Opinion: CMA’s Stance on Marijuana Is Patient-Focused
The California Medical Association's recent adoption of official policy calling for the legalization of marijuana use "was a purely medical decision," CMA President-elect Paul Phinney and CMA Speaker of the House Luther Cobb write in a Sacramento Bee opinion piece. According to Phinney and Cobb, CMA's members share a belief that "the present system of medical cannabis is flawed, contradictory and dangerously detached from scientific evidence." They add that a "new approach to legalization, regulation, research and enforcement is needed to protect physicians and patients alike." They conclude, "The bottom line is that patient safety and good public health are the ultimate goals," but "[n]ot until we've gathered sound scientific evidence, and created a robust regulatory structure for medical cannabis, can we achieve those goals."
- "Viewpoints: Patient Safety Is Priority in Medical Pot Policy" (Phinney/Cobb, Sacramento Bee, 11/1).