Ariz. Admin. Code § 9-17-313

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 43, October 25, 2024

Section R9-17-313 - Medical Director

A. Except as provided in R9-17-324(C), a dispensary shall appoint an individual who is a physician to function as a medical director.

B. During a dispensary's hours of operation, a medical director or an individual who is a physician and is designated by the medical director to serve as medical director in the medical director's absence is:

1. Onsite; or

2. Able to be contacted by any means possible, such as by telephone or pager.

C. A medical director shall:

1. Develop and provide training to the dispensary's dispensary agents at least once every 12 months from the initial date of the dispensary's registration certificate on the following subjects:

a. Guidelines for providing information to qualifying patients related to risks, benefits, and side effects associated with medical marijuana;

b. Guidelines for providing support to qualifying patients related to the qualifying patient's self-assessment of the qualifying patient's symptoms, including a rating scale for pain, cachexia or wasting syndrome, nausea, seizures, muscle spasms, and agitation;

c. Recognizing signs and symptoms of substance abuse; and

d. Guidelines for refusing to provide medical marijuana to an individual who appears to be impaired or abusing medical marijuana; and

2. Assist in the development and implementation of review and improvement processes for patient education and support provided by the dispensary.

D. A medical director shall provide oversight for the development and dissemination of:

1. Educational materials for qualifying patients and designated caregivers that include:

a. Alternative medical options for the qualifying patient's debilitating medical condition;

b. Information about possible side effects of and contraindications for medical marijuana including possible impairment with use and operation of a motor vehicle or heavy machinery, when caring for children, or of job performance;

c. Guidelines for notifying the physician who provided the written certification for medical marijuana if side effects or contraindications occur;

d. A description of the potential for differing strengths of medical marijuana strains and products;

e. Information about potential drug-to-drug interactions, including interactions with alcohol, prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs, and supplements;

f. Techniques for the use of medical marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia;

g. Information about different methods, forms, and routes of medical marijuana administration;

h. Signs and symptoms of substance abuse, including tolerance, dependency, and withdrawal; and

i. A listing of substance abuse programs and referral information;

2. A system for a qualifying patient or the qualifying patient's designated caregiver to document the qualifying patient's pain, cachexia or wasting syndrome, nausea, seizures, muscle spasms, or agitation that includes:

a. A log book, maintained by the qualifying patient and or the qualifying patient's designated caregiver, in which the qualifying patient or the qualifying patient's designated caregiver may track the use and effects of specific medical marijuana strains and products;

b. A rating scale for pain, cachexia or wasting syndrome, nausea, seizures, muscles spasms, and agitation;

c. Guidelines for the qualifying patient's self-assessment or, if applicable, assessment of the qualifying patient by the qualifying patient's designated caregiver; and

d. Guidelines for reporting usage and symptoms to the physician providing the written certification for medical marijuana and any other treating physicians; and

3. Policies and procedures for refusing to provide medical marijuana to an individual who appears to be impaired or abusing medical marijuana.

E. A medical director for a dispensary shall not provide a written certification for medical marijuana for any qualifying patient.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-17-313

New Section made by exempt rulemaking at 17 A.A.R. 734, effective April 14, 2011 (Supp. 11-2). Amended by exempt rulemaking at 27 A.A.R. 747, effective 5/3/2021. Amended by final rulemaking at 29 A.A.R. 2396, effective 10/1/2023.