Pediatrician supports Question 4, says would help medical marijuana patients

A local doctor is supporting Question 4, saying recreational marijuana would allow better access for people who need it for medicinal purposes.

A new WBUR/Mass Inc. poll shows 55 percent of Massachusetts voters are in favor allowing recreational marijuana to become legal for people over 21.

State Sen. Jason Lewis is the chair of the Public Health Committee and member of the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts.

“What we're opposed to is having pot shops in all of our communities. Having these high potency edible products being heavily promoted for sale not having with dealing with drugged driving on our roads,” said Lewis.

Dr. Eric Ruby is the only pediatrician in Massachusetts who prescribes medical marijuana to children. He says legalizing recreational marijuana will mean better access legal medical marijuana.

FOX25 interviewed Ruby in February, and at that time he had over 40 patients waiting for their medical marijuana card. Today, that number has doubled.

“Voting yes on 4 will allow for more grow facilitates and more dispensaries and lower the price, it is prohibitively expensive right now for my patients,” he said.

Sen. Lewis argues that the measure wouldn't help medical marijuana patients, it would hurt them.

“They’re actually very different types of marijuana and I think the proponents are unfortunately conflating those,” he said.

The voters will decide on election day, Nov. 8.

>>RELATED:

Cox Media Group