Digitalnomad 2009 - ? , 2012 Update

[The Digital Nomad]

Well I have been a patient of the MMMP since Nov '09. I started as a patient with a CG, then became a patient growing for myself about 6 months later. I also extended myself as a club worker - for the MOCC. I went to rallies, court house protest, the protests in Lansing.

I am still a patient, but now a CG for a woman with MS confined to a wheelchair. I no longer work for the MOCC and I try to be more private these days.

 

Of course things changed - that's life. The question is - have things changed for the better? We have about "222,413 original and renewal applications received since April 6, 2009. 131,483 patient registrations issued." as of this month. Publicity in the news has gone down, since last election run by local politicians and sheriffs. I guess they figured the public did not care about medical marijuana enforcement. People were too worried about jobs, unemployment, debt, and war.

 

I left the MMMP 'movement' the clubs, the protests, the rallies, the events probably about the same time the MMMA.org changes president, the site goes down - for several reasons. Some reasons are personal, and will be dealt with personally, some issues are public - I can choose to be public about my view point - I am after all a patient and caregiver in the MMMP - this is my program too.

 

We can point fingers - politics, people being nuts, people having motives, people just acting like people they are. We get something good, and it has to be exploited. Someone has to be in charge, someone has to push their direction.

I know back in the day I myself talked about p2p, I talked about medical use -" the acquiring , the transfer, the delivery " being the premise for "P2P" and thus farmer's market. All that was, was a push for what many people WANTED the MMMP to be, not what it really meant on paper, in the eyes of the law. The rulings in court - pretty much started to make things clear - on how the MMMP WAS going to BE. I accept the defeat of p2p - and after that - I tried to steer people in the right direction.

 

What is the right direction? Its my opinion of course, but I do base it on reality, the law, the LEO, and what is happening out there with patients and CGs. The right direction is do use the MMMP in its intent - to be a non-profit, compassion medical use of marijuana. "Acquisition, delivery, and transfer" IS ok to the courts - as long as the patient (not their CG) did not receive any compensation. So - we can help sick people, but not for any compensation but for the good feeling inside.

 

It became clear to me that LEO and perhaps the general public would prefer that we become private, become patient centered. They expected the MMMP would be something like homecare - out of the public eye. They certainly did not like the public 'starbucks" dispensary idea. Clubs struggle to defeat the mainstream public attitude that clubs are just 'pot parties'.

 

I know my life became more stable and normal - when I left the public arena of the MMMP. And why not, I am a patient first, I had a normal life before I became a patient.

I still check in to the MMMA and sites, because I am still a patient and caregiver, in the MMMP. The MMMP worked for me, and it needs to be workable in the future for the rest of us.

 

DigitalNomad

[phaquetoo]

Hmmm! Wel, wel, Welcome Back!

 

Peace

Jim

[Kingdiamond]

What you need to do is go back to the bouncing cat avatar that thing was awesome!

 

 

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[Michael Komorn]

Welcome Back D.M.

[shishka]

Soundless?

[TajMahal]

Hi DM, welcome!!

[Sledge]

Good to have you back T.D.N.

[The Digital Nomad]

good to see some of the major players still here - I don't plan on hanging out at 'many' MMMP sites.

I have come to know many of you via the protests and events we had since 2009, and I will meet those of you that are new I am sure.

 

This has been a wild ride, but it is real, the results are great. Despite all the negative issues we face in this program - it is worth fighting for.

I keep meeting more and more new patients that tell me how marijuana has helped them - so I believe in what we are doing.

 

The biggest problems we still have - new people coming into the program - not following the law. We still have the criminal elements and over zealous police - greed.

The MMMP is also muddied as we have people that use the MMMP platform as a jumping point for legalization. While I can see how legalization can help patients, it is still offensive to use patients to promote legalization for non-sick people.

 

I believed in dispensaries because that should be the last resort for patients before the street dealers.

I believed in clubs, as that was supposed to be the place to go for information, education, and peer support.

I believed in farmer's markets - because patients and CGs should be able to help one another.

 

2012, the law has been defined further by the courts, but at the same time, the confusion was created by counties and cities applying the law their own way - either being lax, or being strict.

 

New people would be wise to take advice from the experienced members here. (at the same time, remember you are in a public forum and not speaking to a lawyer on retainer.)

 

Ignorance is not a defense in court, nor in real life.

[Sledge]

New people would be wise to take advice from the experienced members here. (at the same time, remember you are in a public forum and not speaking to a lawyer on retainer.)

 

Ignorance is not a defense in court, nor in real life.

 

so so true!

[drtarzanmd]

Hope to see yah September 19th, 2012 in Lansing .....

[The Digital Nomad]

Now part 2 - I want to make sure people see the good news.

 

The numbers posted by the MMMP 'about 220,000" cardholders if you rough it - matches what I find on the street meeting people, at work, in stores, at friend's homes, whatever.

If you mention your MMMP card or show it to 2 people, about 4 other people will come from nearby and excitedly show their cards! Of the 2 people you show it to, one could be a patient or know one.

 

While it might seem the raids from police back in 2010/2011 had shut down clubs, events, and dispensaries - all you have to do is pick up a paper magazine at a grow shop and see they are still there. I think one lesson many of us took from the police activity - was not to be public about our MMMP. Cops kept describing 'horror stories' of pot shops on every corner like starbucks - in california, in colorado. And we kept trying to tell them - THIS IS MICHIGAN. I don't think many of us - patients, people with DISabilities wanted publicity of having to walking into a colorful storefront on mainstreet with a flashing neon sign "THIS MAN/WOMAN IS GOING TO BUY SOME MARIJUANA HERE."

Now, the shops, the clubs are more discreet - no neon signs, no marijuana leaf, perhaps if you don't know your business - you will never know its there.

 

So first rule - Get online or get a hold of any of the many magazines for medical marijuana you can find.

(second rule BTW - remember cops and criminals are doing this too!)

 

Quality and price - I know we don't talk about pricing here - its like religion, sports, and politics. I just want to say that I do find compassion pricing - between a CG and his patients. If you have to acquire from others, its retail.

 

Quality has improved since 2009! I knew it would - it was just a matter of time for serious growers to get settled in, for new growers to learn a curve, and - genetics to arrive. By now, I am sure almost 50% of meds in michigan is from seed grown else where (aka seed bank) - growers have taken the time and investment to obtain quality seeds and transferred clones to help genetic quality in michigan.

We know that genetics is not 100% of the game, it is how you grow. I still find most people do dirt, 5 gallon pots, plants about 3-4'. The population of hydro growers is growing.

you just can't beat the 'faster and bigger' of hydro, but some people say dirt grown has qualities that hydro misses. Plus, you can still get some higher yields from dirt vs hydro which can limit the size of your pot. (hey don't argue with me - thats what they said!)

One thing for sure - if you are not serious about being a grower first (new CGs wanting to do business first) you will never succeed. I saw many, many, many failed grows because people broke simple assed rules. People overcrowded, overgrow - for profit. People wanted the CG business, but they did not want the hassle of learning to grow!

Start small, but start with the right equipment. Success starts with one plant.

 

Patients - well I worked in a hospital and patients are patients. They can range from the healthy 50 year old man, who never smoked or drank in his life - and now has a life changing event - and he needs to learn something new, and perhaps radical like medical use of marijuana. Some patients were born sick, all their life all they know is pain, being ripped off, being screwed by the system - some of them come to the MMMP, still expecting the same, so they pull some games. Doctor shopping is just like caregiver/p2p shopping. Yes, you have people that never worked a day in their life, and are getting income from the government at below substainable income - they have to decide between food, gas, and medicine. Again - if Caregivers approach this as a HEALTHCARE issue and not as a business, they will have a realistic view of what to expect.

 

A lot of issues between patients and caregivers does revolve around medicine being ready. A patient, even myself - I have had to resort to other means to obtain meds because my grow was not ready. You cannot fight nature. This is why we need to protect clubs and dispensaries - other wise innocent people will be going to the street for medicine.

 

Back to quality - I am still seeing early harvest, light buds. I am seeing less powdery mildew and pest. I am still seeing meds released with a 1 day cure - and in discussion - 'its the patient's fault' - they need to wait, but they want it now!" This issue can be due to the 'usable amount' - 2.5 ounces in stock? Just like growers are finding that some plants can yield over 2.5 ounces in harvest, they are trying to time their harvest to stay under that weight limit. So really we should blame the 2.5 ounce limit - it makes growers move the product faster, harder for them to store product (cure).

As far as less PM and pest, that really means growers are learning to set their environment for happy plants. Happy plants can resist mold and pest on their own.

I run my room in the 70's, with rarely 60% humidity.

 

I keep telling growers to learn about michigan - we need to change some lessons learned from california or colorado. Michigan has its own climate.

By now most of you should have realized that July and August are the worst months for heat and humidity. You should avoid flowering or harvesting during those two months.

You can beat those two months of heat and humidity - but it will cost you with the electric bill. By now, regular growers in michigan set their calendars to make sure they are just cloning or vegging during those two months, and perhaps built up stock to store for their patients.

 

I still encourage others to join the MMMP, I encourage new patients and caregivers to get involved in the program. It is very new, it is still unexplored, and you have to do this with both eyes open.

[ozzrokk]

Welcome back Digital Nomad. It is good to see you even if for a moment. Keep doing the good work.

[SFC]

Welcome back and you make some great points. Speaking of pests I am hearing the the Borg/Mites are really bad this year. I even had to go to war with them (I think I won) knock on wood.

[The Digital Nomad]

SFC the three can bomb kit from Cultivation Station knocked 'em down for me back in 2010. Never been back since -

(not found online, but seen here - http://www.greenlifegardensupply.com/preclude-tr-p-5591.html , http://www.greenlifegardensupply.com/attain-tr-micro-2-oz-p-2617.html , http://www.greenlifegardensupply.com/1100-pyrethrum-total-release-fogger-insecticide-2-oz-p-2622.html - you have to use the cans in proper series. Potent, not near harvest, and follow safety directions)

 

Feeding the plant Azamax for a short while also built up its immunity.

 

Thanks SFC

[MR GREENTHUMB]

nice too see you back D.M.