The voter approved list of conditions that already qualify patients for an AZ Medical Marijuana Registration Card (with a doctor’s certification) includes any of the following: any chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition (or its treatment) that causes severe and chronic pain, severe nausea, severe and persistent muscle spasms, wasting, or seizures, cancer, glaucoma, HIV, Hepatitis C, ALS, Crohn’s disease, agitation of Alzheimer’s disease. The AZ Medical Marijuana Act also requires us to periodically accept petitions to permanently add new medical conditions to the list of conditions that qualify folks for a card.
We accepted petitions from the public to add new medical conditions back in January. Folks submitted numerous articles as a part their petitions for PTSD 1; PTSD 2; Depression; Migraines; and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. We also received lots of informal comments regarding adding PTSD; Depression; Migraines; Generalized Anxiety Disorder and General comments. We also heard in person testimony from dozens of folks at our public hearing in May.
Because my guiding principle for making the decision was to use science and research, we contracted with the U of A College of Public Health to do an evidence review of published scientific studies to help us to make a more informed decision. You can see the UA’s analyses for Depression; Generalized Anxiety Disorder; Migraine Headaches; and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on our petition website. The UA used the GRADE methodology to evaluate the quality of the studies looking at the benefits and harms of using Cannabis to treat or provide relief for the conditions that were petitioned to add to the list of qualifying conditions for a Medical Marijuana Registration card. Also, our ADHS Medical Advisory Committee reviewed and analyzed the data and provided me with recommendations earlier this week.
We heard and received a host of moving stories from the public both on-line and during our a public hearing in May. Many of the commenters and folks that testified self-reported that they believe Cannabis provided relief for the petitioned conditions. However, our literature review found limited scientific evidence to document whether Cannabis is helpful or not for the petitioned conditions or that support permanently adding the petitioned conditions to the statutory list of qualifying debilitating conditions identified in the Act. In short- I didn’t approve the petitions because of the lack of published data regarding the risks and benefits of using Cannabis to treat or provide relief for the petitioned conditions.
However, some of the petitioned conditions (such as migraine headaches) already qualify patients for a medical marijuana registration card if they cause severe and chronic pain, severe nausea, severe and persistent muscle spasms, wasting, or seizures.
Whatever you think of the decision, just know that our team and I really took an objective and close look at the scientific evidence before making this decision. And remember, the Act provides for a judicial review of this decision and a continuing petition process. In fact, we’ll be accepting petitions again next week.
This month marked the 2nd anniversary of our Arizona Medical Marijuana Program. We began issuing cards to qualifying patients 2 years ago this week, and as of April 16th we had about 38,000 qualified patients in AZ.
Debilitating Conditions Hearing
May 24th, 2012Friday afternoon we’re holding a public comment session about whether or not to add four new debilitating conditions to the medical marijuana program. The comments should center on scientific studies done on how marijuana affects Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Migraines, Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. We’re looking for peer-reviewed, published studies that show the benefit or the danger of marijuana specific to these four conditions.
For almost a month, folks have been commenting on line about the petitions to add conditions. More than 80 people have provided input so far. At the hearing on Friday, speakers will have two minutes to address one of the conditions. (The hearing will be broken into two segments – the first is to hear about the PTSD studies and runs from 1 until 2:30. The second half from 2:30 until 4 is for the other three.) We’ll open the doors at 12:55.
We’re also streaming the audio from the session on our website for people that can’t make it to Health Services (we’re having technical difficulties with the video- but that might work too by then). Anybody can use the online comment tool to provide input to the final decision. There’ll be a room at ADHS to listen to the live stream of comments in our 1740 W. Adams, Phoenix, AZ 85007 building in case the meeting room is over capacity. The time will be the same as the public comment session – 12:55 – 4 p.m.
Changing anything the voters have created comes with a heavy responsibility – one we take seriously. We’ll listen to the folks who come to ADHS and read the written comments before we make any decisions about adding new conditions. The decisions will likely come in July.
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