Pubdate: Wed, 26 Dec 2007
Source: Willits News (CA)
Copyright: 2007 Willits News
Contact:  http://www.willitsnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4085
Author: Linda Williams, TWN Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Proposition+215
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/dispensaries
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

'POT DOCS' ISSUING 'GET OUT OF JAIL FREE' CARDS

While most think of cancer and AIDS when hearing of medical 
marijuana, in recent years most marijuana recommendations have been 
issued for far less serious illnesses by a small cadre of "pot docs." 
Medical marijuana recommendations seem to be evolving into Get Out of 
Jail Free cards rather than treatment for serious medical conditions.

An estimated 95 percent of patients visiting "pot docs" are already 
significant pot users seeking approval for their drug use, and a 
small group of physicians are willing to fulfill their request.

When California voters approved Proposition 215 in 1996, the full 
consequences of the act were not readily apparent to everyone at the 
time. Proponents reassured the public that marijuana would still be 
illegal for recreational use and was only meant for Californians with 
serious health issues.

The act gave seriously ill Californians the right to obtain and use 
marijuana for medical purposes when recommended by a physician. In 
1996, AIDS patients with wasting disease and chemotherapy patients 
with nausea so bad they could not function were the people featured 
on advertising sponsored by pro-215 supporters. Proponents urged the 
passage to "avoid sending cancer patients to jail."

Opponents of the measure included nearly every law enforcement group 
within the state who described the measure as "a cruel hoax" since it 
did not actually restrict the use of marijuana to serious illness 
like cancer or AIDS but left it open to be allowed for any reason 
without a prescription, examination or age requirement.

Slightly more than 55 percent of the voters supported the proposition in 1996.

Current estimates now have up to 350,000 marijuana users in 
California with physician recommendations, up from only 100,000 in 
2005. Because there is no monitoring of these recommendations and 
with no requirement to get a state or county marijuana card, there is 
no way to know how many recommendations have actually been issued.

The National Drug Use Survey in 2003 estimated California had 700,000 
daily marijuana users and a million more casual users.

While most physicians have kept faith with the voters' intent, a 
small minority appear to have used it to feather their own nests or 
further their own agenda.

By 2005, 15 pot docs had issued an estimated 50,000 marijuana 
recommendations. About 1,500 other physicians, primarily AIDS and 
cancer specialists, issued the remaining 50,000 recommendations. 
California has 30,000 physicians.

These pot docs collect from $150 to $250 from patients for each 
recommendation. Dr. Tod Mikuriya, a physician who helped draft Prop. 
215 issued as many as 10,000 recommendations personally before being 
sanctioned by the California Medical Association. Mikuriya died 
earlier this year.

The CMA has sanctioned several doctors but was handcuffed by a 2004 
California court ruling restricting its investigations to patients 
who file a complaint and authorize the release of their medical 
records. Without a complaint from a pot patient, the CMA has limited 
ability to review cases.

This ruling has led to an explosion of marijuana prescription clinics 
springing up across California. These new groups of pot docs 
advertise in the media and on the internet. Some even maintain around 
the clock online verification of the recommendations for cannabis 
clubs or law enforcement purposes.

Some clinics were visited by undercover police and reporters 
exploring the limits of what the clinics will recommend marijuana 
for. One Bay Area reporter said her feet hurt when wearing high heels 
and got a recommendation. An undercover police officer in San Diego 
requested a marijuana recommendation for his dog, while the pot doc 
refused to provide one, he did give the officer a caregiver 
authorization to obtain marijuana for the dog. One reporter received 
a marijuana recommendation because he had dry skin, another for hair loss.

Those not wishing to visit a pot doc can be designated as a 
"caregiver" for someone who has.

With most recommendations valid for one year and typical fees of $150 
each, these pot docs seem to have found a $45 million a year business 
opportunity. Should the remaining regular or recreational pot users 
decide to get their own Get Out of Jail Free cards, the 
recommendations could generate as much as $255 million annually and 
essentially legalize all marijuana use in California.

Editors Note: As discussed in the previous article in the series, 
Marijuana and Medical Science, the active ingredients in marijuana 
have been shown effective for treating AIDS wasting disease and 
relieving nausea for some chemotherapy patients. These ingredients 
also have the potential for treating other serious illnesses such as 
multiple sclerosis, depression and neuropathic pain. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake