A new law in Virginia promises benefits to many patients, and may be a potential step forward in medicinal cannabis reform in general….

On the conventional, conservative side, the measure only allows relatively low amounts of “decarboxylated THC” (the heated or cured, psychoactive “delta” form of THC, which THC-A from freshly harvested cannabis is often turned into).

It also doesn’t allow quick-acting inhalable forms, and so with these limits and another odd legal wrinkle (see the last para below) it’s still an essentially incomplete program.

What’s new and exciting, though (and a first anywhere in the nation if we have it right), is that Virginia’s “Let Doctors Decide” law now lets CBD and non-psychoactive THC-A oils – with up to 5% THC – be recommended by physicians for ANY condition in any appropriate quantities, thus beginning to remove some the “how many angels can dance on the head of a pin” kinds of questions around what medicinal cannabis can and can’t be recommended for by doctors.

So not “the answer” to all the needs of patients, but we commend the culturally traditional state of Virginia for adopting some actual out of the box thinking to avoid what had previously been an impasse keeping nearly all patients from any form of meaningful access in the state….

Excerpt from the linked article:

“The new regulations allow patients with any diagnosed illness to receive a recommendation from their doctor for the use of cannabidiol and THC-A oils, both of which are non-psychoactive. THC levels in these medicines cannot exceed 5 percent. Under a previous bill, passed in 2017, only those with treatment-resistant epilepsy were allowed to use cannabis oils as a treatment.

While the law’s passage is a major step forward for patients, it’s important to note that it doesn’t actually make the recommended cannabinoids legal. Instead, it protects registered patients from prosecution, provided they have the required paperwork to present to law enforcement. Doctors will not prescribe cannabis oils but ‘recommend’ them, since only medicines approved by the FDA can be prescribed.”

#MMJ #VApol #LetDoctorsDecide #UTpol #CBD #THCA #UtahNext #TRUCE    

See full article – Virginia Just Became A Way Better State For Marijuana Patients