State seeks to build partnerships, bring in experts to boost efficiency
By Yvonne Wingett-Sanchez
The Arizona Republic
Arizona health officials will dip into a pot of money generated by medical-marijuana fees with the goal to improve the state’s controversial new program.
The Arizona Department of Health Services will soon spend more than $1.2 million to weed out physicians who improperly recommend marijuana to patients, help train marijuana-dispensary staff, hire private accountants or auditors to examine dispensary financial statements, and hire private attorneys to assist the department with legal issues arising from the program.
The ADHS will also continue to fund a $200,000 contract with the University of Arizona College of Public Health to, in part, review published research about the effectiveness of marijuana in treating medical conditions.
ADHS Director Will Humble said the new partnerships will help health officials keep the program as “medical” as possible.
