The Massachusetts Act for the Humanitarian Medical Use of Marijuana (Medical Marijuana Law) took effect on January 1, 2013, legalizing the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes and exempting individuals with qualifying medical conditions from being penalized under Massachusetts law for marijuana use.
To become a “qualifying patient,” a doctor, licensed in Massachusetts, must have diagnosed the patient as having a debilitating medical condition such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, HIV or AIDs. Other conditions are reviewed on a case by case basis. As one gets older, the proclivity to chronic illness increases, making many older adults candidates for this treatment option. With so many elderly adults residing in assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, it is interesting to consider how the use of medical marijuana will be handled in these instances. Read more.