Pubdate: Fri, 23 Apr 2010
Source: Lansing State Journal (MI)
Copyright: 2010 Lansing State Journal
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/uc45fODd
Website: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/232
Author: Scott Davis
Referenced: Michigan Medical Marihuana Program 
http://drugsense.org/url/nDFeNDPs
Referenced: Michigan's law http://drugsense.org/url/8mvr7sW8
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Michigan+medical+marijuana
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?253 (Cannabis - Medicinal - U.S.)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA DEMAND BOOMING

Agency Can't Keep Pace With Permit Requests

A year into the state's medical marijuana law, health officials can't 
keep up with the demand.

Because of a rising backlog of about 3,000 applications, those who 
wish to use marijuana medically or grow it for others must wait three 
months for registry cards, according to the Michigan Department of 
Community Health.

"We're (now) getting a thousand applications a week," said James 
McCurtis, department spokesman. "It's going to take some time to get 
through all applications, even with new help."

As of April 16, the department said it had issued 13,239 permits for 
use of marijuana and 5,460 permits for caregivers to grow it. The 
program launched in April 2009.

But marijuana advocates say this delay has caused problems for many 
applicants statewide whom police have arrested for possessing marijuana.

Substitute Registry

Under state law, the state health department is obligated to issue 
registry cards on approved applications within 20 days. But a 
provision allows the applicant to use a copy of the submitted 
application to serve as valid registry identification after 20 days.

Greg Francisco, executive director of the Michigan Medical Marijuana 
Association, said police are unjustly arresting applicants because 
they won't accept the application copy as a legitimate substitute for 
a registry card.

"It's been a major problem for a long time," Francisco said. "Police 
are saying: 'We have no way of knowing if that person got a denial 
letter,' and they'll go ahead and make an arrest and let the court 
work it out."

Francisco said although a judge often will throw out the charges in 
court, the arrest still can be a harrowing process.

"They still have the distress, the cost and being dragged through the 
criminal justice system," he said.  "These people are suffering actual harm."

McCurtis said the department is trying to address the backlog by 
adding two temporary workers to assist the three full-time employees 
who process applications. It expects to add three more temporary 
workers later this year, he said.

Self-Funded Program

McCurtis acknowledged the department underestimated the demand for 
the medical marijuana permit.

"It started out with a hundred or so applications. We had no idea of 
how many applications we were going to get," McCurtis said. "We 
didn't want to hire employees and have them sit around twiddling their thumbs."

McCurtis said the pace of application submissions picked up 
significantly in November. The program, he said, is designed to be 
self-funded by a $100 application fee. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake