cannabisnews.com: Statewide Medical Pot ID System in Place Locally





Statewide Medical Pot ID System in Place Locally
Posted by CN Staff on May 26, 2005 at 09:39:07 PT
By K.C. Meadows, The Daily Journal
Source: Ukiah Daily Journal 
California -- Mendocino County's new state-approved medical marijuana ID card is now available. The Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved fees for the program at $50 for each ID card and $50 for each caregiver ID card with discounts for MediCal patients.Mendocino County is one of a handful of state counties chosen to pilot the new statewide ID card system, which will put the county Health Department fully in charge and remove the county Sheriff's Department from the equation.
"I strongly support this statewide ID program so everyone's on the same page," said Sheriff Tony Craver at the meeting. He stressed that medical marijuana ID cards, which he pioneered with DA Norm Vroman several years ago in this county, save lots of money in investigative time for deputies and detainment time for legitimate medical marijuana users. He called the benefits "immeasurable." Craver said one of the problems now is that several counties have issued their own ID cards, creating a mishmash of systems that police in other counties have trouble authenticating. The new statewide system will mean medical marijuana patients can get a card that will be recognized by all law enforcement in the state.Health Department Director Carol Mordhorst added that her department would likely also create an educational handout for medical marijuana patients, making them aware of concerns about pesticides and other harmful substances that may exist in marijuana sold on the open market. "We could do an educational handout with the application," she said, and "inform people of questions they ought to ask their caregiver." The Health Department will also keep records of how many people apply for the card -- which is voluntary -- and whether the fees succeed in paying the county's costs. Mordhorst said the county now has about 1,200 cards registered with the Sheriff's Department and she wasn't sure how many of those people will switch to the statewide system. She indicated that the cards will continue to be good in Mendocino County.Supervisors were unanimously in favor of the new system.During the pilot project, qualified patients and their caregivers should apply in person at the Health Department in Ukiah on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Following the pilot project, the state expects to implement these cards statewide beginning in August.Source: Ukiah Daily Journal (CA)Author: K.C. Meadows, The Daily JournalPublished: Thursday, May 26, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Ukiah Daily JournalContact: udj pacific.netWebsite: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Medicinal Cannabis Research Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/research.htmWhy Medical Pot Registry is Urgenthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20523.shtml ID Card Program is Educationalhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20508.shtmlMedical Marijuana IDs Go Statewidehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17563.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by Hope on May 26, 2005 at 12:10:31 PT
Trusting the government...
"Of course, trusting the government with your privacy is like having a Peeping Tom install your window blinds."
~ John Perry Barlow (1947-)
Wyoming cattle rancher, a lyricist for the Grateful Dead 
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Comment #5 posted by siege on May 26, 2005 at 11:21:09 PT
 O T poll results 
The poll results completely counter the President and right wing's post-election claim of a "mandate" to impose their radical agenda on the American people. In fact, the three signature policies of the so-called conservative revolution -- the war in Iraq, Social Security privatization and economic prosperity through tax cuts for the wealthy -- were all rejected by a majority of Americans.  * 56% oppose Bush's Social Security privatization scheme.
  * 57% feel that the Iraq war has not been worth the cost of U.S. lives and dollars.
  * 62% feel that our economy is not good for middle and working class people.Get the complete poll results here:http://www.ourfuture.org/newpoll.cfmBeyond merely opposing the right wing's agenda, this poll shows that Americans strongly embrace progressive solutions for the future, and want an active government to work to solve the problems facing our country.  * 83% support a national commitment to energy independence -- such as that outlined by our very own Apollo Initiative -- with investments in alternative energy and energy efficiency.
  * 86% agree that the government should "guarantee that every child receives the basics" in education -- a healthy start, good nutrition, quality preschool, small classes and well trained teachers.
  * 76% support guaranteeing health care to all through a program similar to Medicare.
  * 76% want action to end tax breaks to companies that move jobs abroad and to provide incentives for those who create jobs here and allow unions to organize.This poll shows that the American people are hungry for bold, progressive leadership. A majority of Americans (55%) would rather see Congressional Democrats stand strong against President Bush and the Republicans to prevent them from pushing their agenda too far -- than work in a bipartisan way to help pass the President's radical agenda. The message to the Democratic and progressive leadership in Congress is clear: Don't cower before the Republicans -- stand up, speak out and fight for progressive values!
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on May 26, 2005 at 10:51:40 PT
afterburner and Max Flowers
I agree with the both of you!
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Comment #3 posted by afterburner on May 26, 2005 at 10:49:46 PT
The Purpose of MM ID Cards: To Divide the Kingdom
What is the reason for medical cannabis ID cards?: to identify legitimate medical patients, *so that law enforcement officers can continue to harass social and spiritual partakers*!It's wonderful, and all, that medical cannabis patients are standing up to be counted, to represent, to show the government that we are serious, "to get the bodies of the sick and dying off the battlefield" (Richard Cowan). Long ago, my father warned about allowing your name to be put on lists, which could then be misused by political opponents to persecute you.Do not be fooled. We are a cannabis community. Personally, I believe that all cannabis employment is medical and all cannabis application is spiritual. However, not all members of the cannabis community agree. They should not be discriminated against, just because they have different beliefs (First Amendment). I also have a problem with allowing the politicians to define what diseases can be legitimately treated by cannabis, and leaving out preventative therapy. 
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Comment #2 posted by Max Flowers on May 26, 2005 at 10:36:19 PT
Exactly
Exactly FoM, how does a patient trust county/state officials with the information that he is growing, when those same types of officials (CHP, county DAs, etc) have shown themselves to be all too willing to share info with feds, whom they know damn well will likely use the information to prosecute/persecute patients? If this program had some sort of written legal guarantee, enforceable in court, that state officials will NOT turn that info over to feds and will jealously guard such info and their jurisdiction from the feds, as is their obligation as California officials, then maybe I could see it working. Absent that, I think the majority of patients will not participate, choosing instead to rely on the fact that if some trouble arose, their recommendation is still verifiable with a call to the physician's office.
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on May 26, 2005 at 09:51:50 PT
Fear of Feds
The ID cards would be scary to me since we have Federal Laws that always try to buck State Laws. I hope soon this won't be a problem for people in California and everywhere.
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