D.C. Mayor Signs Bill Allowing Physicians to Recommend Medical Cannabis for Any Condition
Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray signed into law Council Bill 20-0876 late last week. The proposal, titled the Medical Marijuana Expansion
Emergency Amendment Act of 2014, allows a physician to recommend medical cannabis to anyone they believe will benefit from it, regardless of the underlying condition.
The bill was passed as “emergency legislation”, meaning it will take effect immediately without needing to first go through the Congressional review period that all other D.C. legislation must go through before becoming law. The bill will, however, only stay in effect for 90 days, though legislation to make the change permanent (Council Bill 20-0766) has been introduced by Committee of Health Chair Yvette Alexander, and is cosponsored by the entire D.C. Council. The bill is expected to be approved after the council comes back from recess in September.
Prior to the change, there were only a few conditions that qualified someone in D.C. to become a legal medical cannabis patient, including cancer, glaucoma and multiple sclerosis.
Council Bill 20-086 takes effect immediately.
– TheJointBlog
bev
Is this for just DC or the whole state.sad not just to make it legal
Lee Enfield
It’s just for D.C. — Washington DC isn’t part of any state at all… it is a federal district.
Ricky Ableidinger
I think that we should pay attention to the Capitol of our nation and Allow PATIENTS IN ALL OF OUR STATES TO GO TO OUR DOCTOR AND GET THE SAME MEDIICAL SERVICES.
Michael Pressley
I think it should be legal in Alabama for bipolar and other conditions, back pain, migraine’s and things man made drug’s don’t work for everyone PLUS I don’t want my kidneys and other organs to rot out because a doctor prescribed me a non working man made drug!!!
David Blue
How can anyone say well you can use it far this disease but not for that disease, Only if you have cancer and you have suffered and are close to death but not for brain disorders. I think they are right in making this accessable for a wide range of ailments and I hope people are progressive enough to realize this isn’t a bad thing it can be used for health reasons lower blood pressure relaxation and to feel good.
Anonymous
They should. It would benefit everyone and everything
Paulette Jenkins
How does that work for Veterans? Is the DC VA prescribing/issuing MMJ…and what about Vet’s that go to that VA but, live in Virginia?
NorCalNative
GREAT NEWS for patients!
As a California-based MMJ patient where a similar law is in effect, I’ve watched in disbelief and horror at what some so-called MMJ states are doing with their restrictions.
Medicine should never be about restricting the number of patients who may benefit so good on D.C.. Arizona and other states are fighting over whether or not to allow it to treat PTSD. That’s one of the best examples of the lack of compassion-and-care inherent in prohibition-pleasing policies.
Janet Evans
Once again I would like to say any physician should be able to prescribe any medication he/she thinks will be beneficial to their patients. This involves doctor- patient confidentiality. This business of limiting doctors to certain conditions is nonsense. It is just another negative consequence of the lies that have been told about cannabis. I was so disappointed in the press release by the White House about cannabis. Cannabis does not lower IQ. I will never believe that. Their research is skewed. I would look to all the people who have participated in personal use for years. Study them. And let us look at what IQ means. Wisdom and knowledge come to the individual through many corridors. Wake up Obama Administration! We are not buying your capitulations on this subject. How much was your IQ lowered by what you did with Chooms? Nada. Just another ccase of hiding the real truth!