Pubdate: Sun, 07 Aug 2016 Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV) Copyright: 2016 Las Vegas Review-Journal Contact: http://www.reviewjournal.com/about/print/press/letterstoeditor.html Website: http://www.lvrj.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/233 LINGERING DOUBTS Nevadans will pass judgment in November on state Question 2, which would essentially legalize pot for recreational use among adults. As the election nears, it's worth noting that many doctors in states that allow the drug's use for medical purposes remain wary of recommending it to their patients. "The hesitance reflects persistent concerns about the possible legal repercussions for their medical licenses if they prescribe a drug the federal government classifies as dangerous," the Boston Globe reported last month. "It also underscores the lingering doubts about marijuana's health risks and benefits." Indeed, even as many states liberalize their marijuana laws, the substance remains a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act. The Obama administration in 2013 put the reins on federal prosecutors who might be tempted to go after physicians who recommend pot to patients in states that allow medical marijuana. But the future of that directive depends upon the next administration. Meanwhile, the website Medscape highlights that the American Medical Association has opposed the push toward legalization and issued a policy statement arguing that, "The patchwork of state-based systems that have been established for 'medical marijuana' is woefully inadequate in establishing even rudimentary safeguards that normally would be applied to the appropriate clinical use of psychoactive substances." The Boston Globe report noted how the medical marijuana industry in Massachusetts depends on a handful of doctors. Of the state's nearly 32,000 medical marijuana patients, the paper found, nearly three-quarter had received certification for the drug from one of just 13 physicians. Officials at the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health refused to release statistics on individual doctors and medical marijuana referrals. But a spokeswoman said last week that during July, 435 different Nevada physicians cleared at least one patient for marijuana use. As of July 31, division statistics reveal there are 20,773 Nevadans holding valid medical pot cards, up a whopping 43 percent from the end of January. The fact that referrals tend to cluster among a small number of doctors indicates many physicians remain unconvinced that making marijuana more accessible offers any real public health advantages. That should give pause to those on the fence over the issue of full-blown legalization. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom