October 20, 2009 2:39 PM

Will Health Coverage Pay for Medical Marijuana?

By
Brian Montopoli
Topics
Domestic Issues
(AP/John McCoy, L.A. Daily News)
Updated 5:45 p.m. ET

On Monday, news reports offered the latest piece of evidence that the country is moving toward greater acceptable of medical marijuana use: The federal government sent guidelines instructing prosecutors not to focus on prosecuting state-sanctioned medical marijuana users and suppliers.

Fourteen states now allow at least some medical marijuana usage; Monday's news, as Andrew Cohen notes, means that "tens of thousands of Americans now are free from federal persecution and prosecution for conduct that is completely legal in their own states." In addition, a new poll finds that 44 percent of Americans now favor outright marijuana legalization, marking a new high.

With that said, it seems reasonable to wonder whether medical marijuana is – or will ever be – covered through health insurance plans, like a typical prescription drug.

First, consider the present: Susan Pisano of America's Health Insurance Plans, the trade group that represents nearly 1,300 companies, told Hotsheet the group does not "know of any coverage for medical marijuana among our member companies."

Medical Marijuana Arrest Guidelines Eased
L.A. Prosecutor Vows to Target Pot Shops
Andrew Cohen: New Pot Policy Is Not Yet a Turning Point

That comports with the opinion of Bruce Mirken of the Marijuana Policy Project, who said patients at the moment have no choice but to pay "cold, hard cash" for medical marijuana.

The reason that medical marijuana is not covered, both Pisano and Mirken said, is that it is not approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration.

"The main issue here is the question of FDA approval that all drugs need to go through," said Pisano. Lack of FDA approval means no coverage either by private insurers or through any public plan to be drafted in Congress.

So what, then, are the prospects that medical marijuana will get FDA approval? In the short term, at least, they're pretty slim. The fact that marijuana remains a controlled substance presents one hurdle to approval; another, perhaps more significant one is that it isn't a synthesized drug – that is, its component parts are not crafted by drug companies.

As a result, it's hard to say exactly what's in marijuana – and thus hard for the FDA to assess it.

There is an FDA approved drug that contains THC, the primary psychoactive element of the cannabis plant. It's called Marinol, and it was approved way back in 1985. But Marinol lacks many of the not-yet-fully-understood components that come with traditional marijuana, and thus is far-more FDA friendly. (CBSNews.com explored the debate over Marinol in August in this story: "Does the Pot Pill Work?")

And those aren't the only issues complicating matters for medical marijuana: There is also the question of the size of doses. At the moment, marijuana comes in a range of potencies and quantities that would have to be standardized for the drug to meet FDA guidelines.

The FDA's Karen Riley told Hotsheet that the organization does not discuss whether specific drugs are being considered for approval. But since marijuana lacks clear components or standardized doses – and since it is not even clear who might submit it for consideration – it seems extremely unlikely that medical marijuana is going through the process.

For now, then, medical marijuana users shouldn't get their hopes up that they'll soon see the drug partially paid for by their insurance company. Mirken of the Marijuana Policy Project said there has been little agitation to get medical marijuana covered, though he predicted that advocates will eventually take up the cause.

"There hasn't been anything substantial yet," he said. "Right now we're still focused on the legal issues."

More CBSNews.com Coverage on Marijuana Legalization Efforts:
America's Love-Hate History with Pot
Inside Holland's "Half Baked" Pot Policy
Pot No Longer Focus of Anti-Drug Campaigns
CBSNews.com Special Report: Marijuana Nation

Add a Comment See all 55 Comments
by weedneedz October 22, 2009 2:59 PM EDT
If you're curious to see where the medical marijuana dispensaries and physicians are (aka pot shops and pot docs) just type your zip code in at www.weedneedz.com - there's probably 20 places close to where you're standing.
Reply to this comment
by wasrinrime October 22, 2009 12:14 PM EDT
Had a friend years ago diagnosed with incurable cancer. Her insurance paid for medical hooch and she recieved it in a large medicine bottle already rolled what courtesy. It did help her greatly with her symptoms from massive amounts of chemo. The problem I have with it is that it's use should be limited to only extreme cases and not to anyone with a minor ailment that has not already exhausted all other efforts. Remember just like cigaretts, smoking pot causes cancer. Mexico's drug cartel must be reeling over the possibility of legalizing pot for medical use and limiting the fines for those that grow and distribute it.
Reply to this comment
by earthling76 October 23, 2009 4:32 PM EDT
Cannabis does not cause cancer just like cigarettes. It is only associated with an increased likelihood of respiratory irritation (cough or bronchitis). Besides, you can use a vaporizor or obtain an edible cannabis products. No smoke, no problem.

http://www.legalize.com/nocancer.htm
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,196678,00.html
http://www.unknowncountry.com/news/?id=5310

We have been lied to for proprietary reasons. You must always question the motives behind the information presented. Would you trust Philip Morris to provide information about the true health consequences of their products? Oh wait, we've been down that road already.
by stuart-johns2 October 21, 2009 5:19 PM EDT
Herre we go. On Hardball right now. Two republicans are going to debate whetheer their party should be the party of no.

One, a normal republican and decent man (former Rep. Sen. Chaffee) says the party should say yes. He thinks saying no to everything is bad for the country and the Party.

Now the republican extremists fool disagrees. ( Rep. Sen. Ben Webb) He says that the party's focus on saying no is working. His reason. It'll help to destroy Obama. Nothing mentioned about the good of the country from this guy.

Ah.....the republican extremists. Such fools to their own demise.
Reply to this comment
by jxknowles October 21, 2009 4:07 PM EDT
Anyone who wants marijuana can already get it. It can be grown anywhere in the U.S., any time of the year. There is no effective way to enforce laws concerning the use and distribution.
Reply to this comment
by timdgrim October 21, 2009 11:05 AM EDT
Wall Street, Big Banks and Corporations hope we all get medical marijuana so we'll get so stoned we'll forget about their criminal activities and just worry about our supply of Ice Cream and Cheetos!
Reply to this comment
by earthling76 October 23, 2009 4:36 PM EDT
Nice stereotype. Thanks for displaying your ignorance.
by Conservative_1976 October 21, 2009 8:53 AM EDT
Marijuana in various forms, not necessarily smoked, has been used therapeutically for centuries in many parts of the world. Marijuana appears to provide relief from pain, nausea, and other symptoms, with fewer ill effects and a greater margin of safety than many other classes of drugs. In particular, marijuana appears to be far safer than the narcotic drugs commonly administered for pain, and safer even than the non-narcotic drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen and related compounds that are responsible for a few hundred fatal poisonings each year (_http//www.acponline.org/journals/annals/15sep97/nsaid.htm_).

In 2008, the American College of Physicians stated: ?Evidence not only supports the use of medical marijuana in certain conditions but also suggests numerous indications for cannabinoids. Additional research is needed to further clarify the therapeutic value of cannabinoids and determine optimal routes of administration. The science on medical marijuana should not be obscured or hindered by the debate surrounding the legalization of marijuana for general use.? (_http//www.acponline.org/advocacy/where_we_stand/other_issues/medmarijuana.pdf_)

It's time to put the criminal drug dealers out of business. Let's implement a personal cultivation permit, maybe $100 per year for a dozen plants, and get the criminals off the streets and away from our kids.
Reply to this comment
by stuart-johns2 October 21, 2009 4:50 PM EDT
For a Conervative, I agree with you. Good post.
by cidaia October 22, 2009 7:46 AM EDT
I'm not so sure I'm still in favor of medical marijuana after I met someone who got a "prescription" for "depression" following some grief-inducing losses...I do not even think he suffers from "depression", since it's not pathological to feel grief when grief is appropriate. The dishonesty of this bugs me. If the real goal is recreational use, then it should be legal for everyone, and no prescription should be necessary; if it's "medical", then we should recognize that there need to be standards governing when its use is legitimate and where the line is where we're crossing into abuse.
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by prajaowain October 21, 2009 1:01 AM EDT
The F.D.A has outlived it's usefulness. Time for something new.
Reply to this comment
by Lawyers-Guns-n-Money-01 October 20, 2009 11:30 PM EDT
Will Health Coverage Pay for Medical Marijuana?

Well, if these people wanna self medicate, I should get reimbursed for my scotch.

(I swear the doc said take two shots and call me in the morning.)
Reply to this comment
by ianlou October 21, 2009 10:36 AM EDT
I say, If it is provided as a pill - Yes
Smokable Pot - No.
by earthling76 October 21, 2009 5:41 PM EDT
If you work that into the bill I am down for the vote. Who am I to judge.
by wdh3007 October 20, 2009 9:31 PM EDT
Forty four percent is not a majority and if something was meant to be legal it would have been long ago this is bad for a number of reasons. It gets those who don't need it to take advantage of the system to a point where they are hooked on it even more. It creates more problems for those in the law enforcement community and makes the government and eventually the insurance companies look like a drug cartel if they follow suit.
Reply to this comment
by sarcasticfrog October 20, 2009 10:10 PM EDT
How old are you, in your 70s? Have you actually looked at the Gallop poll which was published regarding this data? It is an increasing number; it is actually increasing at an exponential rate.

You must realize that since the verdict, that is, marijuana is actually a safer substance than alcohol, has therapeutic uses, and actually doesn't cause the damages to society as it once was told to cause... society shifts its view... as the older generation dies (those who group marijuana with heroin... and the 50% of people who never used marijuana and the 2% who used marijuana who didn't get high the first time using it...) the favor of marijuana legalization will continue to climb.

It is inevitable... that is the end of marijuana prohibition. It is just, when. We as a society favor SCIENCE over racism and premonitions, which ruled in 1937 and the 1970s.
by SkirtLifter October 20, 2009 9:22 PM EDT
Hypothesis: A stoned society is a controllable society!

Combine this with another hypothesis: Gov't handouts create dependence.

You do the math...Now I'll pack a fat B-load of the finest keef, from Hydroponic, manicured, locally grown BC hybrid.

Then i'll cash my welfare check, buy fillet mignon with my food stamps, buy some Widmer Hefeweizen with my section 8 savings, pack a bongload for that skinny meth-ho next door (I hope she's not dope sick 'cause I don't do chemicals), fire up the BBQ, and I'll BE LIVIN' LARGE FOOL!!!!!


I hope you get the point without being offended by my sarcastic diatribe. We are quickly drifting toward a passive, malleable, gov't dependent, sub-society that will be socially bankrupt and ... well ... bankrupt. We are forgetting to take care of ourselves and family. We are no longer holding ourselves accountable. We are in trouble.
Reply to this comment
by chevyhotrod October 20, 2009 10:01 PM EDT
SkirtLifter,
"We are quickly drifting toward a passive, malleable, gov't dependent, sub-society that will be socially bankrupt and ... well ... bankrupt. We are forgetting to take care of ourselves and family. We are no longer holding ourselves accountable. We are in trouble"

wow, someone with open eyes, that is one of the best statements I have ever read on this CBS blog.
by SkirtLifter October 20, 2009 10:08 PM EDT
Thanx Chevy, I RARELY get a compliment.
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