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US: Massachusetts Medical Society urges voters to reject ballot questions

M. Murphy

The Republican

Monday 17 Sep 2012

The Massachusetts Medical Society on Monday morning officially came out against two ballot questions going before voters in November that, if approved, would legalize medical marijuana and allow terminally ill patients to self-administer life-ending medications after first consulting and seeking a prescription from a doctor.

"These are important health care questions for the state and patients deserve to know what we think and where we stand on these issues," said Richard Aghababian, the Society's president. Aghababian said the MMS, which represents over 24,000 physicians in Massachusetts, said the idea of "physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician's role as healer," according to a statement.

The group also argued that it is difficult for doctors to accurately predict the end of a person's life due to illness within six months, and claimed that the ballot question lacked protections for patients to protect against being coerced into making life-ending decisions.

The MMS also reaffirmed its position that the medical effectiveness of marijuana has not been scientifically proven, and therefore must be studied further before the medical society can consider endorsing its use. Aghababian said the health risks associated with marijuana smoke can be "more poisonous" than tobacco and can lead to long-term mental impairment.

The MMS's policy on medical marijuana adopted in May calls for the drug to be reclassified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to further study its potential medical uses, and also supports the development of a non-smoked delivery system for potential cannabis drugs.

http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/09/massachusetts_medical_society.html

 

 

 

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