Pubdate: Wed, 02 Oct 2013
Source: Tri-County Times (Fenton, MI)
Copyright: 2013sTri-County Times
Contact: http://www.tctimes.com/forms/letters/
Website: http://www.tctimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5188
Author: William Axford
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?275 (Cannabis - Michigan)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?253 (Cannabis - Medicinal - U.S.)

MORE THAN 100,000 MICHIGANDERS HAVE MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD

Symptoms for Approval Include Chronic Pain, Nausea

Medical marijuana use has been legal in the state since 2008 when a 
majority of voters approved the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act 
(MMMA). Medical marijuana use has come back in the public spotlight 
as state legislators have proposed bills that may require drug 
testing from unemployment beneficiaries. Recently, a couple licensed 
to grow medical marijuana had their 6-month-old child taken away by 
the state for having plants in their house.

Despite these hurdles, a significant amount of the state's population 
is still interested in obtaining a medical marijuana card.

According to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory 
Affairs (LARA), 402,688 original and renewal applications have been 
submitted to the state since April 6, 2009. As of May, there are 
128,688 active registered qualified patients. Of the applicants who 
have applied, 25,788 of them have been denied, mostly because of 
missing documentation.

In 2012, the state of Michigan took in $9.8 million in fees 
associated with medical marijuana.

In order to qualify for medical marijuana, a patient must receive 
approval from a physician. The state reports 1,928 prescribed medical 
marijuana last year however, a list of those individual doctors is 
not kept by the state. Patients must have a debilitating or chronic 
medical condition in order to qualify for medical marijuana, which 
can include cancer, glaucoma, severe and chronic pain, muscle spasms 
and other diseases that can lead to death.

If approved, medical marijuana cardholders are allowed to possess 2.5 
ounces of usable marijuana and up to 12 plants in a stored, locked 
facility. The MMMA also allows for caregivers, who can legally grow 
marijuana for up to five patients and grow a maximum of 72 plants. 
Caregivers must be at least 21 years of age and have never been 
convicted of drug related charges.

With 80 percent of applicants being approved for a medical card and 
numerous conditions qualifying patients for a card, some have 
questioned the legitimacy of issuing medical marijuana cards.

Medical marijuana user and Linden resident Kelly Klocek told the 
Times in February that she has Atyplcail Trigeminal Neuralgia, a 
disorder that includes intense migraines and chronic aches. Klocek 
said the use of medical marijuana eliminated the need for her to take 
multiple prescription pills for pain. Klocek and other patients 
interviewed said that while some people did abuse having a medical 
marijuana card, they felt a majority of users had a legitimate reason 
to smoke marijuana.

Michael Komorn, a Michigan lawyer who represents medical marijuana 
users, said that any right will have abusers. Komorn believes medical 
marijuana users in general face excess scrutiny and that the MMMA has 
yet to be fully recognized by law enforcement.

"There's very little change in the law enforcement community. Little, 
if any new training has taken place," Komorn said. "People expected 
the law to have more protections, whether it is for growing or medical use."

Under federal law, marijuana is considered a controlled substance. 
Other states like Colorado and Washington have decriminalized 
marijuana use, however, federal authorities can still arrest and 
press charges to those in possession of medical marijuana. According 
to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's 2012 report on crime in the 
U.S., marijuana accounted for 48 percent of drug related arrests.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom