their opinions from the rooftops only to have their beliefs proven completely inaccurate. Let’s take the case of Galileo for instance. Known as the Father of Modern Physics Galileo was subject to prosecution by the experts of his time, The Inquisition. Ultimately convicted of “suspected heresy” for stating the earth revolved around the sun, he was forced to renounce his views and spent the rest of his years under house arrest. The experts at the time argued the Bible clearly stated the earth was the center of universe. Those experts were, of course, proven wrong.
How many people still believe that the earth is flat? Anyone? The experts at that time all agreed that the earth was flat. Obviously, we know that isn’t true, but you get my drift.
In healthcare we cling rigidly to expert opinions and hold them as gospel. The truth is the experts of today are the old fools of tomorrow. What we currently hold as truth can be disproved in a moment.
This is especially true in the world of cannabis. Everyone is a supposed expert, but the reality is we just don’t know everything there is to know and we never will. It’s not that cannabis is any different than any other drug, whether you’re talking THC or CBD, we just don’t know much about ANY drugs.
Case in point statins, drugs used to lower cholesterol, have been prescribed for years. Recent studies have shown that for over half the patient population these drugs had no effect on lowering cholesterol after two years of daily use. In fact, there are questions now as to whether or not cholesterol levels are even indicated in coronary artery disease. Again, expert opinions abound.
What’s my point? An expert opinion is just that – an opinion. The bottom line is you are the expert on you! You’re the best source of an expert opinion on what’s right for you.