An Ethical Framework to Manage Patient Requests for Medical Marijuana

Summary & key facts

More U.S. states now allow marijuana for medical use, but marijuana is still illegal under federal law and is listed as Schedule I by federal authorities. Many states ask doctors to be involved when patients try to get medical marijuana. That puts some doctors in a hard spot because they may have moral objections or think the scientific proof is weak. This article lays out a clear set of ethical steps doctors can use when patients ask for help getting medical marijuana, so doctors can think through the legal, moral, and evidence questions before deciding what to do.

Key facts:

• A growing number of U.S. states have legalized medical marijuana while federal law still outlaws marijuana and keeps it listed as Schedule I.
• Many states require a physician to be involved when a patient seeks access to medical marijuana, which brings doctors into the process.
• Some physicians have ethical objections to supporting medical marijuana, or they feel there is not enough scientific evidence to support its medical use.
• These tensions create an ethical dilemma for doctors who are asked by patients to help them obtain medical marijuana.
• The article supplies an ethical framework—meaning a step-by-step way of thinking about the issue—to help physicians manage patient requests, taking into account legal status, ethics, and evidence.
• The framework is guidance for doctors rather than a legal ruling or a clinical proof that medical marijuana works for specific conditions.

Abstract

An increasing number of states are legalizing marijuana use for medicinal purposes despite marijuana use remaining criminalized at the federal level and continued Schedule I status by the US Food and Drug Administration. Many of those states in which medical marijuana is legal require physician involvement to facilitate patient access. In addition, physicians may have ethical objections to medical marijuana use or may not believe there is adequate scientific evidence to support its use. The constellation of these factors creates an ethical quandary for physicians when approached by patients for assistance in accessing medical marijuana. This article provides an ethical framework that provides guidance to physicians in managing these patient requests taking into consideration the above ethically relevant factors.

Topics

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Homelessness and Social Issues Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Pharmacology

Tags

Computer science Family medicine Food and drug administration Medical emergency Medicine Operating system Schedule

Substances

medical cannabis

Conditions & symptoms

Chronic Pain Chronic pain