Why Medical Marijuana Patients Are Dropping Out Of The Mmj Program In Legalized States. An Explanation.

[t-pain]

Since this is going to be a future talking point for a few weeks after the statistics are released, I thought I would take a moment to explain. There are many reasons for people to drop out of the Medical Marijuana program in Washington and Colorado. Financial reasons are going to be the number one reason.

 

Let me make an analogy to explain. You can get a prescription from your doctor for an over the counter medicine such as Aspirin. Most people do not spend the time and money to do this. This requires health insurance, this requires filling out forms, taking time off work, and waiting in a doctors office for hours. Not to mention going to a pharmacy, and getting a prescription filled by the pharmacist. Now lets compare the process for a Medical Marijuana Patient.

 

A Medical Marijuana Patient (MMP) has to fill out forms, checks/moneyorders and buy stamps to send everything to the state. A MMP has to visit a doctor, sometimes multiple doctors. Has to shuffle around paperwork, medical records, health insurance cards, consent forms and privacy forms between those doctors. In Michigan they have to have a followup with a doctor every 6 months. While this alone does not sound like extra work, the problem is in the details. Most doctors in Michigan will not write a Medical Marijuana recommendation. Most patients have to go to a seperate doctor who specializes in MMJ recommendations.

 

There are some benefits for being in the Medical Marijuana (MMJ) program. In WA, growing plants is still illegal, but a MMP is allowed to grow. In CO, growing 3 mature and 3 seedlings is legal for everyone over 21, but a MMP is allowed to grow more plants. In both CO and WA, a MMP is allowed to posess more than the 1oz allowed to all people age 21+. There are also extra legal protections for patients registered in the programs.

 

Now with the quasi-prohibition of marijuana in Washington and Colorado, patients have to choose if they want to stay in the Medical Marijuana program or not. Will the price of the medicine change in Wash/Colo for the better or worse? Will doctors lower their certification prices to compete? Will Washington merge or remove the MMJ program entirely? Now that marijuana is more widely available in some cities, will the states change some rules of the MMJ programs? Will patients have to fight off tourists and visitors from other states to get access to their medicine in stores? Will there be shortages of marijuana but not shortages for medical marijuana ? Will the next president or US attorney general reverse policy on "legal marijuana" and close all of the newly opened shops?

 

These are but a few of the questions patients will have to ask themselves. My prediction is that for most patients, the rules under the "legal marijuana" program will be enough for them to continue their treatment. There will still be many who continue to register in the medical marijuana program. There will be a large dropoff in registered patients, but this only means it was financially reasonable to do so.

 

This opinion is mine and I hereby put the above paper in the public domain. Please copy/print it anywhere you like.

[Chauncy Gardner]

Will the next president or US attorney general reverse policy on "legal marijuana" and close all of the newly opened shops?

 

 

My hope is that by the time we have a new president (3 years) the experiment in Colorado and Washington will have shown people that it is folly to spend billions of dollars to "protect" citizens from a drug that is completely innocuous and benign. By that time people may not cotton to reimposing prohibition on marijuana. We can only hope.

[t-pain]

we have 3 years to change marijuana laws federally.

the clock is ticking.

[phaquetoo]

Money talks, I think with just the 2 states and the statistics of the extra income the states make in taxes should be enough to get any one thinking, mj is a cash cow for state and federal gov if it is all out legal in all states, and they should still allow you to grow if you are 21 or older, we are not all going to grow, I used to spend big bucks on beer and big bucks on vodka and not once did i think of brewing my own beer or make a still for my vodka.

 

and wait untill cannabiss is grown commercialy for farmers to make all of the great things you can make with cannabiss other than meds, it can only do us good, people are always going to use mj so uncle sam may as well dig them selves out of debt with the taxes that could be made from it!

 

and there will always be people who break the law, so leo will still have enough people to arrest and steal all of their equpment and money, houses,cars, bank accts, etc,

 

I used to say free the weed, I do like the signs that say stay off of my grass lol it is more normal thinking, I bet more people with good lawns will put up them signs vs growers and users!!

 

Peace

[Restorium2]

$70 an 1/8 for legal pot, makes the fees for medical look miniscule in comparison. Who has that kind of money? An 1/8 would last me a day, maybe two. $1500-$2100 a month. I would have to rob banks. $70 for a WOO HOO on a Saturday night is all legal weed is good for. Woo hoo be happy rec crowd, I'm happy for you.

[cristinew]

http://

[Chauncy Gardner]

Wait until people start making miracle drugs out of pot and miracle products out of hemp. This plant has been kept in the closet for, what, 50 years? As soon as people realize, and I mean really realize, how much has been lost by prohibiting this plant, the gates of its prison will be opened up and it will be set free.

 

I hope I am alive to see the looks on the faces of the prohibitionists because I literally want to rub whole handfuls in their ignorant mugs.

[zachw]

You neglected another major benefit of being a medical patient In Colorado: they pay only 2.9 percent tax. Recreational users pay 25 percent state tax plus local taxes.

 

[t-pain]

You neglected another major benefit of being a medical patient In Colorado: they pay only 2.9 percent tax. Recreational users pay 25 percent state tax plus local taxes.

 

 

see, thats good info

 

Effective February 1, 2014, the application fee is $15 .

 

The Board of Health approved the Department's recommendation for a reduced fee at the December 18, 2013 meeting. Meeting minutes and details of the proposal are available on their website.

 

but in oregon its something crazy like $250...

[beourbud]

We are seeing a dramatic increase of patients signing up for our classes.

 

Michigan has seen an huge influx of out of state patients....

 

We have the Best Laws in the Country here in Michigan and a vast majority want to retain the right for patients to Grow...That was the intent of the law after all..." Grow your own or have a CG grow for you.

 

We didnt vote for Cave Grown McDoobies......Greed at its Lowest, taking advantage of patients.

Edited January 19, 2014 by beourbud

[t-pain]

but you never even tried a cave grown irradiated mcdoobie! how can you know its bad before you try it