Pubdate: Tue, 18 Jan 2011
Source: GW Hatchet (George Washington U, DC Edu)
Copyright: 2011 The GW Hatchet
Contact: http://www.gwhatchet.com/home/lettertotheeditor/
Website: http://www.gwhatchet.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/757
Author: Bob Bogle
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

ACCESS TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA DELAYED

D.C. residents seeking medical marijuana are unable to obtain a 
prescription in the city, despite the legalization of the drug last summer.

Difficulties in regulating the drug have caused delays in 
dispensaries being set up, D.C. Department of Health spokeswoman 
Mahlori Isaacs said.

"Due to legal litigation, it is unclear when medicinal marijuana will 
make it to Washington, D.C. depositories," Isaacs said.

Medical marijuana became legal in the District July 27, 2010, after 
Congress' allotted 30-day review period expired. If Congress does not 
touch a bill passed by the D.C. Council in that 30-day period, it 
automatically becomes law.

The D.C. health department is responsible for establishing the 
regulations needed to ensure the legal distribution of the 
controversial drug. Proposed rules for the cultivation and 
distribution of the drug are expected to take effect once they are 
published in the D.C. Register. Though this is expected to happen 
soon, there is no official date set at this time.

GW Hospital spokeswoman Heather Oldham said the hospital is unable to 
comment on whether or not it will be allowed to distribute medicinal marijuana.

Oldham said the hospital's lawyers are still attempting to figure out 
what changes the hospital would need to make in order to accommodate the law.

D.C. hospitals will be able to distribute the drug if they submit a 
dispensary registration application and are approved by the D.C. 
Board of Health, similar to any other dispensary, Issacs said. She 
added that hospitals will probably not qualify as cultivation centers 
due to difficulties in ensuring the security of the facility.

GW Hospital physicians will be able to recommend marijuana treatment 
for patients who qualify.

A medical marijuana certification provider, according to proposed 
rules, must certify businesses or individuals who want to distribute 
medicinal marijuana. To be certified, distributors must submit an 
application detailing facility's staffing, security, cultivation and 
product safety plan.

As of now, no dispensaries have been qualified by the DOH, Issacs said.

Only individuals with a recommendation from a Department of 
Health-registered physician will be able to use medical marijuana in 
D.C. Anyone who wants to obtain the drug for medicinal purposes must 
also provide a social security number and proof of residency in the 
District to be approved by the DOH.

Only D.C. residents will be able to obtain the drug here, so students 
who are not permanent residents of the District won't be able to 
purchase marijuana from D.C. dispensaries, even if they have 
permission to obtain the drug in states that already allow the use of 
medicinal marijuana.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom