Medical marijuana advocates slam opioid report

BOSTON — Medical marijuana advocates are bristling at a report that suggests pot dispensaries will contribute to the deadly opioid crisis.

A report by the Massachusetts Health Council released last week recommends ways to fight opioid abuse including enforcement of a prescription monitoring program; releasing updated, community-level data on fatal and non-fatal overdoses; and expanding treatment options.

More than 1,000 people died from opioid-related overdoses in Massachusetts last year, according to state health officials.

But the report also calls for tightened rules on medical marijuana dispensaries and a ban on edible cannabis products. It suggests that pot dispensaries, similar to pain clinics that dole out addictive drugs, will contribute to the epidemic.

“It’s scare tactics,” says Nichole Snow, executive director of the Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Group, which supports medicinal marijuana. “They’re taking every angle they can to prevent medical marijuana patients from getting the help they need. There’s no evidence...

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URL: 
http://www.newburyportnews.com/news/local_news/advocates-slam-opioid-report/article_57bb5aa0-dc7e-5c2e-ba06-f73059497c0c.html