State smokes out law's abusers

The recent disciplining of two Arizona doctors is an indication efforts are being made to head off abuse of our state's new medical marijuana law.

Apparently the Arizona Department of Health Services is tracking doctors who recommend marijuana to treat medical conditions and reporting suspicious activity to the state's medical boards.

As a result, complaints were filed against eight doctors who were making large numbers of recommendations. Two were reprimanded by the medical boards for giving improper recommendations.

State voters have made clear they support medical use of marijuana. But it was not their intention to vote to allow indiscriminate use of marijuana.

Unfortunately, in some other states with medical marijuana laws, widespread abuse has occurred. That undermines support for the laws and ultimately could hurt those who have a genuine medical need.

I'm glad to see the health department and medical boards are trying to ensure that doesn't happen in Arizona.