Judge: Doctors can mention medical pot in ads
TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — A state judge has found that a law prohibiting doctors from mentioning medical marijuana in advertisements is unconstitutional.
The News Tribune reports that Pierce County Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Martin ruled Friday that the law violates a medical professional's First Amendment right to free speech.
The ruling came in a case brought by Pierce County osteopath Scott Havsy.
He sued the state last year after the Department of Health sanctioned him for advertising his willingness to authorize a patient's use of medical marijuana.
The News Tribune reports that Havsy developed a reputation as a go-to guy for people who want to use marijuana for medical reasons.
His lawyer argued that the state's ban on medical marijuana advertisements hindered a patient's ability to find doctors to authorize its use.