Pubdate: Thu, 24 Apr 2014
Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM)
Copyright: 2014 Albuquerque Journal
Contact:  http://www.abqjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/10
Page: A8

MEDICAL POT SUPPLIER'S OPENNESS SHAMES STATE

Kudos to Erik Briones for going where New Mexico's Department of 
Health still refuses to go. The medical marijuana producer recently 
opened the doors of his Los Ranchos business, Minerva Canna, to 
highlight a recent $60,000 expansion, designed to make things more 
convenient for his clients and more conducive to his bottom line.

Meanwhile, the Health Department continues to keep all information 
about the individuals and businesses it has licensed to prescribe, 
produce and sell medical pot behind closed doors. Even though many of 
those advertise online, tout their state licenses, include their 
bricks-and-mortar addresses and go so far as to promote weekly 
specials and punch-cards for frequent buyers.

DOH says its list of 23 licensed providers "is only available to 
active, qualified patients. Once a patient is enrolled in the 
program, a list of licensed nonprofit producers is provided with the 
patient ID card. This information is confidential and should be kept 
safe for the protection and safety of all concerned."

Of course, as with many businesses, there are safety risks to growing 
and selling medical pot. That's why, like banks and convenience 
stores, Briones has installed cameras to monitor every corner of his 
building. And why, as with conventional drug stores, he has added 
special shutters to protect the windows at night.

It's much harder to protect the public from seven years of DOH 
secrecy, which has resulted in medical marijuana shortages, price 
gouging and poor quality, according to some of the 10,818 patients. 
It has allowed individuals with criminal records to apply for 
dispensary licenses in secret. It has allowed the vast majority of 
medical marijuana prescriptions to be written for the 
hardest-to-pinpoint of 19 conditions (PTSD is No. 1; chronic pain No. 
2) without question. And it has allowed for a curiously high rate of 
prescriptions to come from a small number of physicians and from 
rural counties.

The state's physicians and 23 providers are licensed by the state of 
New Mexico, are required to pay state and federal taxes, and are 
expected to provide relief for some of New Mexico's most vulnerable 
and fragile patients. If seven years has shown anything, it's that 
they cannot be held accountable behind closed doors.

Briones, who owned Purple Sage nurseries before deciding to focus on 
one plant strain four years ago, did the state's medical cannabis 
program a favor when he stepped up last week to make his business not 
only more profitable, but more accountable.

The Health Department should come out of hiding and do the same.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom