By Gerald
Both the Senate and House of Representatives in Hawaii are now
considering identical bills that would require workers compensation
payers to reimburse patients who are prescribed medical marijuana under
state law permitting them to use cannabis.,,Nine of the 25 state
senators are backing S.B. 1523, introduced Thursday, the same day Rep.
Dee Morikawa, D-Lihue, unveiled H.B. 1524.,,Both measures follow the
state’s study on issues surrounding medical marijuana, legalized in
Hawaii in 2000, according to identical text accompanying both bills,
which would add marijuana to the language in the state’s workers comp
law pertaining to prescriptions for injured workers.,,Both bills would
subject payers to a fee schedule and require an injured worker to obtain
a physician’s certification that he or she is eligible for enrollment in
the state’s program governing medical marijuana, and that cannabis “may
be reasonable and necessary medical treatment only where an authorized
health care provider certifies that the potential benefits of the
medical use… would likely outweigh the health risks.”,,Included in the
language in both bills are provisions against paying for drug
“paraphernalia” and growing and cultivating of one’s own medical
cannabis, which must come from a licensed producer. Both the Senate and House of Representatives in Hawaii are now considering identical bills
that would require workers compensation payers to reimburse patients who are prescribed medical marijuana under state law permitting them to use cannabis.,,Nine of the 25 state senators are backing S.B. 1523,
introduced Thursday, the same day Rep. Dee Morikawa, D-Lihue, unveiled
H.B. 1524.,,Both measures follow the state’s study on issues surrounding
medical marijuana, legalized in Hawaii in 2000, according to identical
text accompanying both bills, which would add marijuana to the language
in the state’s workers comp law pertaining to prescriptions for injured
workers.,,Both bills would subject payers to a fee schedule and require
an injured worker to obtain a physician’s certification that he or she
is eligible for enrollment in the state’s program governing medical
marijuana, and that cannabis “may be reasonable and necessary medical
treatment only where an authorized health care provider certifies that
the potential benefits of the medical use… would likely outweigh the
health risks.”,,Included in the language in both bills are provisions
against paying for drug “paraphernalia” and growing and cultivating of
one’s own medical cannabis, which must come from a licensed producer.>
Question is why the Alberta Government does not enact legislation
forcing WCB to pay for medical marijuana. WCB has a duty of care to have
their doctors support a worker’s doctor if they prescribe medical
marijuana. Questionably if a worker commits suicide because they are
forced by WCB to continue using opioids that are paid for by WCB rather
than to pay for a proven and scientifically supported pain killer would
the family of the deceased worker be able to sue WCB.
Questionably is why some worker’s medical marijuana is paid for by WCB
and other worker’s medical marijuana is not paid for which can be
verified by going to Canlii and reading Appeals Commission decisions.
Treating disabled workers differently is a human rights violation as you
cannot pay for medical marijuana for one or more workers worker and not
then pay for medical marijuana for others. That is discrimination.
