Dr. Elaine Burns, NMD

Dr. Elaine Burns is an Arizona-licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD) who has helped build an ethical, highly professional medical marijuana community in Arizona since 2011. She is widely recognized as one of the state's leading advocates for patients who benefit most from cannabis as a therapeutic medication, and her gentle, compassionate care has supported patients of all ages living with a wide range of legally qualifying conditions.

A Patient-First Approach

Dr. Burns is passionate about her profession and committed to helping patients achieve wellness and vitality in their lives. She believes that educating both patients and physicians on the safety and efficacy of cannabis as a therapeutic agent is essential to providing the best possible care. This commitment has led her to develop comprehensive cannabinoid education materials so that every patient can approach medical cannabis as a safe and effective treatment option.

Committed to Ongoing Education

Dedicated to staying at the forefront of the field on behalf of her patients, Dr. Burns regularly completes post-graduate training in all aspects of medical cannabis. This ongoing training has helped her identify challenges within the medical marijuana community, including the gap between what physicians want for their patients and what is actually available to them, and she has worked to help close that gap with a focus on consistent quality.

First in Arizona to earn AACM certificationIn 2012, Dr. Burns became the first physician in Arizona to pass the American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine (AACM) physician certification test, which qualifies her as an expert in the clinical applications of cannabis medicine.

A Recognized Authority in Cannabis Medicine

Having actively supported the advancement of medical cannabis since the inception of Arizona's program, Dr. Burns is considered one of the state's most highly qualified experts in the field. Other physicians, patients and the news media often turn to her first for advice, education and collaboration. She is also recognized as a leading authority on the use of medical cannabis to help address the opioid epidemic, which has grown significantly in recent years.

The AACM certification she earned in 2012 is regarded as the gold standard for medical cannabis recommendations and approval.