Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Mass. Tweaks Marijuana Rules, Incorporating Lessons Learned From First 3 Years
WBUR: State Health Agency Offers Overhaul Of Medical Marijuana Regulations
Nurse practitioners would be allowed to certify patients for medical marijuana and dispensaries would be allowed to post product prices on their websites, under new regulations proposed by the Department of Public Health. The changes, according to state health officials, build off of lessons learned during the first three years of experience with medical marijuana in Massachusetts. (Lannan, 9/15)
Health News Florida: Judge Blasts Health Officials Over Pot Scorecards
Saying they did not follow their own rules, an administrative law judge scalded state health officials for the method used to grant highly coveted medical-marijuana licenses to nurseries last fall. Administrative Law Judge John Van Laningham also made clear that he intends to recommend that the Department of Health issue another "dispensing organization" license because Alpha Foliage --- already distributing medical marijuana --- did not meet the legal criteria for the license it received in November. (Kam, 9/15)
Boston Globe: Athenahealth’s Jonathan Bush Donates To Marijuana Legalization Effort
Marijuana legalization proponents in Massachusetts can count Jonathan Bush, the CEO of Watertown-based health care company Athenahealth and a cousin of former President George W. Bush, in their corner. According to state political finance records, Bush donated $10,000 to the Yes on 4 campaign, which seeks to legalize the use and sale of recreational marijuana in the state through a ballot initiative this November. (Vaccaro, 9/15)
The Washington Post: New Study Finds That Medical Marijuana May Be Helping To Curb The Opioid Epidemic
Researchers analyzed federal crash data in 18 states over the period from 1999 to 2013. States that passed a medical marijuana law during this period saw a reduction in opioid involvement in fatal car accidents, relative to states without such a law. The reduction was greatest among drivers aged 21 to 40, the age group most likely to use medical marijuana where it's available. (Ingraham, 9/15)
The Wall Street Journal: Marijuana Makes For Slackers? Now There’s Evidence
In street marijuana, the THC-to-CBD ratio now tends to be 10 to 1, and it is increasing, a trend occurring even at some marijuana clinics, Dr. Winstanley said. And few people know what effect that has on their brains. A new study by Dr. Winstanley’s group in the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience examines how these two chemicals shape our willingness to face a challenge. Does marijuana make us lazy? (Pinker, 9/15)
The Washington Post: The DEA Wants To Ban Another Plant. Researchers Say The Plan Is ‘Insane.’
The Drug Enforcement Administration has received a torrent of backlash from patients with chronic pain and former opiate users after announcing plans to ban kratom, a plant gaining popularity across the United States for its opiate-like effects. Kratom, which originates in Southeast Asia, has become more widespread in the United States in the past decade, fueled by online testimonials from users and a lack of federal regulation. Advocates say the plant — typically crushed and mixed or brewed with water — poses few health risks while helping users relieve severe pain and overcome addictions to powerful prescription painkillers. (Ingraham, 9/15)
