Marijuana Patients Can Grow Their Own For Now

[+EdwardGlen]

fyi;

 

http://www.eacourier.com/articles/2011/04/03/news/doc4d9676d0170ee193758296.txt

 

Arizonans now know what steps they must take before legally growing, selling or using medical marijuana, according to Arizona state laws.

 

The Arizona Department of Health Services finished making its policy decisions regarding the medical marijuana rules and posted them on its Web site Monday. To download a PDF file of the 92-page document, go to www.azdhs.gov/prop203/ and click on the "Final Rules" link. There are also links to download a PDF file of the physician certification form and a link for frequently asked questions.

 

The physician certification form is the only form accepted by the ADHS for qualifying patients to apply for a registry medical marijuana identification card. Applications for a registry identification card for a patient, designated caregiver of dispensary agent must be submitted electronically in a department-provided format.

 

 

 

Patient registry identification card applicants will be charged a fee of $150 for initial and renewal cards; designated caregiver applicants will be charged $200, and a dispensary agent will be charged a $500 fee. Patients who submit a copy of an eligibility notice or electronic benefits transfer card demonstrating current participation in the food stamps program will be charged a reduced fee of $75 per application. To qualify for food stamps, a person or family must have a gross income that is 130 percent or less than the federal poverty level. That equates to a monthly gross income of $1,984 for a family of three.

 

All application fees are nonrefundable and must be renewed annually. The ADHS will review each patient's application within 15 working days and give a determination if the patient meets the criteria to possess a medical marijuana card. All patients must be residents of Arizona.

 

The ADHS will begin accepting applications from patients April 14 when the medical marijuana law goes into effect, and, because it will not begin accepting applications for dispensaries until June, all patients who are granted a registry card may begin growing up to 12 plants of cannabis.

 

According to the law, patientS who lives more than 25 miles from a dispensary will be able to grow their own cannabis. ADHS Director Will Humble said dispensaries are not likely to begin operation until September, so every patient granted a card between April and that date will, by default, live more than 25 miles from a dispensary. After dispensaries begin operation within the 25-mile radius, however, patients will no longer be able to grow their own cannabis.

 

Additionally, patients who want to grow their own medication must do so in a secure facility.

 

Outside cultivation must be enclosed by a 10-foot-high concrete wall and include a metal gate. Inside cultivation, however, would only require the cannabis to be grown in a locked room or closet.

 

A dispensary in every health area

 

The ADHS will grant a dispensary application for each of its 126 Community Health Analysis Areas as long as there are qualified applications in each area.

 

The CHAA for Safford consists of southern Graham County and takes in the Gila Valley.

 

Applicants for a dispensary will be charged a fee of $5,000 to register a new dispensary, $1,000 to renew its registration and $2,500 to change the location of a dispensary or cultivation site or add another cultivation site.

 

Registration must be renewed annually.

[jimbojinx]

Outside Grows.....are rather well defined.

 

A 10 foot concrete enclosure with a metal locked gate...which is open totally to the sky !!!

 

This should do something positive for Arizona's employment numbers and real estate market !!!

 

Welcome, Arizona, to the future.....

dr. Jinx

[Irishgreen]

Their fees are QUITE high.

 

Especially if a patient designates their spouse their CG.

 

$350.00 per year just to register them!

 

OUCH!

[CedarSpringsCG]

I'd pay and extra $100 if I knew I was getting my card in 2 weeks instead of 3+ months.

 

It's odd (and BS) that they are forcing a dispensary only system.

[big bud]

That's in Arizona doesn't mean it will work its just another plan that has never ran its corse Arizona has nothing to do with Michigan California has been doing this for fifteen years and haven't worked it all out so a new plan and a new failer

[jayt]

I have a friend who lives in AZ. My understanding from him was that you also couldn't grow your own if you lived within 25 miles of a school. This effectively meant you couldn't grow except in the desert or the mountains. Does anyone know if they changed that portion of the law? Or is it just not included in this set of rules?

[shiningheartwoman]

Again tho i commend them for their attempts in the favor of the patients however i still find it sickening the regulations and costs and all the crap in between being allowed to happen to us patients. I mean honestly how many people have the property, or the funding or zoning to build a 10ft concrete wall with metal gate (which has anyone let our leos know that this system that has been employed in az says nothing about its being open to the SKY so if they happen to be flying overhead and happen to glance down and see your grow its NOT considered seen to the public and therefore illegal!!!) Not everyone especially not patients already being raped by the medical system as is can afford the god aweful pricing they are forcing upon us let alone having to pay out of pocket for the meds since no insurance company allows it. And equally as well its pathetic that they are allowing only regulated dispensaries to sell the medicines. So therefore we no longer have a way to know how good the meds truly are, whether they were grown or cured properly before our ingesting, what kinds of chemicals were used in their growing and blooming process, the astronomical prices that will be gouged for god only knows what your getting, the not knowing if the name of the strain you bought was really what you were getting, i mean the variables are endless.. And this way they the big wigs get their cuts. Cuz after all you cant enjoy life unless they get their cut in on it now can you! You cant get better in health because essentially they dont want you to. Hell you cant even DIE in peace or have your loved ones mourn in peace without thier cut on funeral costs, burial costs, medical bills paid off and the lists of dollar bills in between.. cmon now.. its a vicious cycle and i cannot wait to see it end. soo kudos for Az making a move but yet again even their methods are far to barbaric and unrealistic.. its like telling a child ok heres your play room.. you can play we will ALLOW that BUT you can only play with the items we tell you you can play with, at a cost we will set for you at rules only we regulate!! ahahahahahaha see how that child responds Anyone whose ever had children knows the outcome to this one Peace and love all..