Four years ago, Connecticut became the 17th state to legalize medical marijuana. By 2014, the state officially launched its medical marijuana program, making it possible for card-holding patients to buy the drug legally. This hour, we get an update on that program from Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Jonathan Harris. We also hear from a Connecticut woman who saw how the program helped her husband, and we check in with doctors and dispensaries in the state.
Later in the hour, we find out what new research tells us about medical marijuana and its impact on opioid drug use. It’s the subject of a recent Scientific American article, which considers whether pot could be the answer to our nation’s opioid epidemic.
Do you use medical marijuana? Do you care for someone who does?
GUESTS:
- Christy Kovel - Middletown resident and caregiver for her husband, Tracy Helin, who recently passed away
- Jonathan Harris - Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection
- Angelo DeFazio - Owner and founder of Arrow Alternative Care; President and CEO of Arrow Pharmacy
- Dr. Andrew Salner - Director of the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at Hartford Hospital
- Kevin Boehnke - Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan
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Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
