Pubdate: Tue, 31 Jul 2012
Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ)
Copyright: 2012 The Arizona Republic
Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html
Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Yvonne Wingett Sanchez

MEDICAL-MARIJUANA OK FOR SLEEPING DISORDERS, SKIN CONDITIONS SOUGHT

The Arizona Department of Health Services has received petitions to 
expand the state's medical-marijuana program to include treatment of 
sleeping disorders and skin conditions.

The Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, approved by voters in 2010, 
requires the state health department to periodically accept and 
evaluate petitions to see whether to allow new medical conditions 
into the program.

In July, state health Director Will Humble refused to expand the 
program to include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, 
anxiety and migraines. He and a panel of medical experts, working 
from a University of Arizona study, determined there is insufficient 
scientific evidence to show the risks or benefits of using marijuana 
with those conditions.

Humble has said he will expand the program only if there is 
scientific evidence to support permanently adding conditions to the list.

He is expected to decide about the sleeping disorders and skin 
conditions within the next few months.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom