Colorado’s Attempt at Cannabis Clarity Deemed a Failure

Posted by December | Posted in MEDICINAL CANNABIS, MISC. | Posted on 04-11-2009

Tags: Cannabis, Cargiver, Colorado, Constitutional Amendment, Department of Health, Emergency Hearing, Medical Marijuana

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When current laws began contradicting a ruling made last week by the Colorado Court of Appeals that stated medicinal cannabis caregivers must have a personal relationship with their patient and provide services other than mere medication, an emergency hearing played out Tuesday morning at the Colorado Department of Public health calling for clarity on current Medicinal Marijuana Caregiver definitions. The board ruled that anyone who supplies medical cannabis should be considered a caregiver under the state’s voter-approved medical marijuana law, but the appeals court ruled that caregivers must have personal contact with medical marijuana patients and do more to help a patient with a debilitating condition than merely provide them with cannabis. See the confusion? The Medical Marijuana community has released a collective “Huh?” when it came down to the decision regarding new rules around caregivers. What is best for the patients and what is best for the community at large has become a muddied mixture of outrage and acceptance, leaving most of us confused and frankly, just a little bit annoyed. When it comes to laws and our constitutional amendments, I’d like to have a bit more of a say and a bit more time to say it. Unfortunately, the board of health neglected to even make a ruling, promising their decision by the 16th of December. Although the medical marijuana law provides it, not everyone can grow their own medical grade marijuana. Many of the patients, such as myself, have afflictions like arthritis which restricts our ability to partake of the grow-your-own lifestyle. Many elderly patients do not have the opportunity to grow, and people with wastings and other disorders find it similarly difficult. A caregiver allows those of us who are not able-bodied enough to grow our own to get medical grade marijuana without all the painstaking work of cultivation. The skill of marijuana cultivation is priceless, providing patients with the pain relief they need. I prefer to know my caregiver personally and to understand how my medication is grown, handled, and processed. I prefer to know them, but I don’t think it should be mandatory. Patients who don’t care to know their caregiver should have a right to do things that way, to keep themselves far away from the messy gray area our laws have provided. We will have to wait and see what happens on December 16th to see where the ruling puts us, But I urge you that now is the time to voice your opinion. To state your case and let the world know how you feel. One voice can change the world, if we let it.

How do you feel about this “decision?”

© 2009, AntiSoccermom. All rights reserved to the original author unless stated otherwise.

Related posts:

1. Rocky Mountain Cannabis Convention Comes to Colorado
2. Emergency Rulemaking Hearing-Colorado State board of health
3. 5 Things you need to know about your Caregiver
4. Colorado’s Finest Dispensary
5. Undercover Investigation stirs up big problems for Medicinal Cannabis

16 Comments

• At 2009.11.04 09:15, Hemptress December said:

  Id love to hear what you think!

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• At 2009.11.04 09:22, Carol Dickerson Morris said:

  Isn't it impossible to regulate this law with as many patients that are out there?

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• At 2009.11.04 09:32, Hemptress December said:

  What do you mean carol?

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• At 2009.11.04 09:52, Chad Nance said:

  It's possible and it will happen. Activist including Warren Edson were at a committie hearing yesterday where a regulatory framework is going to be created. There have to be some rules and MANY caregivers, dispencery owners, and certainly Doctors want to help frame the regs rather than just let the lobbyist from big Pharma, Big Law Enforcement, and your local Democratic party have at it.

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• At 2009.11.04 09:52, Nathan Kimball said:

  I've been less than impressed with the board of health here but for their part they were put in between a rock and a hard place by a really poor judicial decision. All that said I must say I'm INCREDIBLY angry and frustrated by these people that aren't dotting every I and crossing every T. We need to be more circumspect.I almost have to wonder if some cartels are purposely running dispensaries and purposely breaking the law in an attempt to stop medical cannabis. After all they do have a financial incentive to prevent it.It's incredibly silly to think that growing medical grade cannabis ISN'T significant care. It takes at LEAST 2-3k just to start up plus the daily time investment to check on things.In summary: We are very very lucky to have someone like Rob Corry fighting for our rights.

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• At 2009.11.04 10:08, Hemptress December said:

  What happened with rob yesterday? I heard they wouldn't let him talk?

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• At 2009.11.04 10:10, Nathan Kimball said:

  Basically just that, he got into an argument with the director guy and the cops made way toward Corry so he left voluntarily and told them I'll see you in court.The Springs is having a meeting tomorrow to help craft local regulations. Supposedly I get to join in on this but we'll see.

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• At 2009.11.04 10:17, Chad Nance said:

  As for the cartel thing… I have seen no evidence of that and I have been on the ground doing this story there. I DID see some HA's poking at the margins seeing what they could get into and I have been told by everyone there that one dispencery/doc in a box buisiness is run by the Russian Mob… the FBI has already been into their offices.

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• At 2009.11.04 10:19, Hemptress December said:

  Is it an open meeting? Can you post that info?

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  • At 2009.11.10 13:31, Frank Kolb said:

    Thanks for the update December, please check you e-mail!

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• At 2009.11.04 10:30, Nathan Kimball said:

  Thursday, November 5 – Medicinal Marijuana Task Force Meeting7:00 PM, Pikes Peak Conference Room107 N. Nevada Ave., Suite 325From http://www.springsgov.com/Page.aspx?NavID=261.I assume that it's open to the general public.

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• At 2009.11.04 10:45, Hemptress December said:

  Thank you so much Nathan!

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• At 2009.11.04 10:48, Nathan Kimball said:

  Anytime! You get that message I sent you?If you hear anything about what Chirs Romer is doing please let me know. I'm gonna write him and see how open he is to input.

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• At 2009.11.04 11:00, Hemptress December said:

  I will, Im going to look into it and make a few phone calls. See what I can come up with. Thanks for posting that information- I hope some of my springs people can make it!

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• At 2009.11.04 11:04, Hemptress December said:

  I didnt get any messages?

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• At 2009.11.04 11:09, Nathan Kimball said:

  Just resent…

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