Medical Marijuana is not a Prescription Drug
If you review a standard homeowners insurance policy today, you may or may not be surprised to know how certain terms are used to exclude it from your policy. Specifically, one of the most noteworthy terms is ‘marijuana.’ In fact, if you read through any standard homeowners policy. you may see this term used only once, as an exception to the coverages approved. Simply put, the standard homeowners policies do not cover damages that are incurred due to the use of controlled substances, including damages or injuries caused by the use of marijuana.
On the other hand, there is also one caveat to this statement in a standard policy. And that is to say, many states exclude this provision if the person is following the orders of a licensed medical physician. That being said, here are some of the key things that you need to know about marijuana, particularly as it relates to standard home insurance coverage.
- Medical Marijuana is not classed as a prescription drug. Therefore, it is not written in insurance coverages as such.
- Even though news outlets like the New York Times, Washington Post and other major news outlets refer to marijuana as a prescription, under state laws medical marijuana is not classed as a prescription.
- Physicians cannot prescribe marijuana like the traditional painkillers. Instead, they can only recommend, authorize or certify medical marijuana to a patient that they are treating.
- There are also exceptions to a physician’s authorized duties in this area, too. And, that is, a physician only has rights to certify, authorize or recommend are confined to certain qualifying conditions, and they will vary from state to state.
Definition of Recommendation versus Prescription Drugs
As mentioned above, there is a clear distinction that has been made between a doctor recommending marijuana and a physician prescribing a prescription drug (painkillers and other narcotics to their patients) and here are examples of definitions between the two.
Doctor Recommendation and Medical Marijuana
Whenever an individual goes to a dispensary to buy a medical marijuana product, they are required to present a certification of ‘recommendation’ from their physician. This document of recommendation gives the dispensary the requirements for that particular patient. For example, with this note in hand, the dispensary will know exactly how much can be purchased for them for any given month. These requirements must also abide by the laws and limitations of each state.
Doctor Prescription and Medical Drugs
On the flip side, whenever a patient goes to a pharmacy to fulfill a prescription medication, the note that they supply to certified pharmacists is for obtaining the dosage for a USFDA drug. These guidelines of prescription medications are vastly different from medical marijuana products, particularly since these prescriptions are based on many years of study along with planned care approaches.
This is not the case with medical marijuana and marijuana products for a number of different reasons, including those listed below.
- Dosages with marijuana plants are not well understood
- No FDA approved or effective drug safe indications
- Dispensaries and Pharmacies are not considered to be the same because of their qualifying knowledge and educational requirements
- Dispensaries do not employ licensed Pharmacists
- Knowledge based for dispensary employees are considered to be equivalent of a sommelier at upscale liquor stores
- As this article has mentioned above, all of these definitions have a wide range of implications on insurance coverages. For example, are employers reimbursed payments on workman’s claims if their worker was injured due to consumption of medical marijuana on the job. Unfortunately, because of the studies and information that is still lacking, these answers are a lot more complicated than a blanket, yes or no.
Role Doctor’s Play in the Control of Marijuana
To clarify some of the major differences in the current regulations and the laws that apply to medical marijuana, there are heads of medical organizations working on proposals to clearly define these distinctions. Primarily, one the most notable is Health Canada. As of recent (within the last year), Health Canada is currently writing proposals to implement new regulations. These new regulations are called ‘New Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations’. One of its primary aim is to re-introduce medicinal marijuana as a narcotic.
Under the new proposed regulations, the doctor’s role in the control of Marijuana is to issue a medical document to give patients the approval that they need to get medical marijuana legally. This new regulation will issue documents that’s similar to a prescription. Even though these documents are not a prescription from a physician, it is meant to soothe the present language. It also meant to suggest that medical marijuana is a medicine, particularly a medicine that is equivalent to controlling a substance like morphine and digoxin.
Marijuana Has Not Undergone Regulatory Testing
It is also important to note that there are other critical issues involved in approving medicine marijuana as a prescription. Drug. In fact, the real impetus to these changes is more than likely the risks in home growing operations. According to the announcement that was made by Leona Aglukkag, the Minister of Health, the current system is open to a number of different abuses. Some of which are listed below.
Abuses are hiding by these regulations to conduct illegal activity
The growth of these operations has well over exceeded the projected numbers
Home growing in basements produces extreme fire hazards in homes
That said, these and other reasons are why the laws should be adjusted to be under the sole control of medical physicians., particularly as a prescribed drug.
Conclusion
Though most people may not be aware, it is important to note that medical marijuana is not a prescription drug. However, it is clearly time for governments to make a decision on which definition fits best. The current push to make a decision will not only affect pharmacies, but also dispensaries. So, physicians should not be pulled into a market of trying to prescribe to their patients. Specifically, since medical marijuana is really only an herb and not defined as a prescription medication.
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