Naturopathic doctors will face tighter regulations for recommending medical marijuana under a bill Gov. Doug Ducey has signed into law.
The legislation requires naturopathic doctors to include medical evidence that supports their diagnosis for issuing a medical marijuana recommendation. It also requires them to include in the medical record a written certificate and the patient's profile on the Controlled Substances Prescription Monitoring Database.
Republican Sen. Kimberley Yee of Phoenix sponsored the provision as a means to increase accountability for naturopaths issuing medical marijuana certificates.
A 2014 report from the Auditor General's Office found the naturopathic board's procedures did not ensure all applications met the necessary requirements.
The Arizona Department of Health Services found naturopathic doctors issued 77 percent of all medical marijuana certifications between July 2013 and June 2014.
