Major medical organizations hesitant to provide medical marijuana help

People trying to submit medical marijuana applications are facing obstacles when in comes to finding a doctor who will sign off on their license applications.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said Monday that it has already approved 6,500 patients and caregivers for medical marijuana. But large medical care providers in Mid-Missouri are in a holding pattern for now, citing continuing federal prohibition of the drug.

“SSM Health Mid-Missouri leadership has requested that our regional physicians not provide certificates until the system-wide policy is finalized,” SSM Health said in a statement emailed to ABC 17 News.

Although Missouri voters approved medical marijuana, the federal government has yet to do the same. Several hospitals and their physicians are at a standstill because of worries that approving patients for medical marijuana might hurt their federal funding.

ABC 17 News has calls out to doctors and hospitals for more information.

Stay with ABC 17 for more on this developing story.