Pubdate: Fri, 27 Dec 2013
Source: Boston Globe (MA)
Copyright: 2013 Globe Newspaper Company
Contact: http://services.bostonglobe.com/news/opeds/letter.aspx?id=6340
Website: http://bostonglobe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/52

TOURETTE PATIENT DENIED MARIJUANA

Maine public health officials have denied an Ellsworth man's request 
to use marijuana legally to treat Tourette syndrome.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services this week denied a 
request by the man's doctor, Dustin Sulak, to add Tourette syndrome 
to the list of medical conditions that qualify for treatment with 
marijuana. Sulak said a denial letter signed by agency Commissioner 
Mary Mayhew arrived on Christmas Eve without any explanation for the decision.

Sulak and his patient, Peter Hasty, had testified in November that 
marijuana helped Hasty's muscular tics caused by Tourette.

Hasty said marijuana allows him to function in society.

Studies looking at the effectiveness of marijuana to treat Tourette 
are inconclusive.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom