Paranoid Caregiver Needs Assistance

[booberry43]

Hello MMMA Community-

 

I have become my own "legal" caregiver.  Even though I am legal, I am still ever so paranoid after reading the horror stories of twisted laws and our (un)justice system.  There is so much smoke and many mirrors hiding the truth.  Currently I do not have any patients, other than myself.  Am I safer from a legal standpoint to keep it this way, or should I be compassionate and grow the medicine for other patients who do not have the knowledge or means to grow their own medicine?  I want to stay above-board, and am going to keep all my counts (including the "unusable" plants) at or below 12 in total.  I guess I was sadly mistaken that getting legal would mean less paranoia of the knock and talks, etc.  This just isn't the case for me, as the paranoia and skepticism remain...  How do you all cope with the stress and do you ever feel like a "sitting duck" waiting for LEO to appear?  Maybe I am just over-paranoid, and am looking for some calm in this sea of madness...  Any advice, insight, or suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.  I have been fighting this crazy "war" for several years, and just want to find peace with it all.  Also trying to learn new techniques to supply myself with the medicine I need, but still stay within the limits of the law.  It seems to be a juggling and/or balancing act, and since legalization has happened, it seems some people have become greedy with the knowledge of growing and the cannabis strains themselves.  Sadly, it seems that legalization opens up the door for the "money grab".  I have never felt, or will ever feel, that quality medicine should be kept from anyone that it may help, including those that are poor and have no money to buy medicine, let alone afford to grow it themselves.  Correct me if I am wrong....

 

Peace,

 

Boo

[Restorium2]

If you don't handle stress well don't be a caregiver. My left eye has been twitching for a week because of matters out of my control. When you become someone's caregiver you assume the trouble their lifestyle might encounter. If they have relationship problems, for example, often mad spouses and girl/boyfriends will tell lies that can put you under law enforcement's magnifying glass. You have to be very careful who you become a caregiver for. If you don't have someone in need close to you then the good reasons for becoming a caregiver get cloudy as you hunt for patients.

Edited January 27, 2014 by Restorium2

[t-pain]

the paranoia ramps up quite a bit.

 

just make sure you follow the most conservative reading of the law.

meaning you can only transfer medicine to patients after you registered as a caregiver and got their card from lara.

 

follow all of the dumb attorney general opinions. like not allowing anyone in the same room as your locked plants.

 

dont smoke in your car, dont drive in your smoking clothes. if you are transporting marijuana , put it in a turkey bag (or other smell proof device).

[t-pain]

but realistically, i think the number of patients and caregivers raided is low.

like less than 1000?

 

out of 120,000 people? thats 1%

[trichcycler]

you'll come o believe what you are doing is right. You'll check and double check your motives, your habits, and safety measures. You'll know that you are doing the best you can in and out of your garden Pretty soon you'll be like, nah, cant happen to me, or not.

For the many years before my card I believed every marijuana user was good people, because that was my experience, growing up, and as an adult. Those "good people" are my ideal patients today, about one of 6 interviewed.. Keep in mind though my nightmare patient may be your ideal one, so there's that.

Be sure to conduct your interview with passion. Make a list, ask the right questions, and assure that both cg and patients' expectations can be met, and all will be fine.

 

good luck, welcome to the program

[jamf]

what makes a nightmare patient

[phaquetoo]

 

what makes a nightmare patient

 

A person who is a nitemare in life!

 

Peace

[ozzrokk]

Welcome and good luck in whatever direction you take. The paranoia is there and with good reason IMO. Use it wisely my friend.

 

Just so that you know that you are currently not considered a caregiver if all you are doing is growing your own. You are simply a patient and there is nothing wrong with that. Just know that you are not a CAREGIVER for yourself you are a patient thats grows his own. If you do decide to sign other patients to help out then and only then will you be considered a caregiver. It is a common misconception.

Edited January 27, 2014 by ozzrokk

[trichcycler]

phaq got that right !

I wont register alcoholics, hard drug users, oxy rx'rs, under 40yr old, or even antidepressant users typically. I'm a pot prick though, and expect every aspect to go smoothly. I always perform exactly as promised, and expect the same of a patient. I didn't start out that way, but experience taught me to register sane patients with peace on their minds, happily married, retired, homeowner hippies have been the best patients consistently for me.

what makes a nightmare patient

[Kingdiamond]

what makes a nightmare patient

A patient who is never satisfied a patient who diverts the medicine you provide to others possibly exposing you to danger I only work with specific people I first meet them observe their personality's ask them their usage details etc to date Ive only had one

patient who just didn't think I provided good enough meds and he dropped me which was fine with me I want patients to be happy with our agreement if not your free to grow your own which he is and I'm happy for him for me its all about easy access to medicine.

[jamf]

yeah, I know from experience not to bother with addicts.  theyre nothing trouble.  Drunks are too sloppy.

 

Selling meds is very bad and shows lack of respect for cg.

[beourbud]

Good Meds attract Good Patients

[trichcycler]

that's not entirely true, bad people like good meds. How do unregistered patients get to even know you have good meds in the first place?  word of mouth , psshhh, clubs, ppsshhhh, free samples, phssss, how else?  I read sometimes about good patients getting crappy meds from their cg's too.

 

Good Meds attract Good Patients

[beourbud]

Good Meds do attract Good Patients

 

Been working fine for years.

 

Just Good Folk and Great Meds

 

You dont have to advertise Good Meds

 

The Patients seek it out...dont ya no?

 

Peace

 

The only slots we have open up are from those deceased or relocated or after we train a CG and open him up.

 

Word gets around about the quality and the magic happens

 

 

grassmatch...maybe its time to come out of the closet and think outside of the box

Edited January 28, 2014 by beourbud

[booberry43]

Thanks for the info.  In order to become a caregiver, does a patient just list me as their caregiver on their application, or do I need to file other paperwork?

[t-pain]

you have to fill your info out on the caregiver form, make copies of your drivers license etc

 

check the forms on lara site http://michigan.gov/mmp

[pic book]

risk varies hugely throughout the state and w/o you listing a city or county?  there is no generic 'michigan' but there are 'hot spots' and not.

[pic book]

the stuff about taking on a patient's woes stemming from their situation?  and contracting any drama relationships they have going?   posing a risk to the legal cg, is worth repeating!  their circle of trouble so easily intersects you.  greater drama=accelerated risk of being found doing the right thing at the magnificently wrong time.

and one 911 call about kids in a 'drug house'--true or not--is the nuclear option that will get chaotic action going on at your place.

so a caregiver is a person who has voluntarily, for the good of other peeps, agreed to accept a heightened level of risk.  you cannot escape it, can only vigilantly seek to minimize it.  

[Dankthsea]

So true. No your patient. Learn from decisions like hartwick, and make a plan to avoid prior pitfalls. Keep your info to yourself as Mich as possible.

 

My true feeling is that of your adjusting now to providing for yourself ans having anxiety/paranoia maybe best to do your own meds only.

 

Also.since ou seem like a new caregiver please incorporate cbd strains. We have bred out cbd.in a lot and the high thc leads to paranoia at times, especially if your predisposed. Presuming you medicate then this gets stronger try ensuring cbd counteracts some of the negative effects.....I hope this is a key to helping, I'd not, hope you find your path

[Restorium2]

So true. No your patient. Learn from decisions like hartwick, and make a plan to avoid prior pitfalls. Keep your info to yourself as Mich as possible.

 

My true feeling is that of your adjusting now to providing for yourself ans having anxiety/paranoia maybe best to do your own meds only.

 

Also.since ou seem like a new caregiver please incorporate cbd strains. We have bred out cbd.in a lot and the high thc leads to paranoia at times, especially if your predisposed. Presuming you medicate then this gets stronger try ensuring cbd counteracts some of the negative effects.....I hope this is a key to helping, I'd not, hope you find your path

The old strains that were painstakenly breed can be the very best medical strains you have ever encountered. For most patients high CBD strains are worthless. I've never run into anyone personally who prefers high CBD. But I know they are out there. The dispensaries say they are.

[booberry43]

I'm in Genesee County at the moment.  Dispensaries are open here, but, in most cases, the medicines look good, but are, in fact, crap.  Is this due to bad hydro farming, and/or the CBD strains?  What I have seen is that dispensaries are all about money, not the patient, or at least that is my personal opinion.  It seems tolerated around here by LEO and such, as I have not heard too many horror stories in my area as of the last couple of years. 

[Restorium2]

I guess it's not surprising to hear that. It takes hard work to make good cannabis. Dispensaries are about getting the most money for the least work possible. It's their business model. When you take the accountability away and provide an avenue for annonymous sales, then they will sell what looks the best and not what someone would take pride in. I've always said that you need to shake the hand that grew it. No one should be collecting for what they didn't grow. That tight relationship is where you will find your grail. Otherwise, you are buying from the flingers that need to off something annonymously.

[michaelscott]

I guess it's not surprising to hear that. It takes hard work to make good cannabis. Dispensaries are about getting the most money for the least work possible. It's their business model. When you take the accountability away and provide an avenue for annonymous sales, then they will sell what looks the best and not what someone would take pride in. I've always said that you need to shake the hand that grew it. No one should be collecting for what they didn't grow. That tight relationship is where you will find your grail. Otherwise, you are buying from the flingers that need to off something annonymously.

Oh jeez,

Anyone who has ever worked, managed, or owned a retail operation knows this "business model" Rest speaks of is BS. The cost to acquire a new customer is greater than the cost of retaining a customer. How does one get return business, by charging 1000 an ounce for schwag of course. Accountability doesn't dissapear but is passed to the dispensary owner that stands behind what they offer. I know an owner that gave full refunds for sub par meds that were sold. They never bought from that farmer again and have adjusted their quality control measures since.

Let's say you put in hours and hours working on a new qualifying condition for the panel but you don't actually show up to shake the hands of the panel members. Does this automatically mean the work done was sub par?

 

I understand why some don't like dispensaries but shouldn't we keep the arguments for why in the realm of reality?

[Restorium2]

Oh jeez,

Anyone who has ever worked, managed, or owned a retail operation knows this "business model" Rest speaks of is BS. The cost to acquire a new customer is greater than the cost of retaining a customer. How does one get return business, by charging 1000 an ounce for schwag of course. Accountability doesn't dissapear but is passed to the dispensary owner that stands behind what they offer. I know an owner that gave full refunds for sub par meds that were sold. They never bought from that farmer again and have adjusted their quality control measures since.

Let's say you put in hours and hours working on a new qualifying condition for the panel but you don't actually show up to shake the hands of the panel members. Does this automatically mean the work done was sub par?

 

I understand why some don't like dispensaries but shouldn't we keep the arguments for why in the realm of reality?

It fits them like a glove. Stupid is as stupid does. They were stupid to open in the first place and then you want to say they are smart business people? I think you had better give other business people more credit and dispensary owners a little less credit for business sense, they have none. Edited January 30, 2014 by Restorium2

[Norby]

It fits them like a glove. Stupid is as stupid does. They were stupid to open in the first place and then you want to say they are smart business people? I think you had better give other business people more credit and dispensary owners a little less credit for business sense, they have none.

I'm glad mine kept me coming back before I could supply myself here and they'll get me coming back for variety and trying new strains while I'm supplying myself and they'll get the best of meds, when hb4172 goes thru, from me since they charge good prices(I'll pay it and I expect it for quality) means I'll get good prices and not have to expose myself to the public to help more patients get good meds. I'm sure there are bad ones out there because they are illegal at the moment.  I'm sure the one I go to will be more of the norm when they are legal and there will also be lower price/quality dispensaries where they are needed also.  I pay for good well lite conditions, good area and good meds in a bottle not a bag. Once legal though it will up the game all around.