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Demand for doctors to prescribe medical marijuana growing

PITTSBURGH — Sally Hutchinson says she's been in chronic pain for the last 15 years after a car accident.

“I couldn't stand on my feet for a length of time; if I do, I'm down,” she said.

She says her pain tops the scale of 1 to 10.

“I will always be a 10. It will always be a 10,” she said. “You either live with it, take the narcotics or go on to another thing, such as this certification, and let’s get on that board and say, hey, let me get on with a normal life.”

Hutchinson is now signing up to look for alternative treatment, like medical marijuana.

“Something has to break through,” she said. “Somebody has to be able to bring this on the table and say, hey, look, this stuff does work, let’s use it.”

So far, in one week, 3,800 patients have registered with the state for its medical marijuana program, but only 100 doctors have been approved to recommend the treatment option.

“It’s a lot to a little in the ratio right now,” said Dr. Bryan Doner of Compassionate Certification Centers.

Doner is one of those doctors on the approved state list. He explained why some doctors are so slow to jump on board.

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“As a physician, sometimes we are hesitant to get involved in things that maybe we don’t have an education or have a lot of information about,” he said.

In order for doctors to get approved, they must complete a four-hour state course to help educate them.

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