What To Ask A Caregiver

[Mykul]

I am very new to the option of medicinal marijuana and am looking to find a reliable caregiver. I have had several responses and I would like to be sure that I am getting the best product for my money.

What questions should I be asking my caregiver? Someone needs to make out a checklist us noobs can use to get the info we need.

[TheSmartestManAlive]

I am very new to the option of medicinal marijuana and am looking to find a reliable caregiver. I have had several responses and I would like to be sure that I am getting the best product for my money.

What questions should I be asking my caregiver? Someone needs to make out a checklist us noobs can use to get the info we need.

 

1. Location

 

2. Strains

 

3. Prices

 

4. Ability to deliver

 

5. Overages to meet your demand now, or do you have to wait for your grow

 

6. Sample to try

 

7. Maybe method of growing as well

 

 

I think thats pretty solid, covers my list.

[Kingdiamond]

I am very new to the option of medicinal marijuana and am looking to find a reliable caregiver. I have had several responses and I would like to be sure that I am getting the best product for my money.

What questions should I be asking my caregiver? Someone needs to make out a checklist us noobs can use to get the info we need.

 

 

What you need to ask is

 

1. Prices let them know what you can afford to pay

 

2. Let them know your usage needs how much per week day month etc

 

3. Find out if there is a limit you are able to purchase at one time at your set price

 

4. Make sure they are 100% on board with being your caregiver this meaning if they have no medicine in hand for you the day your paperwork is approved they need to find an outside source so you never go without.

[phaquetoo]

What you need to ask is

 

1. Prices let them know what you can afford to pay

 

2. Let them know your usage needs how much per week day month etc

 

3. Find out if there is a limit you are able to purchase at one time at your set price

 

4. Make sure they are 100% on board with being your caregiver this meaning if they have no medicine in hand for you the day your paperwork is approved they need to find an outside source so you never go without.

 

 

I suggest you get a written contract with all the above mentioned needs for the patient, get it in writing, or you will wind up paying more than you were told, you will be sent some where else by your c.g to get meds, the list goes on, I say grow your own,,dont get me wrong I know there are alot of good c.g's out there! its just a matter of finding the good one with openings!

[LansingAreaCaregiver]

I'd also recommend asking about how they process the medication. Is it flushed? For how long? Is it cured?

[+kurt klaas]

Go to hollandccc.org and download the booklet, "The Michigan Medical Marijuana Guide". It contains all the info you need to learn about finding the best caregiver you can.

 

The thing that has not been mentioned above, which should be on the top of the list of things to look for, concerns the character of the caregiver. Caregivers, generally speaking, do not have a very good reputation, sorry to say. It is a completely unregulated business and many less than qualified persons have set themselves up to offer such a service. I know many caregivers will not be happy about me saying this, but it is the truth. You will want to thoroughly investigate what kind of person you are going to be dealing with. That to me is far more important than any other criteria. Caregivers that have good ethics, communicatioin skills and motivations can be found. Attend your local cc club and they can help you find one with a good reputation.

 

Kurt

 

Director, the HollandCCC

[Meadow]

Go to hollandccc.org and download the booklet, "The Michigan Medical Marijuana Guide". It contains all the info you need to learn about finding the best caregiver you can.

 

The thing that has not been mentioned above, which should be on the top of the list of things to look for, concerns the character of the caregiver. Caregivers, generally speaking, do not have a very good reputation, sorry to say. It is a completely unregulated business and many less than qualified persons have set themselves up to offer such a service. I know many caregivers will not be happy about me saying this, but it is the truth. You will want to thoroughly investigate what kind of person you are going to be dealing with. That to me is far more important than any other criteria. Caregivers that have good ethics, communicatioin skills and motivations can be found. Attend your local cc club and they can help you find one with a good reputation.

 

Kurt

 

Director, the HollandCCC

 

This is exactly why you need to meet with a potential caregiver several times, it should be a friendly relationship with the opportunity to grow into more of a friendship than simply being a business type transaction. I've meet some of my patients at compassion clubs, some via this website, and others i happened to know personally already. I dont have a single contract written up with any of my patients. Ive never charged a penny more than an agreed upon price, but have charged lower and have given things out for free. Before signing up any patient, its important to establish a relationship first. People that are worried about their caregivers ripping them off, maybe should be more involved instead of just calling them up when they need something. If your caregiver is your friend, your less likely to get ripped off or cheated by someone you consider a friend. If your spending less than 30 min a month talking to your caregiver and dealing with them, then there is no relationship other than your typical drug dealer/customer interaction.

 

I dont know about anyone else on here, but i can say i have made some real friends thanks to the MM community and not a single enemy or complaint.

[x-ceptional]

just ask them about their genetics and see/try a sample. everything else is pointless regarding the growing process since you will probably not know what the difference is between what they do and what the alternatives could be and going to the internet and doing a 5 min search is not a sufficent method of reviewing the alternative.

 

just make sure their meds suit your needs and so do their prices. communicate very clearly your consumption amounts and that they confirm they can keep up with your demand. anything about the growing process and you need a a grower to clarify what they are talking about and to detect if they know what the hell they are talking about. a few high times or a few minutes on a few forums isn't enough education to allow you to really form a opinion on their techniques so just stick with what you know, the final product.

[UrbanFarmer]

just ask them about their genetics and see/try a sample. everything else is pointless regarding the growing process since you will probably not know what the difference is between what they do and what the alternatives could be and going to the internet and doing a 5 min search is not a sufficent method of reviewing the alternative.

 

just make sure their meds suit your needs and so do their prices. communicate very clearly your consumption amounts and that they confirm they can keep up with your demand. anything about the growing process and you need a a grower to clarify what they are talking about and to detect if they know what the hell they are talking about. a few high times or a few minutes on a few forums isn't enough education to allow you to really form a opinion on their techniques so just stick with what you know, the final product.

 

Good advice all, but, just want to point out that providing a sample to a non-registered patient crosses the line of legality for a caregiver.

 

Also, I've talked to quite a few unhappy patients that were provided samples from their eventual caregiver, but the actual crop didn't even come close to the sample they were offered before they signed up with them.

[Huckleberry Slim]

I would put the order of importance in this order:

 

1. Strains - must know where they came from.

 

2. How they grow/ proof they can produce medical grade marijuana and how much experience they have doing it.

 

3. Location/ ability to deliver. location doesn't really matter if they can deliver.

 

4. Price. normal rates are $250-350 oz for AA grade/ cup winning meds, 150-200 for average, 50-100 oz for regs.

 

5. are medibles, tinctures, or hash available? what does he do with trim and does he share?

 

6. Psychology together.. Do you get along with each other? this is a long term agreement and you should vibe.

 

7. can they keep up with your usage and provide at all times?

[kruztydj]

Here ya go...

http://www.michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/ccs_files/downloads/PatientCaregiverAgreement.pdf

 

That should about cover it for ya.I've seen WAY to maney want-ta-be caregivers that left there patients high and dry cuz they have no clue what it takes to grow REAL medical mj.Ask how long they been growing and how often do they harvest. Ya dont want a caregiver that thinks ya can grow this stuff by lobb'in a seed in a 5 gal bucket and callin it good. I wouldn't touch one thats not been growing for several years.If ya do then your caregiver will be begg'in us REAL caregiver to cover them while they try to learn how to grow right.

[LansingAreaCaregiver]

Here ya go...

http://www.michiganm...erAgreement.pdf

 

That should about cover it for ya.I've seen WAY to maney want-ta-be caregivers that left there patients high and dry cuz they have no clue what it takes to grow REAL medical mj.Ask how long they been growing and how often do they harvest. Ya dont want a caregiver that thinks ya can grow this stuff by lobb'in a seed in a 5 gal bucket and callin it good. I wouldn't touch one thats not been growing for several years.If ya do then your caregiver will be begg'in us REAL caregiver to cover them while they try to learn how to grow right.

 

I take the opposite attitude about length of time. If someone tells me they've been growing for years, it shows they have a willingness to do things illegally (unless they just moved here from another MM state or other extenuating circumstances) which would cause me concern. I think the #1 priority in caregiving is 100% compliance with the law. After all, you are taking on the responsibility for a patient's medicine, and it is impossible for you to provide that if you are in jail and your grow is busted up by police.

 

Now, I'm not trying to disparage the old school growers. After all, they laid the groundwork for the rest of us, perfected the techniques, and supplied the needs for years. I'm just saying I wouldn't be so hot on doing business with someone who would openly tell a relative stranger that they've been breaking the law for years. Just isn't smart.

[westmich]

I take the opposite attitude about length of time. If someone tells me they've been growing for years, it shows they have a willingness to do things illegally (unless they just moved here from another MM state or other extenuating circumstances) which would cause me concern. I think the #1 priority in caregiving is 100% compliance with the law. After all, you are taking on the responsibility for a patient's medicine, and it is impossible for you to provide that if you are in jail and your grow is busted up by police.

 

Now, I'm not trying to disparage the old school growers. After all, they laid the groundwork for the rest of us, perfected the techniques, and supplied the needs for years. I'm just saying I wouldn't be so hot on doing business with someone who would openly tell a relative stranger that they've been breaking the law for years. Just isn't smart.

 

So, I guess only patients who waited until they had their recommendation to try marijuana should apply to these caregivers?

[LansingAreaCaregiver]

So, I guess only patients who waited until they had their recommendation to try marijuana should apply to these caregivers?

 

Of course not! But if you are looking to do business with someone, wouldn't you want to work with someone who doesn't go around openly talking about engaging in criminal acts? Again, I'm not trying to disparage anyone, I'm just saying that there is a new system in town, and people need to be smart. It isn't smart, IMHO, to talk openly about violating the law when you are trying to run a legitimate operation.

[christinax4]

"Caregivers, generally speaking, do not have a very good reputation, sorry to say. It is a completely unregulated business and many less than qualified persons have set themselves up to offer such a service. I know many caregivers will not be happy about me saying this, but it is the truth."

 

really? i would have thought the opposite...hard for people to get away from old school thinking i guess...compliance with the law would be my #1 concern. i dont want to get dragged thru anyone else's legal drama, got enough of my own.

[+kurt klaas]

OK, let's try this. I should have been more careful in the language that I used. Caregivers that abuse the system are in the minority. My guess is less than 25%. Thus, very likely, Chirstinax4, you don't belong to that minority. What I meant when stating that, "I know many caregivers will not be happy about me saying this, but it is the truth" I had that 25% in mind. That number to me equalls "many." I think this minority has a disproportionately large impact on the public image of the medical marijuana community. One negative media report has a way of wiping out 9 good stories that never make it to press. And this clouds the good reputation of all caregivers. My intent is to hold up professional standards for all caregivers. Obviously, because there are no enforced regulations, it's all voluntary. All we can do is agree amongst ourselves that upholding professional standards should be a key concern for the entire medical marijuana community.

 

Thanks for you post.

 

Kurt