Mass. Medical Society Adopts Policy on Recreational Marijuana

WALTHAM — A resolution on recreational marijuana was among many proposals adopted as new policies by members of the Mass. Medical Society (MMS) House of Delegates at its interim meeting on Dec. 3.

The meeting brings together hundreds of Massachusetts physicians from across the state to consider specific resolutions on public-health policy, healthcare delivery, and organizational administration by the society’s House of Delegates, its policy-making body. Resolutions adopted by the delegates become policies of the organization.

Following voter approval of recreational marijuana in November, physicians adopted a resolution stating that MMS will actively engage with state policymakers to advocate for legislative and regulatory policies on legal marijuana that will protect public health. Such advocacy will include efforts to set policies that would prevent youth access to marijuana, including restrictions on marketing and advertising to people under age 21; prevent impaired driving; urge the state to conduct and publish research on the clinical and public-health effects of recreational marijuana; set safety and quality standards for recreational marijuana; and direct adequate funding for health and public-health interventions related to marijuana, including research, abuse-prevention education, and treatment.

The resolution also directed the MMS to create a resource tool to help physicians respond to the needs of their patients who may be using or asking about marijuana, and that the MMS work with the Mass. Assoc. of Health Boards and other interested parties to develop and model regulations for commercial and recreational marijuana for cities and towns.