Connecticut Seeks to Allow Medical Marijuana Use for Opioid Treatment

Following emotional testimony and the offering of federal data spotlighting 42,000 opioid-related deaths in 2016, the Connecticut Board of Physicians tabled allowing medical marijuana for opioid addiction. In Connecticut alone, in 2017, there were 917 opioid-related deaths. The Board of Physicians seeks more time to gather information before making a final decision.

Will Moffett discussed his sister’s frequent overdoses on OxyContin, according to the Hartford Courant. She’s overdosed ten times just in the last year. Moffett uses marijuana to help keep him off of harder drugs.

Medical marijuana patient, Gerry Craig said, “We desperately need in Connecticut an alternative treatment for pain. If it works for me, it can work for anyone.”

Thirty people testified at the hearing.

The Board of Physicians did choose to recommend adding osteogenesis to the list of approved conditions. They plan to discuss the addition of progressive degenerative disc disease later this year. The board rejected adding albinism and nystagmus.

Following a recommendation by the Board of Physicians, a condition has to be approved by the state commissioner of consumer protection and must undergo a legislative review committee process before the condition can be added to the state’s medical marijuana qualifying conditions list.