Pubdate: Thu, 14 Jul 2016
Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)
Copyright: 2016 The Baltimore Sun Company
Contact:  http://www.baltimoresun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/37
Author: Michael Dresser

MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACCEPTANCE URGED

Morhaim Tells Advocates to Be Aggressive in Pressing State's Health 
Care Providers

A leading architect of the state's medical marijuana program urged 
representatives of the fledgling industry Wednesday to pressure 
health care providers and hospital administrators to remove obstacles 
to making the drug available to patients.

Del. Dan K. Morhaim, the longestserving physician in the General 
Assembly, told about 200 people at the first statewide conference of 
the Maryland Cannabis Industry Association that they need to be 
aggressive advocates as their business approaches its first legal 
sales - probably next year.

"You've got to step up with the political process," the Baltimore 
County Democrat said.

Speaking at the conference at the University of Maryland, Baltimore 
County in Catonsville, Morhaim said it's also important for patients 
to push providers to be willing to recommend cannabis when it's 
medically appropriate.

Physicians and certain other medical professionals are authorized to 
recommend cannabis to treat certain conditions, such as seizure 
disorders or the side effects of cancer chemotherapy. The product 
would be grown and processed under state licenses, and would be sold 
by licensed dispensers.

Morhaim said only 140 to 150 Maryland physicians have signed up for 
the program, but more are expected to join in next year.

He said some specialists, such as oncologists and neurologists, have 
been more receptive to the use of medical cannabis than others. He 
said psychiatrists in particular have been reluctant.

Morhaim said some hospitals have sent signals that physicians who 
sign up for the program risk losing admitting privileges.

"When doctors get that message, subtly or overtly, that's a problem," he said.

Morhaim urged members of the association to contact hospital 
administrators and board members to protest any policies that 
discourage doctors. He predicted hospitals would eventually come 
under competitive pressure from patients to set up their own cannabis programs.

Carmela Coyle, president of the Maryland Hospital Association, said 
she has discussed the matter with Morhaim but knows of no instance in 
which a physician's privileges have been questioned by a hospital.

"The decision to recommend medical cannabis belongs solely to the 
physician," she said.

The association conference was tangible evidence of the growing 
normalization of cannabis in Maryland. It brought together 
prospective growers, processors and retailers, as well as those 
interested in providing support services such as security, lobbying 
and legal counsel.

Darrell Carrington, executive director of the state cannabis 
association, said the industry has been encouraged by news this week 
that the commission regulating medical cannabis hopes to start 
issuing firststage licenses to prospective growers and processors by Aug. 15.

Carrington said he's not confident the commission will meet that 
timetable but is hopeful that licensees can be selected by Labor Day 
and the first patients could begin receiving medical cannabis next 
spring and summer.

While the association is now focused on medical cannabis, he said, 
some members are also interested in "adult use" of marijuana - what 
he called "a nice way of saying" recreational use, similar to 
provisions in Colorado, Oregon and Washington.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom