Dr. Ed Ehlinger
An advisory panel recommends the state Health Department *not* add intractable pain to the list of conditions for which a patient can use medical marijuana in Minnesota. The report says “panel members agreed that medical cannabis should not be the first line of therapy in treating intractible pain,” and expressed concern that patients might abandon other proven treatments. The recommendation is sharply different from public comments on-line and at 12 community meetings, where 93 percent supported allowing those with intractible pain to use medical marijuana. State law requires Health Commissioner, Doctor Ed Ehlinger, to decide “yes” or “no” by January 1st, although the legislature has the option of overriding him. Ehlinger holds a public forum next Tuesday in West St. Paul.