O'Malley Appoints Medical Marijuana Panel

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Gov. Martin O'Malley has appointed 11 members to Maryland's Medical Marijuana Commission.

The governor announced the appointments on Thursday.

The commission has the authority to permit academic research centers to design and implement programs to make marijuana available for medical purposes to defined groups of patients.

The panel will be chaired by Dr. Paul Davis, president of Advanced Pain Management Specialists, which has eight locations in Maryland.

The commission is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Sept. 24.

The Maryland General Assembly approved a measure in the last legislative session to allow academic research centers to implement medical marijuana programs.

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