Doctor Accused Of Growing Pot Has Licensed Suspended

(COLUMBUS, Ind.) -- A state medical board has suspended the license of a doctor accused of growing marijuana in his home.

Dr. Arnaldo F. Trabucco, a urologist, is prohibited from practicing medicine in Indiana until the suspension is resolved, according to the emergency order by the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana.

Trabucco and his wife, Pamela, face charges of possession of marijuana, filed after Bartholomew County sheriff's deputies and U.S. postal inspectors found marijuana plants growing in the couple's Columbus house.

The licensing board began an investigation soon after the April 28 arrest.

Further details of the emergency suspension order were not available Tuesday. Staff at the licensing board acknowledged the suspension but said further details can only be released through the mail upon written request.

Trabucco has withdrawn from the local medical community since his arrest.

He resigned from Southern Indiana Urologic Clinic, and he requested a leave of absence from Columbus Regional Hospital, where he has been on the medical staff since 2003. No listing was available for Trabucco in the Columbus area to obtain a comment.

Trabucco practiced in the New York City region from 1987 to 2003, when he came to Columbus. His work has been published in major medical journals, and he is a member of several professional medical societies and associations.

An initial hearing in the case is set for later this month.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)