HOW TO OBTAIN A MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD IN MICHIGAN
Posted on | December 2, 2013 | No Comments
The Michigan Medical Marihuana Act (MMMA) was approved by voters in November 2008. The Michigan Medical Marihuana Program (MMMP), a function of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, is the government body that administers the program.
To Qualify for the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program
•You must be a Michigan resident to be a registered patient in the Michigan Medical Marihuana Program (MMMP)
•You must submit an application form. There is a separate form for minors
•The fee cannot be waived, although it can be reduced under certain circumstances
Your application form, together with your fees, photo id and physician’s attestation to:
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Michigan Medical Marihuana Registry
P.O. Box 30083
Lansing, MI 48909
Qualifying medical conditions for the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program
•Cancer
•Glaucoma
•Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
•Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
•Hepatitis C
•Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
•Crohn’s disease
•Agitation of Alzheimer’s disease
•Nail patella
•A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces one of more of the following:
(i) cachexia or wasting syndrome;
(ii) severe and chronic pain;
(iii) severe nausea;
(iv) seizures, including but not limited to those caused by epilepsy; or
(v) severe or persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to, those which are characteristic of multiple sclerosis
•Any other medical condition or treatment for a medical condition adopted by the department by rule (to date the department has fully adopted Parkinson’s Disease as a qualifying condition. They have been awaiting final approval for PTSD.)
Rules of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program
•The MMMP cannot supply you with seeds or starter plants, or give you advice on how to grow medical marihuana
•Your physician must be a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) licensed to practice in Michigan
•You must have an established patient/physician relationship with your “attending physician”
•Other licensed health professionals such as Chiropractors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners cannot sign the documentation
•The MMMP cannot refer you to a physician and does not have a physician referral list
•You, or your designated primary caregiver, may grow your marihuana
•There is no place in the state of Michigan to legally purchase medical marihuana
•The MMMP cannot find a designated primary caregiver for you neither does it keep a referral list of persons who want to be caregivers for patients
•You are not required to list a caregiver unless you are less than 18 years old
•Your caregiver cannot be your physician.
•If you decide to change your caregiver, it is your responsibility to notify him or her that he or she is no longer protected under the law
•The MMMP does not communicate directly with caregivers
•The MMMP will only speak directly with the patient
•All written requests to release information must be signed and dated by the patient
•The MMMP will not accept written or verbal requests for information from your caregiver or any other person without your permission.
•The Act neither protects marihuana plants from seizure nor individuals from prosecution if the federal government chooses to take action against patients or caregivers under the federal Controlled Substances Act
HOW DO I OBTAIN A PHYSICIAN CERTIFICATION?
First Natural Wellness has been assisting with patient certifications in Michigan since 2009. We are Michigan’s Most Trusted Certifications℠. Our compassionate staff can assist you with completing the necessary medical information required by physicians who certify patients with qualifying conditions under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act. Call toll-free 866-649-9034 to consult with a friendly patient liaison who can assist you in answering your questions and scheduling an appointment.
LET US SERVE YOU THIS VETERAN’S DAY BY GETTING LEGAL! Yes, We’re Open!
Posted on | November 11, 2013 | No Comments
Come celebrate this Veteran’s Day with us while we serve you! Walk-Ins welcome from 10+am until 6:30+pm (sharp).
Scheduling an appointment is easy. Simply call 866-649-9034 and one of our friendly patient liaisons will gladly assist you in booking your visit. Below, included in the medical history packet are the forms necessary to complete prior to your visit with the doctors. You can save a great deal of time if you are able to download the forms, print them out, fill them out, and bring them with you to your appointment.
If you bring the forms in completed then it could save you a good deal of time in the office. If you have any questions, we are just a phone call away. We have appointments available 7 days/week for your convenience. Call 866-649-9034 to speak with one of our knowledgeable patient liaisons.
First Natural Wellness • 4127 Jackson Road • Ann Arbor, MI 48103 • Open 7 Days / Week From 10:00 am Until 7:00 pm • Walk-Ins Welcome Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, & Mondays Until 6:30 pm • Tuesdays, & Thursdays Are By Appointment Only (You Must Have An Appointment To Be Seen!)
What To Bring When You Arrive: When you come in, you will want to bring with you a valid, Michigan Photo I.D. along with any medical records or prescriptions you have been prescribed pertaining to your condition. If you do not have any then you can still be evaluated but the more history you can provide will only strengthen your case if any of the doctors were needed to testify for you in court. If you are a current and/or prior medical marijuana patient and you have the prior certification that the physician signed when you were previously evaluated then that can be used as medical records to help expedite the renewal process for you.
Map It From Google By Clicking Here
Michigan Medical Marijuana Program Uses Deceptive, Predatory Practices To Discriminate Against Disabled Patients With Severe Debilitating Medical Conditions
Posted on | June 14, 2013 | No Comments
In a sneak-move the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program initiated a “rule change” that sought to restrict disabled medical marijuana patients from receiving the normal reduced filing fee for their certification paperwork with the state. The program director was unavailable for comment when we called, but we are being told that the agency which handles the filing of medical marijuana patient records and issuance of the “hard card” known as the MMP has changed its mind with regards to recognizing patients who receive social security disability as eligible participants in the reduced fee structure for their filing fee.
The state of Michigan which just last year alone grossed over $10 Million from patients and caregivers registered in the program is looking to cash in on the disabled patient population.
Mary-Ann of Farmington believes this was a move to further discriminate against poor patients in the program. “People who receive disability are receiving money from the government to help them survive. The state of Michigan should be helping them too, not trying to hurt them even more than they are already.”
It’s like asking someone who is disabled to pay more fore a handicap sticker.
The move by the program’s officials came without warning to those who believed they were still eligible for the $25 reduced filing fee which is normally $100. No memo was sent to patients who elected to have the reduced fee the previous years, and no information was posted on the state program’s website at www.michigan.gov/mmp
No one at the state level wants to comment on the change and the state has already started issuing denial letters to applicants who used the application prior to June 1st and only sent $25.00
Thomas M.J. Lavigne with Cannabis Counsel plans on speaking with patients affected by this predatory move to see if the state was at fault.
For now, patients and caregivers registered in the program will have to wait and see what happens. In the meantime, we will continue to keep a watchful eye on the state’s medical marijuana program which now bolsters almost 20 employees from what started with just a few brave souls.
Updated applications can be found on the state’s website here: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdch/Medical_Marihuana_Packet_3-27-09_272862_7.pdf
Information regarding the updated reduced fee user eligibility can be found here: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/lara/Medical_Marihuana_Reduced_Fee_Eligibility_400224_7.pdf
A special thanks goes out to Rick Thompson of THEWEEDBLOG for his contributions in bringing light to this evil move by the director of the MMP. Rick, you were the only other reporter out there we found spreading this knowledge to the people.
In Unanimous Decision, Michigan State Supreme Court Rules Michigan Medical Marijuana Act Trumps Motor Vehicle Code; Public Health Code
Posted on | May 22, 2013 | No Comments
With a roaring voice of liberty the Michigan State Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of Rodney Lee Koon, a registered qualifying patient in the Michigan Medical Marihuana Program who was charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance.
Defendant, Rodney Lee Koon, was stopped for speeding in Grand Traverse County. During the traffic stop, defendant voluntarily produced a marijuana pipe and informed the arresting officer that he was a registered patient under the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act and was permitted to possess marijuana. A blood test to which defendant voluntarily submitted several hours later revealed that his blood had a THC3 content of 10 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml).
The statute under which the prosecution charged defendant prohibits a person from driving with any amount of marijuana in his or her system: A person, whether licensed or not, shall not operate a vehicle upon a highway or other place open to the general public or generally accessible to motor vehicles, including an area designated for the parking of vehicles, within this state if the person has in his or her body any amount of a controlled substance listed in schedule 1 under section 7212 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.7212, or a rule promulgated under that section, or of a controlled substance described in section 7214(a)(iv) of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.7214.
Despite the Michigan Medical Marihuana enactment, marijuana remains a schedule 1 controlled substance. The Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, rather than legalizing marijuana, functions by providing registered patients with immunity from prosecution for the medical use of marijuana: A qualifying patient who has been issued and possesses a registry identification card shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution, or penalty in any manner . . . for the medical use of marihuana in accordance with this act, provided that the qualifying patient possesses an amount of marihuana that does not exceed 2.5 ounces of usable marihuana . . . . The statutory definition of “medical use” includes “internal possession.” Therefore, the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act shields registered patients from prosecution for the internal possession of marijuana, provided that the patient does not otherwise possess more than 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana.
But the MMMA does not provide carte blanche to registered patients in their use of marijuana. Indeed, MCL 333.26427(b) provides a list of activities that are not protected by the MMMA. Engaging in one of those activities removes a registered patient from the MMMA’s protection because he or she is no longer acting in accordance with the MMMA. One prohibited activity is driving while under the influence of marijuana: This act shall not permit any person to do any of the following: Operate, navigate, or be in actual physical control of any motor vehicle, aircraft, or motorboat while under the influence of marihuana.
The MMMA, however, does not define what it means to be “under the influence” of marijuana. While we need not set exact parameters of when a person is “under the influence,” we conclude that it contemplates something more than having any amount of marijuana in one’s system and requires some effect on the person. Thus, taking the MMMA’s provisions together, the act’s protections extend to a registered patient who internally possesses marijuana while operating a vehicle unless the patient is under the influence of marijuana. In contrast, the Michigan Vehicle Code’s zero-tolerance provision prohibits the operation of a motor vehicle by a driver with an infinitesimal amount of marijuana in his or her system even if the infinitesimal amount of marijuana has no influence on the driver.
The immunity from prosecution provided under the MMMA to a registered patient who drives with indications of marijuana in his or her system but is not otherwise under the influence of marijuana inescapably conflicts with the Michigan Vehicle Code’s prohibition against a person driving with any amount of marijuana in his or her system. When the MMMA conflicts with another statute, the MMMA provides that “[a]ll other acts and parts of acts inconsistent with [the MMMA] do not apply to the medical use of marihuana . . . .” Consequently, the Michigan Vehicle Code’s zero-tolerance provision, MCL 257.625(8), which is inconsistent with the MMMA, does not apply to the medical use of marijuana. The Court of Appeals incorrectly concluded that defendant could be convicted under MCL 257.625 without proof that he had acted in violation of the MMMA by “operat[ing] . . . [a] motor vehicle . . . while under the influence” of marijuana. If defendant is shown to have been under the influence of marijuana, then the MMMA’s protections will not apply, and the prosecution may seek to convict defendant under any statute of which he was in violation, including MCL 257.625(8).
It goes almost without saying that the MMMA is an imperfect statute, the interpretation of which has repeatedly required this Court’s intervention. Indeed, this case could have been easily resolved if the MMMA had provided a definition of “under the influence.” As the Legislature contemplates amendments to the MMMA, and to the extent it wishes to clarify the specific circumstances under which a registered patient is per se “under the influence” of marijuana, it might consider adopting a “legal limit,” like that applicable to alcohol, establishing when a registered patient is outside the MMMA’s protection. In sum, we conclude that the MMMA is inconsistent with, and therefore supersedes, MCL 257.625(8) unless a registered qualifying patient loses immunity because of his or her failure to act in accordance with the MMMA. Accordingly, in lieu of granting leave to appeal, we reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeals, reinstate the judgment of the Grand Traverse Circuit Court, and remand this case to the 86th District Court for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.
Michigan State Supreme Court – KOON RULING 05-22-2013
House bill would set up panel to umpire clash over federal, state marijuana laws
Posted on | April 18, 2013 | No Comments
A House lawmaker has introduced a bill to create a panel to referee the legal clash between federal and state laws over marijuana.
Officials in states that have approved pot for medicinal or recreational purposes have expressed growing frustration with the Obama administration’s Justice Department, which so far has failed to clarify its approach, given federal laws that criminalize marijuana use.
Rep. Steve Cohen, Tennessee Democrat, said the commission would create a “sensible policy” to address the conflict between state and federal laws, review possible revenue of marijuana taxation, and weigh the potential health benefits and risks associated with legalizing marijuana.
“Regardless of your views on marijuana, it’s important that we understand the impact of current federal policy and address the conflict with those state laws that allow for medicinal or personal use of marijuana,” Mr. Cohen said. “This conflict is only going to continue to grow over the next few years, and we must provide certainty to the millions of individuals and businesses that remain caught in a web of incompatible laws.”
The same day the bill was introduced, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. told a House hearing that the Justice Department is still reviewing state policies in Colorado and Washington and deciding how the department will respond.
Mr. Holden also made it very clear he is against legalization and his department will consider marijuana’s impact on children when deciding how it will react.
The Cohen bill comes on the heels of a bipartisan bill to immunize marijuana users from federal prosecution in states in which use is now legal. The immunity would extend to businesses that grow, distribute and sell marijuana in those states.
In addition to Mr. Cohen, the bill’s sponsors included Republican Reps. Dana Rohrabacher of California, Don Young of Alaska and Justin Amash of Michigan.
Mr. Cohen’s bill would create a 13-member commission with five representatives appointed by the president and the rest appointed by the leaders of the House and Senate.
The issue of legalizing marijuana currently holds public support for the first time in history, according to a recent Pew Research survey showing that 60 percent of Americans believe the federal government should not enforce anti-marijuana policies in states in which it has been legalized. Some 52 percent now say marijuana should be legalized nationally, according to the poll.
In December, President Obama said the federal government would not prosecute marijuana consumers in the District of Columbia or 18 states that also allow patients with certain conditions to obtain prescriptions for medical marijuana. Officials in Colorado and Washington state also complain of deep uncertainty on policy following votes in both states in November to allow adults over the age of 21 to use marijuana recreationally.
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2013/apr/18/house-bill-would-set-panel-end-clash-over-federal-/#ixzz2QqtD8yHL
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