CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta is just too damn perfect. He is a doctor (including combat neurosurgery), a journalist, a University of Michigan grad, has a perfect smile, and speaks out against drug use. I really believe that the Universe has a way of balancing out the existence of such people with Doppelgängers, “anti” people, who use their skills to aid the dark side. The story about Sona “Doc 420” Patel, posted on our News Tab, makes me wonder if we have finally found the anti-Sanjay Gupta of the Indian American community.
Chances are you’ve never met a doctor like Sona Patel. She’s the cover girl for medical marijuana. We first interviewed her at a medical marijuana convention in Los Angeles.
“I’ve always believed in the medicinal effects of marijuana,” says Patel, a medical marijuana doctor.
Six months ago, she started calling herself Doc 420 — 420 is the street slang for smoking marijuana.
“That’s just kind of a bit of a fluke, just kind of happened that that phone number was available and the Web site was available. So, I became Doc 420,” says Patel.
Yes, she has a toll-free number, a Doc 420 Web site and a MySpace page with a picture.
Dan Noyes: “What did you hope to accomplish with this image?”
Sona Patel: “Well, you know what, it was just something that a marketing team had come up with for me…” [Link]
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The article excerpted above is actually the transcript from a television story (including undercover camera work), the video of which is posted on the site.
First, I should say that a part of me admires the hot Doc420. She is using existing loopholes in the California medical marijuana laws to maximize her profit. She definitely is not the only such “rogue” doctor. According to the ad above she already has three clinics in three cities and she is only 31! Her website shows that the clinics are very nice as well. Incidentally, her website has a note saying it is down for construction but will be re-opening today, presumably sans racy “Doc420” ads. Thank goodness for screen capture. She must be feeling a little bit paranoid because of the undercover story, and probably with good reason. Even though California state laws allow for the distribution of weed for “medicinal reasons,” the feds do not, and will go after people that exploit the laws by freely writing prescriptions without good cause. For those wanting a clearer background on all this, 60 minutes devoted a great story to this problem just a few weeks ago. The problem for Sona is that she is caught on tape implying that just about any reason is good enough to be prescribed some marijuana by her.
The other issue here is her ad which “drips” with sex. In the under cover video when some potential clients approach her she acts very demurely, so I can give her the benefit of the doubt and believe that she isn’t using her sexuality on a daily basis. Even if it was a marketing team’s idea to dress her up like that, it was a bad call. No doctor should be that stupid. Citing an ad like this as evidence will undoubtedly bolster a prospective federal lawsuit against her.
I-Team Producer #1: “What if you don’t have a condition?”
Doc 420: “Well, most likely, people are using it for something whether you… really realize it or not, if it’s helping you sleep or calming your stress or there are so many different reasons that still qualify you. You may not even realize it.”
I-Team Producer #2: “It could be something like just I can’t sleep or whatever?”
Doc 420: “Yeah, exactly, and I have a lot of people like that, too.”
Our producers went to the ATM, returned with cash, and after a few minutes emerged with a three-month recommendation for medical marijuana.
Dan Noyes: “Oh, you’ve been diagnosed with a serious medical condition.”
But Dr. Patel didn’t really diagnose our producer. She told him what would qualify him for medical marijuana with a series of leading questions. [Link]
Marijuana might eventually become legalized, even at the federal level. Sona’s problem is that the law just isn’t there yet. The extreme marketing decisions she’s made in order to maximize her profit (i.e., conflating her physical appearance with her competency to prescribe a controlled substance) may come back to haunt her. We’ll keep an eye on her story.
Moderate doses of ALCOHOL, nicotine, or caffeine can induce psychotic symptoms in a person with (or predisposed to) schizophrenia, and small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, or other drugs can precipitate prolonged psychotic relapses. Nicky is a square. I only say this because I am sure this person drinks alcohol which happens to be legal.
Cannabis and schizophrenia.
Why the need to be personal?
well, she was whispering “massage in a brothel”
nicky,
that’s not a study. that’s an essay summarizing ‘sources’ and conversations on the subject. I’m talking about large-population, long-term studies proving that those without a genetic propensity to develop any sort of mental disorder are suddenly made into loonies by smoking a joint.
I would prefer marijuana to all the adderall, anti-anxiety, and depression meds I take. At least I think I would. I’ve never smoked up.
She didn’t have to tart herself up but I can imagine a bunch of stupid whitey marketing nitwits convincing her it was ok. I work with all of them and they think sex is the only thing that sells.
Honestly, I think her asking leading questions is probably not true. It’s mostly how someone responds that matters.
I do want to add that despite my previous comments, I do think she is nothing more than a glorified drug dealer. She just found a legal way to do it. The fact is I do support the legalization of it so you do not have a doctor be in a position of pushing drugs which she is clearly doing since she obviously does not give a shit what the reason is. Legalize pot.
Nina stikes again.
Dear Nicky-I apologize for getting personal. It’s just that I am tired of the strong stance against cannabis from those that do not have an equal stance against alcohol…All I meant in my comment was :Just as cannabis as been shown to exacerbate mental health problems, so has ethanol. That’s all.
If anyone is interested in finding out more, there’s an excellent documentary called Grass. I’m not a libertarian and nor do I advocate using drugs, but I do think that it’s silly to criminalize marijuana and it should be decriminalized, and the penalties are just way too stiff for selling and using it. We can partly thank Clinton administration for the stringent drug laws for marijuana possession. From what I’ve read, the tobacco companies have a plan ready to roll out marijuana cigs the day it is legalized.
Or stone him as a witch, kill him as a phoot, and possibly vanquish him as having a djinn. I have an anthropology degree; I’ve seen it all.
I don’t know; do you want to be complicit in a policy that screws an individual over for life, crams him full of anti-psychotics from Big Pharma, and detains him in a system that strips him of any constitutional right indefinitely? ‘Cause Mary is the way, yaar. I’ve seen it happen more than once. Getting soused may have its casualities, but it can’t quite compare.
She could be a guest star on Weeds .
James Cayne doobs up. This is your Bank. This is your Bank on drugs. Any Qustions?
do i have to google the casualty numbers for drink-driving accidents? Care to stack that up against your alleged epidemic of cannabis-related psychosis? But wait, you have an anthropology degree, we should just trust ya! Hell, you might even be from the government.
please note, i do not accept anecdotal references as proof of an epidemic.
There’s a downside to the enchanted world view too I guess. Did you go to U of BC ? Awesome totem pole collection at the school museum. Only downside of Vancouver is the blocks of junkies milling about. But decriminalized marijuana will only lead to an increased demand for cheesy snacks and the occassional bear mauling
am i the only one who thinks pot is more mind altering than some of the so called harder drugs?
ALL drugs should be legalized and regulated. Alcohol and cigarettes are the worse drugs for the body and for society. To paraphrase Dr. Gonzo, I’m not advocating drugs, but they certainly work for me. The Canadian Senate a few years ago spent a few million dollars conducting an extensive study on marijuana, and the conclusion was “legalize it.” But the fascists in DC said “dont even think about it.” In Canada/ The Great White North I can freely walk down the street with a joint between my lips and not get arrested. I think people on this discussion who are anti-pot or anti-legalization really need to… well, get high and mellow out. OR get educated abut this sacred plant. excuse me while I pack my bong
Manju
pot is NOT a mind altering drug. Please check out this site for more info on pot and other drugs. you’d be surprised how many there are…
muralimannered
Seriously, do you not know how to use google?
This is a nonsensical, illogical and ridiculous argument. Just because the overall health effects of alcohol are worse, nobody should even mention the potentially harmful effects of cannabis? That’s not an argument, it’s a knee jerk.
No one is saying you shouldn’t mention the harmful effects of cannabis. However, it is valid to ask why should someone use the bad cases to justify making pot illegal when there are many peope who are free to destroy their health by drinking alcohol and cause harm to others.
Nicky – as the person arguing about a linkage between psychosis and marijuana, the onus is on YOU to back it up with hard core facts from a reliable source – e.g., controlled studies. Otherwise it seems like you’re just making sweeping broad statements based on anecdotes or personal observation – which won’t convince , bro. Just trying to help… if you want to crank it up a notch, for every study supporting your point maybe bring up the ones that don’t and address why your studies are better nuanced and more conclusive
Sorry – “the personal arguing” should be “a person arguing” – I know Nicky isn’t the only one arguing about that particular link
I think this is what Murali is talking about:
However, it’s not clear that predisposition to mental illness is really relevant. The question is, what’s the effect of cannabis on a random sample of people, given that some of that random group may have a predisposition to a serious mental illness. I think that this is useful for answering that question:
oh. then crocodile dungee must be a fellini flick
I am still reeling under the positive influence of American Gangster that I saw last night, so i give full marks to Dr. Sonal Patel 🙂
what the blurb did not describe was whether the test subjects were using cannabis prior to the test period, as it’s been shown several times now that use of cannabis in the mid-teens does track with an elevated risk of developing schizophrenia. It also did not address frequency of use among test subjects or the potency of the cannabis involved.
jasmine’s story #39 is great. we live in a sad world when the straight people are more colouful than the druggies.
bob:
you’re all over the place. you need to sober up, man.
wooo. time got warped in 81 to 82. i told you pot is dangerous
o i see. anything i write will apppear b/f bobs comment until 1:59. this is trippy.
I think this lady is a lamer of the biggest proportions. First let me say, I know some people who are addicted to marijuana, and over the time that they have been using, one went from being able to speak intelligently to not being able to finish a sentence without erupting into that ‘gnarly’ pothead laugh, one has trouble enjoying life without the use of marijuana, and another got expelled from college for being found with marijuana. So I get tired of all these moral platitudes about how marijuana addicts are somehow superior to other types of addicts. I don’t have a particular opinion about the legalization of marijuana other than a) I think people who belong to a party whose entire platform is basically the legalization of marijuana are lame, and b) no matter what you think of the substance itself, the fact remains that it is an illegal substance (unless used for medicinal purposes in California) under U.S. law. And under that law, I think Dr. Sona Patel is lame because she is basically just a drug dealer with an M.D. I think her actions are unethical, and they’re obviously also unlawful. Also, her lack of awareness about how she is presented (hellooo airbrushing!) gets on my nerves. For a less lame brown drug dealer, see Maulik Pancholy on Weeds.
this is so true in my heh, heh, heh.
Manju,
have you ever smoked pot, drank a bhang lassi, or done any other “drugs”?
anything we put into our bodies alters the mind and/or body in some way. one must make the distinction between such things as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, psilocybin (magic mushrooms), and even caffeine..which is also a drug and makes people a little edgy when they’ve drank too many cups of it. Drug groups include stimulants (eg. cocaine), cannibanoids (ganja), psychedelics (LSD, mushrooms), depressants (alcohol), and entheogens (DMT,peyote, ayahuasca). different drug different “altered state.”
Magic mushroom were used in ancient India. the Soma plant in the Vedas was a magic mushrooms called the Fly Agaric.
PLEASE read the info on the Erowid website and educate yourself on these wonderful substances.
Anyways, what so wrong with altering your mind? One always comes back to this reality after a trip…at least in my experience.
you need to chill out man
Manju,
you never answered my question: have you ever done any drugs? Did you bother to look at the Erowid website? please educate yourself before you talk about drugs or any other subject that you lack knowledge in. seriously, there are massive differences between pot and say cocaine or speed or magic mushrooms. their effect on the body and mind vary greatly…trust me I know from personal experience. In fact I can say that psychedelics and ganja have very positive effects on the mind. I’m from Vancouver Canada and we dont put half a million people in jail because they like to get a little high, we dont live in a police state either. I’ve lived in NYC and would never smoke outside of my home. Here I can freely. We have a pot culture that does not demonize the plant or the THC that comes from it. Do you know that in the Smithsonian’s section on the history of clothing/paper fibers they do not mention hemp!! Hemp is the oldest fiber known to man and has been used by us for 1000s of years! censorship? Plus I think people who suffer from schizophrenia because they smoked too much pot are usually people who started at a young age (early teens). I started at 21. At least pot wont kill you like cigs and alcohol.
your immaturity shows in you lack of knowledge and assumptions on something that you (I assume) have no experience with. you’re a victim of your own government’s “refer madness” propaganda.
You’ve never been to Central Park? 🙂
What the hell is wrong with people here. Why are taking about if pot is wrong or not.
The main issue is that Ms.Patel is a major hottie. And even if she is breaking the law, she should got a break cause of the way she looks.
regarding illegality, the main reason why cannabis does not enjoy the same status as alcohol is the historically continuous sanctioning by society of alcohol. You must also distinguish between state and federal law. Under state law in CA, dispensing medical marijuana is not illegal. Under federal law, such a dispensation is a federal offense. You can see the beauty of this system every time a paraplegic or MS patient cannabis-grower is held at gun-point by burly federal agents in yet another vain attempt to separate terminally ill patients and those suffering from chronic pain from a substance that does not make them physically ill or physically dependent while alleviating pain. (substances that do cause physical addiction are generally well-known at this time, including the chemical pathways in the brain that lead to such an addiction.)
The “but it’s illegal” argument is puerile and devoid of any analytical value. Stem-Cell research, as it stands now, is not legal in the US-does this mean that enterprising scientists should accept that because a large room of middle-aged vote-whores in DC couldn’t find enough people to override a veto, there’s no point in looking for potentially life-saving cures?
I’m not in favor of the way this doctor is operating, nor do I think it’s allowable under the current guidelines governing dispensation.
I do not, however, automatically assume that because something is not available to me because the government has designated it as a controlled substance, that it must therefore be deadly poison from the festering, fetid scrotum of Beelzebub.
btw, the article nicky referenced did have links to 30 different studies regarding psychosis/schizophrenia and marijuana. bbc’s reference to a dutch study seems to state that there are higher risks of psychotic symptoms in both those who are and are not predisposed to it, though it is higher in the former case.
not that i’m convinced that smoking pot is any worse, or better, than other substances, but i do agree that there is a tendency by some to downplay or deny the risks. even with alcohol and cigarettes, the range of long-term effects is still being discovered. the difference is that the comparative research on marijuana is prob. far less and the results not as widely disseminated to the public. and i am sure a big reason for that is the fact that it is illegal, which creates the knee-jerk reaction that, despite all the studies to prove otherwise, smoking and alcohol can be far less injurious to health than a prohibited substance like pot. at least one plausibly good thing about its legalization is that it becomes a proper industry with a stronger infrastructure – leading to more studies of its exact effects, the results of which will be made as known as those re alcohol and cogarettes.
and yes, i am taking the high road and not indulging in a session of name-calling with Nicky. (but it is so tempting)
I do not, however, automatically assume that because something is not available to me because the government has designated it as a controlled substance, that it must therefore be deadly poison from the festering, fetid scrotum of Beelzebub
Yer killing me here. I knew I saw you at the National Folk Festival a coupla weeks ago! That was you working that NORML table wasn’t it? 🙂
I was actually morphing into a lacto-ovo vegetarian in a remote corner of WV with a bunch of friends that weekend, swilling cinnamon moonshine and fishing friends out of the river.
I honestly couldn’t care about the legalization of an already widely traded commodity. With respect to the market, cannabis has already made a place for itself and it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. I’ve been to super permissive lib-dems countries like Holland and while it’s certainly not a paradise (hello, taxes!) they also didn’t have armies of zombiefied deadheads moping about and generally being useless.
i guess my skepticism was articulated in too crunchy a tone but how can I help it when i grew up here?
Oh, I was just playin bout the festival. I didn’t even go to it. You don’t read as crunchy at all. You can’t help being a buckingham kid. It’s not your fault.:) Where’d you go in WV? Have you been to Shepardstown?
berkeley springs
have not been there. my travel has been limited to the more touristy destinations like the springs.
Damn, that looks nice, Mr. Fancypants. You’re definitely not crunchy. 🙂
please. i don’t assume that because something is illegal it must be the worst thing ever, omg! though the analogy to stem cell research did make me laugh. which is what gets me about people defending marijuana use- like it some sort of noble thing. my point about Doc 420 dealing marijuana illegally is that she is allowed to distribute it for medical reasons (I’m all for that), not made-up symptoms to anyone who walks in with money (which you did say you oppose as well).
I’m glad you’re Canadian.
Nala,
I was in NYC in the winter.
The discussion here seems to swing between legalisation and whether or not Dr. Patel is using her hotness to sell pot. Since when was it wrong to use your looks to sell something in America? regardng the legality of pot, one should consider that America is the biggest police state in the world. check out this documentary on the cruelty, hypocrisy, extra-territoriality of the so-called “war on drugs” and that beacon of yankee justice, the DEA. Criminalizing pot is just wrong on so many levels. How many millions languish in jail because they smoke pot. It’s sad to see that some people (on this site) who come from a culture that has used bhang and ganja for 1000s of years are so easily influenced by their government’s propaganda. THAT’S YOU Manju…I’m still waiting for a reply. I just wish Dr Patel lived in Vancouver
Nice doctor….I pick alot of my “service providers” based on more than just qualifications….for instance, my hairdresser is very attractive…I could have gone somewhere cheaper (and maybe uglier) but I’d prefer to have my scalp massaged by a hottie for my $65 bucks.
On the issue of Marijuana decriminalization….it’s a MAJOR problem for the US.
At this point in time, we are RELEASING MURDERERS and RAPISTS and PEDOPHILES due to “overcrowding in prisons” which is a direct result of the “manditory minimums” set up by the REgan administration…..laws that keep simple drug users and distributors in prison for LIFE, when many have never hurt a sole. On top of that…when is the last time you ever heard of someone dying form Marijuana overdose? NEVER? It simply does not happen….meanwhile, everyday people drink themselves to death and society scarcely trembles. Perhaps we are just to used to drinking themselves to death that we think is is natural…..but there are PLENTY of better suited intoxicants out there (marijuana included) that could serve the same purposed of alcohol and not leave death in their wake.
But, this is america…..and the alcohol families got in bed with the government WAY before we understood how much better an alternative Marijuana is.
Please do research, if you disagree……and you can see the blatant hypocrisy america’s “drug policies” have been. One such gem from the turn of the last century has a Politician rallying in the late 20’s against Marijuana on the grounds that it makes users Murderers and rapists (see: Reefer Madness) and then, 15 years later…the SAME politician goes before congress to warn against soldier in Europe using Marijuana on the grounds that it will make them “too passive” to fight the fight!
Any 5 year old could see through this lack of logic.
I’m assuming? i haven’t seen this many pots and kettles since the time schroomed in my kitchen.
been to sugerland and shook the suger down.
yeah, i know all about erowid. knew about it 10yrs ago.
my point is, in my experience, pot is more mind alternating than coke, though i’m sure in the long run the latter is more debilitaing. people on marijana can be really out of their mind in ways that trump other durgs, with the exception of hallucinogens. the irony is that the two drugs people think are the softest are in some ways the most powerful. in the case of alcohal, it has progessive addictive qualities that say lsd doesn’t. pot, as i mentioned, really makes one stupid and i’ve seen the sorry long-term effects in people that nala refers to (no pun intended).
governments aren’t the only propganda tool(s)
Manju,
“been to sugerland and shook the suger down.” – what sweetener are you reefering to?
if you think that pot makes people crazy then you or these people must be smoking some badass weed. fortunately I’ve never smoked any that was laced with something more heavy. smoking while drinking too much will turn anyone into a fool. “pot is more mind altering than coke”– some people cant handle the effects of pot but can function perfectly fine on other drugs…I know a few. some people just shouldnt do drugs, just as some should not drink. Dont you think that pot can benefit the mind? certainly has in my case. besides we shouldnt be comparing pot with lsd with coke. different drugs different effects.
just because some drugs put people “out of their minds” doesnt mean they should be illegal. Pot was demonized in amerikkka because the Mexicans that were employed by the yanks at slave-labour wages wanted something to relax their tired bodies after working all day. Do you really think that pot makes people “out of their mind” more than alcohol? just look at the research and the numbers!