I am responding to Kristi Shaw’s May 20 op-ed, “Nirav Shah’s record on cannabis, veterans should trouble Maine.” I disagree with its implications. The op-ed claims that, while serving as Illinois’ public health director, Dr. Shah specifically denied veterans with PTSD access to medical cannabis. Review of the events of that time indicated that Dr. Shah did not single out veterans in his actions. Rather, he determined that there was not convincing medical evidence to support the use of cannabis in treating PTSD for anyone.

In Maine, veterans are allowed to take part in medical marijuana treatments for PTSD and cannot be penalized for making use of such treatments. Marijuana is still illegal at the federal level and doctors for the VA are not allowed to prescribe medical marijuana because of the federal status of marijuana.

Shaw’s op-ed implies that Dr. Shah does not care about the citizens he serves. I am now retired but was a practicing physician during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients under my care directly benefitted from Dr. Shah’s early procurement of the lifesaving intravenous monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19. Dr. Shah provided tireless, well-organized and forward-looking guidance to all Maine citizens during the pandemic, including making himself available nightly for televised updates and coordinating efforts with other parts of Maine’s government.

Stephen H. Doane, MD
Kennebunk