Fuming over how many months it takes for the state to issue medical marijuana cards

[marmar]

from the Detroit Metro Times:



Getting carded
Fuming over how many months it takes for the state to issue medical marijuana cards

By Larry Gabriel
Published: February 8, 2012


The heady atmosphere of the early days of medical marijuana in Michigan seems to have dissipated. Back then, there was a celebratory atmosphere as dispensaries were popping across the state and money from ganjapreneurs in Colorado and California flowed in as they expanded into the newest market to welcome their wares. But Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette was less welcoming and led the charge against medical marijuana, particularly dispensaries, which have been raided and shut down in numerous areas of the state. Individual patients and caregivers have been prosecuted and found guilty when they believed they were in compliance with the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act.

Some activists have responded by starting a petition drive to amend the state Constitution to make it legal for adults to manufacture, buy, sell and possess the substance. But there are others who just want to see the current law implemented as they think it was intended.

"This is something the people put in place," says Jamie Lowell, founder of the Third Coast Compassion Center in Ypsilanti. "It works when people haven't been interfered with. I think the law needs to be implemented properly first."

Craig Canterberry wholeheartedly agrees. Canterberry is a medical marijuana patient, vice president of the Dickinson County Compassion Club in the Upper Peninsula and runs the forum at michigancannabispatients.com. Canterberry puts up an informal, unscientific poll each year through the online forum asking participants what medical marijuana issues they think are most important to focus on in the next near. This year's 100 or so respondents agreed with those of the past few years: They want the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to get medical marijuana registration cards out in a timelier manner. A taped message at the LARA office said that the office was currently processing applications that were received in July and renewals for patients whose cards expired in September 2011. ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://metrotimes.com/mmj/getting-carded-1.1268708

[Romulox]

1. Bill Schuette is a bizarre fundamentalist with no respect for the law. That's the main problem.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. Here in Oregon, our application sent certified and in process counts from the moment

the State gets it. So if a patient or grower needed to 'show a card' the application will count in lieu of the card until issued. This is at times helpful, as the fee lasts a year after the actual card is issued, so the 'pre card' weeks or months are like extra weeks on the same fee period. That aspect of the system also keeps the State from falling too far behind, as they'd lose fee monies.