
Logan Physician Dr. Ed Redd was appointed as one of seven physicians for a medical marijuana Compassionate Use Board. The Utah Senate recently confirmed and announced the appointments in a news release on June 25.
According to the Utah Department of Health, the board will be responsible for approving medical cannabis patients card to applicants under the age of 21.
The board will also hear cases of applicants seeking medical marijuana to treat conditions not currently approved under the Utah Medical Cannabis Act.
Dr. Redd is an internal medicine specialist and past member of the Utah State Legislature representing Logan’s District 4.
“The important thing is that we are a Compassionate Use Board,” said Dr. Redd. “We consider each case individually. We don’t just rubber stamp and say, ‘no.’ There will be some judgement exercised based upon what the patients’ problems are, impairment to their quality of life, and what they’ve already tried.”
Cases coming before the board will be complicated, according to Dr. Redd, and because some individuals don’t respond well to traditional medical treatment the board will “do the best we can to make reasonable choices. I can only speak for myself, but we are going to probably air on the side of compassion when there is a lot of doubt,” he said.
In addition to Dr. Redd, the following physicians were also appointed to serve as members of the board:
Dr. Joel Ehrenkranz, internal medicine and expert in the use of medical cannabis.
Dr. Angelo Giardino, pediatrician and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Utah School of Medicine and Chief Medical Officer of Primary Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Nicholas Whipple, pediatric hematology-oncology at the University of Utah
Dr. Meghan Ward, neurology and epilepsy, Intermountain Healthcare.
Dr. Richard Segal, psychiatrist.
Dr. Colleen Marty, pediatrician and hospice and palliative medicine
Dr. Redd anticipates the board will meet this fall to get things organized, then meet on a quarterly basis thereafter to discuss individual cases.
State officials legalized medical marijuana with the passage of Utah Medical Cannabis Act in December. Utah will issue patient cards by March 2020.