AMA Establishes Cannabis Task Force at Its 2019 Interim Meeting
The American Medical Association voted at its Interim Meeting of the House of Delegates in San Diego, CA, to establish a Cannabis Task Force to evaluate and disseminate relevant scientific evidence to health care facilities and the public. The vote came after some discussion about confusion on the part of health care staffs how to deal with the issue given that many states have legalized the use of marijuana, yet it remains illegal on the federal level.
Rajeev Kumar, MD, FACP, CMD, Society delegate to the AMA, testified that the Society has discussed this issue and agrees that guidance to facilities would be a worthwhile effort. The Society’s Clinical Issues Workgroup recently developed guidance and policy recommendations on the issue.
In a separate resolution AMA voted to encourage “hospitals and health systems to 1) not recommend patient use of non-FDA approved cannabis or cannabis derived products within health care facilities until such time as federal laws or regulations permit its use and 2) educate medical staffs on cannabis use, effect and cannabis withdrawal syndrome.”
This resolution was among hundreds of others considered at the meeting. Society delegates Dr. Kumar and current Vice President Karl Steinberg, MD, HMDC, CMD represented the Society, meeting with delegations and caucuses to discuss issues affecting PALTC.