Medicine Cabinet Clinic
3188 Barons Rd # 2 V9T 4B5 Nanaimo, BC, Canada

I thought that it would be an appropriate time to update patients as to the status of the Medicine Cabinet Clinic. I must first apologize for the telephone visit format but I felt that this was a safer approach to patient treatment given the present world pandemic situation. The telephone format will be continued for the next week and after Good Friday and Easter Monday away from the office, hopefully we will be able to return to a more normal format depending of course on the local pandemic situation. I appreciate your patience in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and hopefully we can deal with this in the safest fashion. Dr. Richard L. Cone

Dear patient We are presently doing only virtual office visits. This has been mostly telephone visits but we are working on a modified office visit format. COVID-19 is going to be a persistent pandemic for an uncertain time interval so we have to work around a modified patient visit. We will continue telephone visits until the modified office visit has materialized. Your patience in this taxing time is greatly appreciated. Dr. Richard L. Cone

COVID-19 C confirm confirm presence of SARS_CoV_2 virus RT-PCR test O optimize evaluate A a/w... B breathing CXR / ABG C circulatory status D disability E - exposure V vital signs LOC respirations B/P pulse POx I isolation stable with minimal compromise home isolation unstable with moderate compromise hospital admission critical with severe compromise ICU admission d definitive care intervention as per level of compromise - - minus - expected losses 1 - mortality - overall mortality 9 - morbidity - overall morbidity See more

I am curious if anyone has tried to control the recent environmental accumulation of SARS_CoV_2 virus with pulsed Xenon lamps...

I am curious if anyone is considering using UV light generated by a pulsed xenon lamp to cause irreversible damage to the SARS_CoV_2 virus to modify spread of the COVID_19 illness that is rapidly proliferating in our society...

To My Patients Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry, has been very clear in her directions on COVID-19. The time is now for all people to self-isolate and maintain social distance in accordance with her orders. What the public does today will impact the health and perhaps the fate of British Columbians in the coming weeks and months. During these times of crisis, adhering to the public health direction as the single source of truth is imperative. The truth is that self-...isolation and maintaining social distance will save lives. It is especially important at a time when we continue to see some of our younger people congregating and socializing, which may not put themselves at risk, but their parents and grandparents will be placed at risk for illness from which they may not recover. The basic directions would be to: Stay at home unless absolutely necessary which means to limit social interaction, carry out only essential shopping and do not do any group activities including sports or gatherings. People should spend time interacting with friends and family on the internet or using messaging apps. You can chat, joke, interact or even have coffee with a friend online. It is important to keep at least 2 metres away from everyone and wash your hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol based hand cleanser. Encourage anyone you know to ensure that they do follow the same guidelines which provides protection against contacting or spreading the COVID_19 infection. See more

I am concerned about the risks associated with recreational drug abuse...

It has been shown that from the very 1st time that you smoke cigarettes, pot or any other inhaled recreational substance, you begin to develop any or all of the following health problems: Irreversible gum disease , tooth loss, hallitosis or oral cancer... Laryngeal cancer with inability to speak and a tracheostomy... Shortness of breath from emphysema or other form of COPD... Incurable lung cancer despite having the involved lung removed..... Incurable esophageal cancer with loss of the ability to swallow... Incurable stomach cancer with inevitable loss of the ability to eat... Eventual kidney or bladder cancer usually treated by removal... Premature atherosclerosis with resultant heart attack or stroke... Premature peripheral vascular disease with limb amputation... Premature failure of male ability to share love and affection... Congenital behavioural anomalies and structural birth defects... Degenerative joint disease of the neck, back and extremities... These problems are not uncommon since there are 1.1 billion smokers worldwide which is about 1/3 of the world population. Premature unnecessary deaths resulting from smoking accounts for more than 10 million death each year which is more than HIV infection, hepatitis, tuberculosis, maternal mortality, motor vehicle collisions, suicide and homicide combined as a long term tobacco user has a 50% chance of dying prematurely of a tobacco related disease and 1/3 of adolescents who become regular smokers addicted to nicotine will die of a smoking related disease ! This certainly takes away from the false glamour of Hollywood recreational drug abuse or even the Marlboro man who is deceased. There are numerous means by which you can successfully discontinue tobacco use. Please feel free to inquire about how you can quit, some of which are funded by the government and have demonstrated effectiveness. See more

Talking with your teen about vaping: a tip sheet for parents On this page Health risks of vaping with nicotine Nicotine poisoning...Continue reading

In recent years, the consumption of tobacco has become a pediatric epidemic. As stated by the World Health Organization, every day almost 82 000 to 99 000 children and adolescents begin smoking worldwide. In India, about 5500 children between the ages of 1014 years begin smoking tobacco each day. A survey conducted in 2015 on high school students in the US showed that 16% students consumed tobacco in the form of electronic cigarettes, 9.3% students used traditional cigarette...s, 8.6% students used cigars and about 7.2% students used hookah. Electronic cigarettes were developed to promote smoking cessation in individuals who were trying to quit tobacco use. However, electronic cigarettes have recently become popular in the youth because of their easy availability, different flavor options and a notion that these cigarettes are safer than the traditional cigarettes. Studies have shown that people who start smoking at an early age are more likely to develop a severe addiction to tobacco than those who start at a later age. Thus, increased consumption of tobacco by children has become a global concern. Cigarette smoking is the most common preventable cause of death in developed countries. Nearly one in five deaths in the United States is due to cigarette smoking. Tobacco smoke consists of more than 7000 chemical compounds which are responsible for the development of numerous cancers. These chemicals can cause harm to all parts of the human body. Nicotine in tobacco smoke acts on the brain and causes stimulation of the pleasure center and is thus responsible for the addictive properties of tobacco. Smoking tobacco increases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by 2 to 4 times. Smoking also increases the risk of developing lung cancers by more than 25 times in men and women. Furthermore, smoking increases absenteeism from schools and increases health care expenditure. In the US, to keep illegal use of tobacco in check, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has reprimanded major convenience stores and gas station chains for selling tobacco products to minors. Legislative measures along with the proper education of minors and their parents can help to prevent this epidemic from becoming a pandemic.

Tobacco use in children In recent years, the consumption of tobacco has become a pediatric epidemic. As stated by the World Health Organization, every day almost 82 000 to 99 000 children and adolescents begin smoking worldwide. In India, about 5500 children between the ages of 1014 years begin smoking tobacco each day. A survey conducted in 2015 on high school students in the US showed that 16% students consumed tobacco in the form of electronic cigarettes, 9.3% students us...ed traditional cigarettes, 8.6% students used cigars and about 7.2% students used hookah. Electronic cigarettes were developed to promote smoking cessation in individuals who were trying to quit tobacco use. However, electronic cigarettes have recently become popular in the youth because of their easy availability, different flavor options and a notion that these cigarettes are safer than the traditional cigarettes. Studies have shown that people who start smoking at an early age are more likely to develop a severe addiction to tobacco than those who start at a later age. Thus, increased consumption of tobacco by children has become a global concern. Cigarette smoking is the most common preventable cause of death in developed countries. Nearly one in five deaths in the United States is due to cigarette smoking. Tobacco smoke consists of more than 7000 chemical compounds which are responsible for the development of numerous cancers. These chemicals can cause harm to all parts of the human body. Nicotine in tobacco smoke acts on the brain and causes stimulation of the pleasure center and is thus responsible for the addictive properties of tobacco. Smoking tobacco increases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by 2 to 4 times. Smoking also increases the risk of developing lung cancers by more than 25 times in men and women. Furthermore, smoking increases absenteeism from schools and increases health care expenditure. In the US, to keep illegal use of tobacco in check, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has reprimanded major convenience stores and gas station chains for selling tobacco products to minors. Legislative measures along with the proper education of minors and their parents can help to prevent this epidemic from becoming a pandemic.

Alcohol or ethyl alcohol, ingested for intentional intoxication, is the end product of the fermentation of sugar. This has likely been ingested for a millenium as we have the enzymes that are necessary to metabolize this chemical, as likely did the Tyrannosaurus Rex because the absence of these enzymes would make this intoxicating chemical more toxic with undesirable accumulation and lethal consequences. Ethanol is 2nd only to tobacco in the frequency of abuse among the usu...Continue reading

Dear Patient The Canadian government has legalized pot as if it was innocent. There are as many chemicals in pot as tobacco. If a person has intractable chronic pain from a malignancy or other incurable medical illness, it may well be that they have nothing to lose from using pot. This does not apply to intractable nausea, insomnia or anxiety as there are better medications for all of these conditions. I wish to stress that pot should not be used for morning sickness as this could affect the developing fetus. I cannot firmly describe with any certainty that the recreational use of pot is safer than using other recreational drugs. I advise patients to be cautious when using any recreational drug as there are risks associated with their use. Be sensible ! Dr. Richard L. Cone