Articles Posted in Medical Marijuana in California

A doctor who prescribed marijuana to patients for whom he never actually examined was not acting out of greed, but rather compassion, his attorney said following his sentencing hearing.

The 58-year-old Michigan physician conceded he knew he was breaking the law, when he prescribed the drug on the advice of his office staff, whom he said took advantage of his willingness to help patients he believed had limited access. His practice focused primarily on those with HIV and AIDS.

He would sometimes meet groups of patients at nearby restaurants, but he didn’t always meet with patients in person. He also allowed marijuana to be grown at his home.
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Marijuana as medicine has been legal in California since the 1990s, and in other states, it’s available in various forms for different purposes under a patchwork of restrictions. The drug has been largely de-criminalized and in some places even legal for recreational consumption, but it remains barred under federal law.

We have 23 states plus Washington, D.C. where there are millions card-carrying marijuana users and four other states where recreational use is allowed.

All of this has made for a confusing situation for employers. Many workforces consider themselves Zero Tolerance, and for years have subscribed to the idea that marijuana consumption of any kind should be strictly forbidden by workers. But now, those same copmanies may be opening themselves up to employment litigation for targeting workers who use marijuana on their off-time or even on the job as medicine.
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U.S. researchers have long sought to explain the link between consumption of marijuana and the trigger in appetite – often referred to as “the munchies.”

The connection is significant not just for the potential spike in Twinkies sales, but because it’s this aspect of the drug that is often touted by those with certain serious illnesses and treatments resulting in major and potentially life-threatening weight loss.

Still, the munchies remained mostly a mystery of the drug – until now. Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine indicate they may have found – quite unexpectedly – the exact neurological responses behind the reaction.
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Patients who are prescribed medical marijuana have for years been subjected to discrimination, erroneous judgments based on outdated stereotypes and even flat-out persecution.

Virtually no other drug carries the kind of stigma or restrictions as medical marijuana. While attitudes and laws are evolving, patients continue to fight for every inch of legitimate recognition.

Let’s take, for example, the issue of employee rights. If a worker was diabetic and needed to inject himself with insulin at some point during the work day, most employers would not – and legally could not – take issue with this action. However, if a patient prescribed marijuana for seizures or anxiety asks to smoke during break in order to continue with the day, he or she is more likely to meet a fair amount of resistance, and possibly even disciplinary action and termination.
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