No-tolerance policy for “Medical Marijuana”

We receive inquiry calls about why we refuse to prescribe opiate medications to patents who use medical marijuana.

The primary reason for our decision is based on the legal precedent that exists with respect to Federal Controlled Substances Prescribing. Our physicians are individually licensed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. This is a privilege that allows Medical Doctors to prescribe controlled substances to patients when determined medically indicated.  Case precedent has determined that State Medical Marijuana Laws conflict directly with Federal Drug Control policy as applies to licensed healthcare professionals with DEA certification.

Our physicians are professionally obligated to uphold the rules and responsibilities of the Federal licensing body which allows for the prescription of controlled substances.

The second reason for our decision regarding “medical marijuana”, and all other drugs of abuse is philosophic to our mission as a recovery- based program. Our physicians and clinicians uphold the highest standard of Addiction Medicine, Pain Management and Psychiatric care. Our treatment policies and procedures are scientifically-based and at this time, the scientific literature reveals a significant presence of co-occurring marijuana abuse within the opiate dependent pain population.  We believe this documented reality is a symptom of the greater problem of pain diagnoses and co-occurring addictive disease.

Reisfield et. al., Pain Medicine; Vol 10 (8) 2009: pp.1434-1441.