February 2022 Newsletter for
Ohio's CTR Physicians

This newsletter is distributed to physicians with an active Certificate to Recommend Medical Marijuana (CTR) and provides important updates for the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program (OMMCP). 

The State Medical Board of Ohio has approved 9 new certificate to recommend medical marijuana (CTR) applications since the January board meeting. As of February 9, 2022, the total number of active certified physicians is 636.

Medical Board Considers New Qualifying Conditions

The State Medical Board of Ohio received 9 petitions during the 2021 submission period. On February 9, the board’s Medical Marijuana Committee decided to move the petitions for autism spectrum disorder and opioid use disorder (two petitions) forward for expert review. 

 

Written public comment on these conditions will be accepted February 10 –

February 25, 2022. Anyone may submit their comments by emailing MedicalMarijuana@med.ohio.gov.

 

The Medical Marijuana Committee will then review the subject matter experts’ reports and make a recommendation to the full board for a vote to adopt/deny the petition to add the qualifying conditions. The board is expected to make a final decision this summer.

 

Click here to view more information about the petitions.
Telemedicine Update

The passage of Telehealth Services legislation (Sub. HB 122) allows the use of telehealth for medical marijuana recommendations and renewals, effective March 23, 2022. 

 

The bill also provides the Medical Board with rulemaking authority to implement the requirements of the bill. On February 9, the board voted to extend the deadline to resume enforcement of in-person requirements from March 31 until new telehealth rules are adopted that reflect the changes in the law. 
New CTR Search Map 
The Medical Board has updated its CTR search map feature to improve the user experience and update the map with submitted addresses more expeditiously. Patients will now be able to filter physician results by state, region, county, and city or download a roster directly from the website. 
 
As a reminder, the CTR search map is the primary resource for locating  physicians with a CTR because each physician on the map has provided their preferred practice address to the Medical Board. If you would like to add a practice address to the search map, complete this physician survey.
 
The updated CTR search map is available at med.ohio.gov. 
Physician Annual Report 
Ohio Revised Code 4731.30 and Ohio Administrative Code 4731-32-03 require each physician with a CTR to submit an annual report to the Medical Board. To collect the annual report data, the Medical Board will be sending a survey to all certified physicians. Each physician will be asked to give their professional opinion on the effectiveness of medical marijuana for the conditions for which it has been recommended. The board will send additional information about the survey in the coming weeks. Please be aware, completion of the survey is a statutory requirement for all physicians with a CTR. If the board does not receive your survey response as requested, you may be contacted directly.

Program Update (As of December, 2021)

  • 406,511 Recommendations
  • 237,613 Registered patients
    • 15,759 Patients with Veteran Status
    • 17,321 Patients with Indigent Status
    • 984 Patients with a Terminal Diagnosis
  • 130,641 Patients with both an active registration and an active recommendation
  • 215,410 Unique patients who purchased medical marijuana (as reported to OARRS by licensed dispensaries)
  • 26,915 Registered Caregivers
For the full list of program numbers, please visit the Program Update page.

Operational Dispensaries

Ohio has 57 operational dispensaries where a patient with a recommendation may purchase their medical marijuana product. 

Click the map to view the dispensary locations or to download a complete list of Ohio-licensed dispensaries.

 

State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy Updates

Patients are to use medical marijuana for the product's intended purpose and in the form in which it is sold. Further, patients and caregivers should not engage in the cultivation of medical marijuana or the manufacture of medical marijuana extract or other products such as edibles, unless authorized as licensed cultivator or processor employees pursuant to rule 3796:5-2-01 of the Administrative Code and such cultivating or manufacturing is performed in compliance with rules promulgated by the Department of Commerce pursuant to section 3796.03 of the Revised Code.

 

This rule was put in place to ensure patient safety as well as quality control and consistent dosing is achieved by having all products lab-tested in their final form.
Available Products Update

To help inform physicians choosing to include instructions for use, the types of products currently available through the Medical Marijuana Control Program are listed below. 

Duty to Report

As a licensee of the State Medical Board of Ohio, you have a statutory and ethical duty to report misconduct. You are obligated to report violations of law, rule and code of ethics standards to the Medical Board. Examples of misconduct include, but are not limited to, sexual misconduct, impairment, practice below the minimal standards of care, and improper prescribing of controlled substances. If you suspect or have observed inappropriate behavior by a health care professional or colleague, you should file a complaint with the State Medical Board. If you believe a crime has been committed, you should also contact your local law enforcement.  Knowing a colleague is violating regulations and not reporting to the Medical Board not only puts patients at risk but also puts your license to practice in jeopardy.

 

If the board discovers you failed to report a colleague’s misconduct, you may be disciplined by the board, up to and including permanent license revocation, and you may be ordered to pay fines up to $20,000.

 

Effective May 31, 2021, MDs, DOs and DPMs are required to complete one hour of Continuing Medical Education (CME) prior to renewal on the topic of a licensee’s duty to report misconduct. The enforcement of this requirement will commence with renewal applications submitted on or after July 1, 2021. The board has created a one-hour course designed to educate physicians (MDs, DOs, DPMs) on the duty to report to the State Medical Board of Ohio. 

 

To file a complaint you can visit med.ohio.gov or call the board’s confidential complaint hotline at 1-833-333-SMBO (7626). Remember, provisions in the Ohio Revised Code make all complaints received by the board confidential.

 

You can read more about your duty to report and the CME requirement on our website.
COVID-19 Response
The resources listed below are available to you as guidance during this COVID-19 pandemic. 

Search Map Feature

If you applied for a CTR for any purpose other than making patient recommendations (e.g. research, specialized CME, etc.) please let us know and we will not feature your contact information on the map.

If you received your CTR this month or have not yet provided all of the addresses you wish to list on the medical marijuana physician locator, please complete the survey below. Your name and practice address will not appear on the search map until your survey is submitted. 

License Number

Please be aware, now that you have been granted a certificate to recommend, your official license number includes the suffix CTR. Example: 35.12345CTR. 

Standard of Care

All physicians with an active CTR must follow the full list of requirements in Rule 4731-32-03 Standard of Care in the Ohio Administrative Code. 

Resources

  • For questions about your CTR, email MedicalMarijuana@med.ohio.gov.
  • For questions about technical difficulties accessing the Registry, call the Appriss Help Desk at 1-833-276-0100.
  • Additional resources can be found on the medical marijuana website. Click here to view.

OMMCP Helpline
1-833-4OH-MMCP (1-833-464-6627)
The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program Toll-Free Helpline responds to inquiries from patients, caregivers, and health professionals regarding adverse reactions to medical marijuana, and provides information about available services and additional assistance as needed. The helpline staff does not have access to the Patient & Caregiver Registry so any registry related questions should be directed to MMCPRegistry@pharmacy.ohio.gov. 

Check with your personal attorney for additional rule interpretation and how to apply the statute and rules to your specific practice situation.
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