State lawmakers are moving to make felons of doctors who don't follow rules when recommending a patient be allowed to use marijuana.
The 6-to-3 vote by the House Health Committee would impose prison terms of up to a year for medical professionals who fail to conduct a full medical exam before issuing a pot certification.
Democratic Rep. Pamela Powers Hanley of Tucson says the penalty is unneeded.
"To me this bill seems to be a solution seeking a problem, because if we already have sanctions on doctors who break the law, I'm not sure why we're adding more regulation onto the medical marijuana industry," she said.
The vote comes after complaints by Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk about what she calls "pot docs.” Polk says those doctors are in the business of making as much money as they can providing marijuana certifications.
