Cannabis News DrugSense
  Medical Marijuana: Funding To Run Program Lacking
Posted by FoM on July 06, 2001 at 06:37:44 PT
By Ed Vogel, Donrey Capital Bureau  
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal 

medical Applications to use marijuana medicinally have been printed, and registry cards will be issued to qualifying patients beginning Oct. 1. But without financial support from the public, Nevada's medical marijuana program could go broke. So far just $771 in donations has been raised for the state Department of Agriculture to operate the program.

Ed Foster, the Agriculture Department spokesman in Reno who manages the medical marijuana program, said his agency needs about $30,000 a year to run a program that eventually could allow 1,000 patients with debilitating illnesses to grow their own marijuana.

He has one part-time worker helping him. Much of the money would pay for entering information on users into computers, for printing costs and for the registration cards that will be issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. The cards are free to patients.

"We cannot charge anything," said Foster of the recently passed law that implements a voter-approved constitutional amendment making Nevada the ninth state to allow sick people to use marijuana. "We are operating completely by donations."

Though the program will launch, Foster said, whether it will continue will have to be evaluated if funding isn't found.

Gov. Kenny Guinn did not include costs of operating the medical marijuana program in his $3.8 billion budget for 2001-03.

Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, put the $30,000 cost in the enabling legislation, but then removed the money when it became apparent the bill might fail if there was a cost to the state government.

Former gubernatorial candidate Aaron Russo pledged in May to cover the $30,000 cost and promptly ran advertisements blasting Guinn for omitting the funds.

But to date Russo has not honored his pledge. He said Thursday he thought the $30,000 had been included in the final version of the bill.

"This is the first I have heard that the money wasn't there," Russo said. "Believe me, I will raise the money like I said I would."

Russo first wants more information from the Agriculture Department that the money must be raised or the program will be cut.

Russo added that he thinks Guinn deliberately withheld operating money because he opposes medical marijuana. In November's election, 381,947 people supported the medical marijuana ballot question, compared with 223,892 who voted for Guinn in the 1998 election.

"Guinn didn't want medical marijuana when I ran for governor (against Guinn)," Russo said. "This is not about $30,000. We are talking about spit."

The governor declined to respond to Russo's comment. Regardless of any personal reservations, Guinn signed the bill into law June 15.

Foster said the Agriculture Department will send medical marijuana application forms to doctors starting in August. Doctors should contact the Agriculture Department in Reno if they want forms.

Under the law, patients with AIDS, cancer, glaucoma and other illnesses need a statement from their physicians that they have their permission to use marijuana. The state law, patterned after Oregon's, allows qualified patients, or someone they designate, to grow no more than seven plants, of which only three can be mature.

The state will not advise people which doctors approve patients to use marijuana. Foster imagines that such information quickly will be spread by word of mouth in support groups for victims of cancer, AIDS and other diseases.

"When Oregon started (in 1998) for the first three months, not one doctor signed onto it," Foster said. "Then one of the top neurologists said medical marijuana was beneficial, and within six months 220 doctors supported it."

Doctors do not sign a medical marijuana prescription, only give written recommendations that the patients have their permission to use medical marijuana.

After receiving the application forms back from doctors, the Agriculture Department will contact the patients and seek more information. The department will then run a criminal history check to determine whether the person has been involved in any drug crimes. The state also wants to know where the marijuana will be grown.

The information on qualified patients will be forwarded to the motor vehicles department. Then patients can acquire a registry card that will look much like a driver's license.

The Agriculture Department also will not give patients tips on where to acquire seeds or how to grow marijuana. There also are many Web sites where people can buy seeds, often at prices of $150 for just 10 seeds. Marijuana plants need three months to six months to mature, so he imagines most patients will grow their crops indoors under grow lights.

The agency will give patients a list of Web sites and telephone numbers of groups that might help them with marijuana questions.

Colleagues now jokingly refer to Foster as "Hey Dude" and "Mr. Marijuana." He had reservations about the benefits of medical marijuana, but now has been convinced patients should be permitted to use whatever they feel makes them better.

"I hope the stigma goes away that this is a left-handed attempt to legalize drugs," he said. "If your Mom or Dad is ill, you will do whatever you can to help them. We cannot lose sight of the fact that a great many people in this state are for this."

Note: State has received just $771 in donations to date; $30,000 a year needed.

Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)
Author: Ed Vogel, Donrey Capital Bureau
Published: Friday, July 06, 2001
Copyright: 2001 Las Vegas Review-Journal
Contact: letters@lvrj.com
Website: http://www.lvrj.com/

Related Articles:

Nevada Approves Bill on Use of Marijuana
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10090.shtml

Medical Uses Approved: Lawmakers OK Marijuana
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9973.shtml

Medical Marijuana, Defelonization Approved
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9966.shtml


Home    Comment    Email    Register    Recent Comments    Help

 
Comment #2 posted by Jose Melendez on July 06, 2001 at 11:26:59 PT:

Why bother?
I do not understand why they think they need a registration or licensing program to SMOKE POT!

Arrest Prohibition



[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #1 posted by sm247 on July 06, 2001 at 09:51:11 PT
Easy id
Using the internet a free host web site and special forms for patients doctors and a registry list all could be maintained with cgi bins free of course it would not even take a human being to run it after it was set up. The police could check the registry to check to see if anyone is authorized . A patient goes to a doctor doctor submits special form then patient submits his/her form then the cgi checks certain criteria then a special page is given that the patient prints off takes to their local license branch then they issue an id.

[ Post Comment ]

  Post Comment
Name:        Password:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comment:   [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]

Link URL:
Link Title:


Return to Main Menu


So everyone may enjoy this service and to keep it running, here are some guidelines: NO spamming, NO commercial advertising, NO flamming, NO illegal activity, and NO sexually explicit materials. Lastly, we reserve the right to remove any message for any reason!

This web page and related elements are for informative purposes only and thus the use of any of this information is at your risk! We do not own nor are responsible for visitor comments. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 and The Berne Convention on Literary and Artistic Works, Article 10, news clippings on this site are made available without profit for research and educational purposes. Any trademarks, trade names, service marks, or service names used on this site are the property of their respective owners. Page updated on July 06, 2001 at 06:37:44