Before the Joint Committee on Public Health
The Massachusetts Medical Society has two policy positions
established regarding the use of marijuana. They are:
Medical Use of Marijuana
"The Massachusetts Medical Society affirms its opposition to
smoking marijuana for recreational purposes.
The Massachusetts Medical Society recognizes the importance
of clinical trials on the medical use of marijuana and its
derivatives. All such trials should be approved by an
Institutional Review Board process."
The MMS's House of Delegates and Committee on Legislation have,
in recent years, reviewed amendments and additions to this policy
and other legislative proposals on this issue. The MMS supported
legislation many years ago supporting clinical trials at the
Department of Public Health. While that legislation has been long
enacted, no clinical trials have been done in Massachusetts.
The MMS hopes that the Committee on Public Health will consider
our policies in its response to S 1161.
