Sona Patel

Sona Patel is a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), also known as "DOC420".[1][2][3] Patel was a licensed and board-certified physician in California beginning in 2004. In 2005, she started DOC420, a practice that recommended medical cannabis (or medical marijuana) on a fraudulent basis, for which she lost her license to practice medicine.[4]

Sona Patel
Born
Paramount, California, United States
NationalityIndian American
Alma materUniversity of California, Irvine (B.S.), Ross University School of Medicine (M.D.)

Early life and education

Patel's passion for Indian classical dance and modelling set the stage for her to win more than 20 talent and dance competition awards. Her modelling career reached a climax in 1994, when she was awarded Model Search India's title of Super Model India, as well as Miss Photogenic.[3]

In 1998, Patel earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from University of California, Irvine.[2] She then entered medical school at Ross University School of Medicine[5] in the island nation of Dominica, where she earned a medical doctorate (M.D.) degree in 2002.[6]

Career and Medical Marijuana Practice

In 2005, she started a practice, DOC420, that recommended marijuana as an alternative to pharmaceutical drugs under California Proposition 215 (1996) (or the Compassionate Use Act).[7]

Given the constant controversy around the subject of marijuana, Patel was initially hesitant to get involved in the medical marijuana revolution. She claims that after witnessing a few of her family-practice patients' success with medical marijuana treatment, she began researching the different uses and benefits of marijuana. After finding that patients often got greater relief from marijuana than from prescription drugs, and reported no side effects, she incorporated medical marijuana into her practice in 2005.[8]

She tells CNN, "I strictly follow all of the laws ..."[9] She has also become known for aggressively defending her patients,[6] often going to court to vindicate patients wrongly accused of crimes and serving as an expert witness.

Additional pursuits

Patel is also authorA Comprehensive Guide to Medical Marijuana, a self-published book that further outlines the history of medical marijuana as well as her turbulent entry and struggles within the industry. [10]

End of medical career

Dr. Patel's license to practice medicine was revoked for negligence and fraud in 2013.[4] She provided recommendations for medical marijuana to undercover investigators on two occasions without performing an adequate evaluation, then lied about it. Initially, the license revocation was suspended and Dr. Patel was placed on probation. However, she failed to comply with the terms of her probation by not maintaining an active license and by not practicing medicine for over two years. Her license was permanently revoked in 2020.[11]

References
  1. https://abc7news.com/archive/5831969/
  2. Lewis, Amanda (2014-04-11). "Why the Sexy Pot Doc May Be Put Out of Business". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  3. Hollywood Weekly, June 2011 "The Doctor is In," by B. Smith
  4. Medical Board of California (October 18, 2013). "Stipulated settlement and disciplinary order". Department of Consumer Affairs – via State of California.
  5. "Doc 420, The Medical Marijuana Doctor". abc7news.com I-Team. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  6. Green Acres Magazine, June 2012
  7. LOPEZ, STEVE (2009-11-18). "Prescribing pot in high heels". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  8. Los Angeles Times, November 18, 2009, "Prescribing pot in high heels," by Steve Lopez
  9. CNN "Easy to get medical pot in California"
  10. A Comprehensive Guide to Medical Marijuana. 14 July 2013. OL 28329668M. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  11. "Medical Board of California". www.mbc.ca.gov. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
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