Louisiana Senators Blast Medical Board Over Refusal To Allow Marijuana Recommendations Via Telehealth
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“Seven years in the Senate and I’ve never seen laws like this get attacked by people who have an agenda that is clearly obvious.” By Wesley Muller, Louisiana Illuminator A Louisiana Senate panel on Wednesday accused the state medical board of exploiting nuances in state law to obstruct patient access to medical marijuana as part of an agenda that dismisses the drug’s value to medicine. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee called on the attorney for the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME) to testify at a State Capitol meeting due to the board’s refusal to allow physicians to recommend medical marijuana via telemedicine without in-person visits. “Seven years in the Senate and I’ve never seen laws like this get attacked by people who have an agenda that is clearly obvious,” Sen. Jay Luneau (D) said in a fiery exchange with LSBME executive counsel Patricia Wilton. At a September meeting of the Medical Marijuana Commission, LSBME executive director Dr. Vincent Culotta surprised lawmakers when he told them the board was still making doctors set in-person appointments for patients seeking medical marijuana despite a new law approved earlier this year that allows virtual visits. At that meeting, Culotta suggested the board could change its rules to comply with the new law, but it appears LSBME has since doubled down on its original position. Wilton told lawmakers Wednesday the new state law is not enough to change the LSBME’s telemedicine rules. Board won’t follow legislative intent At issue are four words in a provision of Act 491: “Nothing in this part shall be construed or enforced in any manner that prevents a physician … from recommending therapeutic marijuana through telemedicine.” Lawmakers said they intended that provision to create an exception to the in-person visit requirement, but Wilton said the first four words of the provision limit…
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Source : Louisiana Senators Blast Medical Board Over Refusal To Allow Marijuana Recommendations Via Telehealth
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