Pot clinics linked to trooper's death broke state law, say former employees

BOSTON — Canna Care Docs, a company with medical marijuana clinics across Massachusetts, has been breaking state law – allowing nurse practitioners to approve pot patients, multiple employees told FOX25 Investigates.

Multiple former Canna Care nurse practitioners tell FOX25 Investigates that they were evaluating patients on their own and approving medical marijuana patients using several Canna Care doctor’s names – including one doctor whose medical license was suspended last week over the prohibited practice.

Massachusetts law requires doctors – not nurses – to have a “bona fide” relationship with a patient before recommending them for medical marijuana.

FOX25 Investigates first broke the news last week that the state is investigating Canna Care for approving medical marijuana use for David Njuguna, who prosecutors said had marijuana in his system when he hit and killed State Trooper Thomas Clardy as he sat in his unmarked cruiser on the Turnpike in March.

The state suspended the medical license of Canna Care’s medical director Thursday night. Dr. John C. Nadolny was cited by the Board of Registration in Medicine for improperly recommending patients for medical marijuana and allowing nurse practitioners to approve pot patients he never saw or evaluated.

Canna Care hired public crisis relations company, Ball Consulting Firm, over the weekend.

In a statement released through their PR firm, Canna Care owner Kevin Kafka told FOX25 Investigates he is not aware of any state investigations into any of its other doctors and defended the prohibited practice of nurse practitioners approving medical marijuana patients.

“Canna Care Docs will continue to fully cooperate with any investigative authority relating to its practice of medicine,” said Kafka. “We are not aware at this time of any inquiry into any active physicians in our practice and we stand by the certifications of patients that we have issued for medical marijuana in Massachusetts.  While we believe nurse practitioners are qualified and authorized under Massachusetts General Law to conduct certifications with a physician’s supervision, we have suspended the practice pending clarification from the Department of Public Health."

Officials at the state’s medical licensing board declined to comment on any active investigations.

Cox Media Group