Morhaim, Brinkley Contest Editorial on Medical Marijuana

Two state legislators say a Baltimore Sun editorial inaccurately characterized the findings and recommendations of a medical marijuana task force.

State Del. Dan Morhaim, who represents Owings Mills and Reisterstown, along with state Sen. David Brinkley, of Frederick, called the editorial “misguided at best and heartless at worst” in their letter to the editor on Jan. 5.

The Sun editorial said lawmakers should focus on a “go-slow” approach that emphasizes research over “wide availability,” saying one plan allows doctors to prescribe medical marijuana.

“We do not know what patients would be good candidates for therapeutic use of marijuana, what strains of the plant make for the most effective treatments, what doses are necessary, or whether, in some cases, the risks — paranoia, for example — outweigh the benefits,” the editorial said.

Morhaim and Brinkley, the co-sponsors and most vocal advocates of a medical marijuana bill in Maryland, said they both recommended a “go-slow” approach in which doctors would only be able to recommend, not prescribe, medical marijuana after extensive review of the patient’s medical records by a board.