Pittsburgh hospital sets guidelines for doctors to recommend medical cannabis

A lack of physician buy-in for medical marijuana has stalled several nascent state MMJ programs, such as New York and Minnesota.

It looks as though Pennsylvania MMJ companies may be able to sidestep that problem.

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), one of the most well-known hospitals in Pennsylvania, announced that it has put together new guidelines for physicians in its system who want to recommend medical cannabis for patients.

The move could be a big boost to the customer pool for Pennsylvania’s MMJ dispensaries, according to the Tribune-Review, since the state so far has just 433 doctors that have been approved to recommend medical cannabis.

“We think it will help providers, who were thinking about certifying patients, make their decision,” Dr. Ajay Wasan, vice chair of pain medicine at UPMC, told the newspaper.

The guidelines are being handed out to “thousands of doctors this week,” according to the Tribune-Review.

A spokeswoman for the state department of health also applauded the move by UPMC, adding that “physician participation is vital to the success of this program.”