The state Senate could vote this week on the first major amendment to Michigan's medical marijuana law since it was adopted by voters in 2008. The measure would strip the eye disease glaucoma from the list of conditions that would qualify a patient for a medical marijuana card. Physicians such as glaucoma specialist Tim Page say too many patients are turning to marijuana in lieu of proven medical treatments that keep people from going blind. He says, at best, marijuana offers just a brief respite from glaucoma’s symptoms.
"Our concern is that the patients will believe that glaucoma can be treated with marijuana and that simply is not true.”
“I don’t care what doctors say or whatever. This is me, and the idea of going blind terrifies me," says glaucoma patient Barbara Knox. She says this is about her right to make her own medical decisions.
It would take super-majorities in the Senate and the House to amend a law that was enacted by a vote of the people.