Pubdate: Tue, 17 May 2016
Source: Tulsa World (OK)
Copyright: 2016 World Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.tulsaworld.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/463

CBD OIL

A Compassionate Expansion

Gov. Mary Fallin signed into a law a modest expansion of a state law 
that allows therapeutic uses of a nonintoxicating ingredient of 
marijuana for a limited number of medical conditions.

Previously, Fallin OK'd a law that allowed use of cannabidiol, or 
CBD, for patients under age 18 in a limited number of circumstances. 
The latest version allows adults to use CBD for treatment of 
"spasticity due to multiple sclerosis or due to paraplegia, 
intractable nausea and vomiting and appetite stimulation with chronic 
wasting diseases."

To use CBD oil, patients will have to obtain written certification 
from a physician that they have one of the covered conditions. They 
also will have to buy it in a state that allows its production, such 
as Colorado. The new law doesn't allow patients to grow marijuana or 
legally use it other than in the CBD oil form, which has very low 
concentrations of the intoxicating element of marijuana, 
Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.

We can support Fallin's decision to compassionately allow people with 
some terrible conditions to try alternatives. In general, our 
preference is that the state not open the door to treatments that 
have not been proven safe and efficacious to the satisfaction of the 
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

We continue to doubt that Oklahoma is ready for a broader 
legalization of medical marijuana. Medical marijuana petitions have 
been proposed unsuccessfully twice recently. A third effort currently 
being circulated seems to be organized better and more likely to make 
it to a ballot. If that happens we'll all have a chance to see what 
Oklahoma voters think about a legalizing pot as an unproven treatment 
for a spectrum of maladies.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom