Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
A distribution glitch at one of Minnesota's two medical marijuana providers has left some patients with little or no supply left for treatment of conditions such as chronic pain, epileptic seizures and Tourette syndrome.
One patient, Katie Kennedy, said she called LeafLine Labs on Monday because she had no cannabis left for the management of her chronic pain and only a two-day supply left for the management of her son's Tourette and autism. She said a LeafLine representative replied that it had none available until Friday, though it later provided a small quantity to get her son through the week.
"I will be in great pain by the end of the week," said Kennedy, who suffers from fibromyalgia and chronic back problems.
In a written statement, LeafLine Chief Executive Dr. Andrew Bachman blamed the temporary shortage on the holiday and delays at a third-party lab that must test its cannabis products before they can be distributed. LeafLine closed its Eagan facility for the week and directed clients to its St. Paul facility.
"LeafLine Labs has plenty of inventory, but due to some unforeseen delays at the lab, including the recent holiday, we are still waiting for our certificate of analysis to release more product to our patients," he said.
Kennedy was among several users of medical marijuana products in Minnesota who complained on a group social media page about the shortage and who said LeafLine offered a variety of excuses.
Patrick McClellan, who uses medical marijuana for muscular dystrophy and advocated for Minnesota's first medical marijuana law in 2014, said patients were given several explanations this week. Some were told LeafLine experienced a shortage of bottles, while others said LeafLine blamed a surge of patients or the need to replace old equipment.
Regardless, McClellan said the disruption points out the weakness in Minnesota's program, which restricts the sale of medical marijuana to two state-licensed distributors. Minnesota Medical Solutions is the other supplier.
Minnesota restricts medical marijuana to oils, liquids and pills for the treatment of 11 qualifying conditions.
McClellan said supply disruptions could prompt some patients to turn back to old opioid prescriptions to manage pain – because they wouldn't be able to tolerate their old dosages after being off them for so long and would be at risk of overdose.
"That could be extremely dangerous," he said.
State regulators of the medical marijuana industry could not be immediately reached Wednesday morning. This story will be updated when their response becomes available.
Kennedy said her son's medical marijuana is technically for his Tourette syndrome, but really for the symptoms caused by his autism. She said she hopes state officials will add autism to the list of qualifying conditions later this year. She said LeafLine has always been helpful until now.
"Running out of our medicine shows that we need more options in the state," she said.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Minnesota patients alarmed at medical marijuana shortage - StarTribune.com
Author: Jeremy Olson
Contact: Contact Us | Star Tribune Company
Photo Credit: Jim Gehrz
Website: StarTribune.com: News, weather, sports from Minneapolis, St. Paul and Minnesota
One patient, Katie Kennedy, said she called LeafLine Labs on Monday because she had no cannabis left for the management of her chronic pain and only a two-day supply left for the management of her son's Tourette and autism. She said a LeafLine representative replied that it had none available until Friday, though it later provided a small quantity to get her son through the week.
"I will be in great pain by the end of the week," said Kennedy, who suffers from fibromyalgia and chronic back problems.
In a written statement, LeafLine Chief Executive Dr. Andrew Bachman blamed the temporary shortage on the holiday and delays at a third-party lab that must test its cannabis products before they can be distributed. LeafLine closed its Eagan facility for the week and directed clients to its St. Paul facility.
"LeafLine Labs has plenty of inventory, but due to some unforeseen delays at the lab, including the recent holiday, we are still waiting for our certificate of analysis to release more product to our patients," he said.
Kennedy was among several users of medical marijuana products in Minnesota who complained on a group social media page about the shortage and who said LeafLine offered a variety of excuses.
Patrick McClellan, who uses medical marijuana for muscular dystrophy and advocated for Minnesota's first medical marijuana law in 2014, said patients were given several explanations this week. Some were told LeafLine experienced a shortage of bottles, while others said LeafLine blamed a surge of patients or the need to replace old equipment.
Regardless, McClellan said the disruption points out the weakness in Minnesota's program, which restricts the sale of medical marijuana to two state-licensed distributors. Minnesota Medical Solutions is the other supplier.
Minnesota restricts medical marijuana to oils, liquids and pills for the treatment of 11 qualifying conditions.
McClellan said supply disruptions could prompt some patients to turn back to old opioid prescriptions to manage pain – because they wouldn't be able to tolerate their old dosages after being off them for so long and would be at risk of overdose.
"That could be extremely dangerous," he said.
State regulators of the medical marijuana industry could not be immediately reached Wednesday morning. This story will be updated when their response becomes available.
Kennedy said her son's medical marijuana is technically for his Tourette syndrome, but really for the symptoms caused by his autism. She said she hopes state officials will add autism to the list of qualifying conditions later this year. She said LeafLine has always been helpful until now.
"Running out of our medicine shows that we need more options in the state," she said.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Minnesota patients alarmed at medical marijuana shortage - StarTribune.com
Author: Jeremy Olson
Contact: Contact Us | Star Tribune Company
Photo Credit: Jim Gehrz
Website: StarTribune.com: News, weather, sports from Minneapolis, St. Paul and Minnesota
