The Medical Board of California has just sent out its agenda for the upcoming quarterly meeting at the Los Angeles Airport Hilton April 19-20.  The board’s “Guidelines for Recommendation of Cannabis for Medical Purposes” and its two controversial appendices will be discussed at the Friday session probably late morning.  The discussion will be preceded by a presentation from Igor Grant, a co-author of both  appendices —the  “Decision Tree” for recommending physicians (that contradicts the Guidelines themselves), and an “Agreement” warning patients of prospective dangers.

26. Presentation on the Use and Impact of Cannabis to Patients – Igor Grant, M.D., Department of Psychiatry, Chair, University of California, San Diego, Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research

27. Review, Discussion, and Possible Action on Guidelines for Recommendation of Cannabis for Medical Purposes – Dr. Krauss and Ms. Lawson.

The Society of Cannabis Clinicians has sent the board a “Decision Tree” synced to the Guidelines, and is drafting an alternative “Agreement” to document the doctor-patient interaction.

The medical board streams its meetings and allows public comment. This is a session that doctors, patients, and concerned citizens might want to check out.  Try to remember the date: 4/20.

PS

The MBC staff were not trying to be cute when they scheduled the MMJ Guidelines discussion for April 20. The board holds quarterly two-day meetings and a topic such as this would typically be on the second-day agenda. (The first day is mainly devoted to behind-closed-doors discussion of disciplinary actions.)

O’Shaughnessy’s has paid close attention to the med board guidelines, which will influence countless thousands of doctor-patient interactions in the years ahead. The subject is of extreme importance. Doctors’ rights = patients’ rights!  Some relevant background attached:

MBC Promoting One-Sided ‘Agreement’

SCC Creates Decision Tree for MDs Treating Neuropathic Pain Patients