State officials say the 4½-hour, $250-online course will inform doctors about a complex drug treatment not covered in medical school. But while the investment of time and money is modest, some patient advocates worry the inconvenience could discourage physicians from participating, ultimately limiting patient access.
Medical marijuana is expected to be available beginning in January, 18 months after lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved what they intended to be a cautious program balancing patient need with concerns about abuse.
While many of the other 22 states with comprehensive medical marijuana programs offer physicians free, voluntarily resources about the drug, they haven't required physicians to pay for training before they can authorize cannabis.
Only one other drug is subject to a similar training requirement — a potent narcotic used to treat opiate addiction — and those rules come from the federal government.
