The group that represents Florida's doctors is coming out against a proposal to allow medical marijuana in the state.
Florida voters will vote this November on a measure authorizing medical marijuana. The Florida Medical Association on Monday announced it was opposed to Amendment 2.
The group that represents physicians said in a statement that there are "unintended consequences" linked to the proposal that create a health risk. The FMA contended that the amendment would allow health care providers with no training to order medical marijuana.
“Providing compassionate care to our patients is something we do every day. We believe the unintended consequences of Amendment 2 are serious and numerous enough for us to believe they constitute a public health risk for Floridians,” Dr. Alan B. Pillersdorf, president of the FMA, said in a statement. “The lack of clear definitions in the amendment would allow healthcare providers with absolutely no training in the ordering of controlled substances, to order medical marijuana.”
The statement continued: “As an association that represents more than 20,000 physicians, we have come together to reject an Amendment that does not have the proper regulations in place, approves an unsafe method of drug delivery and puts a substance that has drug abuse potential in the hands of Floridians, if approved in November. FMA also rejects a process whereby initiatives to approve medicines are decided by methods other than careful science-based review.”
United for Care, a group supporting the proposed amendment, said the FMA's position does not reflect growing support for the measure among doctors and nurses.
The organization also questioned the FMA criticism about training. The group said rules could be passed later to require training.
