We have to admit, when our state first proposed the idea of allowing people to have small amounts of marijuana for medical purposes, the only image my mind could conjure up was Cheech and Chong with a few dozen burnouts, hippies, and junkies standing in lines outside doctors’ offices with feigned ailments that only a toke or three could possibly cure. Our next two thoughts, in rapid succession were (1) how does this jive with the federal laws prohibiting marijuana and (2) how will this affect medical insurance?

You might think it odd that medical insurance would come to mind, but think about it. If marijuana is an acceptable prescription for some ailments, how long will it be before insurance companies have to take a hard look at whether or not they will pay for it? And with new legislation on the way that promises to take medical decisions out of insurance companies’ hands and into doctors’, how long will it be before they’re required to pay for it?

Now make no mistake, we’re not suggesting that medical insurance companies shouldn’t pay for a guy’s weed if he can find a doctor to say that he needs it. If the law is implemented elsewhere like it is in Michigan, where users with prescriptions are expected to “grow your own,” the insurance companies will probably walk away a lot cheaper than paying for other less entertaining and more traditional medicines.

The plant reproduces itself, so they’d only have to pay for it once, at least in theory. We’re not sure what a pot plant is going for on the open market. Of course, that’s partly because pot plants aren’t sold on the open market. But it would have to be cheaper than some of the medications that are used to treat the same ailments.

Of course, it remains to be seen how federal law will affect the state’s laws. So far, the federal government seems to keep a mostly hands-off approach to the whole thing since California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996. But there’s no promise it will stay that way. It is still against federal law to possess MJ, and there’s no telling when the government will decide to enforce its laws.

So far fourteen states have legalized pot for those who can get a doctor’s script. Is it for the better or the worse? And will insurance eventually pay for it? If it does, I’ll betcha we have a sudden tragic outbreak of glaucoma.

Photo via r0bz