DOVER, Del. - On Thursday, the Delaware House of Representatives approved a bill that would allow more access to medical marijuana. It passed by a vote of 26-10.
House Bill 285 would make multiple changes to the state's current rules if passed into law. Currently, patients must have a severe health condition in order to qualify for a medical card. This bill would let that decision fall to doctors and allow them to prescribe medical marijuana as they see fit.
The bill would also allow patients 65 and older to to self-certify their qualification for a medical marijuana identification card without the need for approval from a doctor. Furthermore, medical cards would be distributed with a 1-, 2-, or 3-year expiration date.
Adam Goers, senior vice president of the Cannabist Company, says this is a long needed change.
"Doctors should be able to recommend cannabis for any condition that they see fit," he said, "just like a doctor can prescribe a medicine for any condition that they see fit. I think this is a really important change that's going to improve access."
Rep. Valerie Jones Giltner, R-Georgetown, shared concerns around this legislation, especially when it comes to access for seniors. On the House floor in Dover on Thursday, she commented that it would undermine a relationship between a doctor and patient and encourage patients to circumvent a system set up to support their wellness and health in the first place.
The bill has been assigned to the Health and Social Services Committee in Senate.