Twenty states and the District of Columbia, have medical marijuana programs. Patients can either buy or grow marijuana for things like pain relief. The General Assembly took a first, cautious stab at creating a medical marijuana program last year. Marijuana was to be made available through academic medical centers. But, none of the centers in Maryland signed up to participate. Legislators decided this past session to allow certified doctors to write prescriptions for medical marijuana that can be bought from licensed growers and dispensaries.
With Sheilah Kast to talk about how this new program will work is Delegate Cheryl Glenn, a Democrat from Baltimore city. She was a co-sponsor of the medical marijuana bill. With Sheilah by phone is the Chairman of Maryland’s medical marijuana commission, Dr. Paul Davies. Also with us by phone is Ryan Vandrey, an Associate Professor and researcher at the Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
