We are, as you know, in the process of putting together a comprehensive ‘one-stop shop’ on the topic of medical marijuana. To help medical cannabis patients as much as we possibly can, we are now putting together a comprehensive listing of marijuana dispensaries in all legal states. If you have anything you would like to say about any of these dispensaries or, indeed, about medical marijuana in general. Also, if you are a resident of California, please don’t forget that we have a specific California section on our medical cannabis forum.
The California Medical Marijuana Program
The Medical Marijuana Program MMP) was established to provide a voluntary medical marijuana identification card issuance and registry program for qualified patients and their caregivers. The web-based registry system allows law enforcement and the public to verify the validity of qualified patient or caregiver’s card as authorization to possess, grow, transport and/or use Medical Marijuana in California. To facilitate the verification of authorized cardholders, the verification database is available on the internet at www.calmmp.ca.gov.
In 2003, Senate Bill (SB) 420 (Chapter 875, Statutes of 2003) was passed as an extension and clarification of Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. The Medical Marijuana Program, within CDPH, is administered through a patient’s county of residence. Upon obtaining a recommendation from their physician for use of medicinal marijuana, patients and their primary caregivers may apply for and be issued, a Medical Marijuana Identification Card. Senate Bill 420 also required that the MMP be fully supported through the card application processing fees. Both the state and the counties have authority to cover their costs for the program through these application fees.
Please Note: CDPH offices will be closed three Fridays per month January 2010 through June 2010 due to the Governor’s furlough orders.
California Medical Marijuana Dispensaries County-by-County
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Proposition 215, passed in 1996, allows a physician to recommend cannabis to a patient with a serious and chronic medical condition. This law only provides patients with a legal defense for possession and cultivation. It does not provide immunity from arrest.
Senate Bill 420, passed in 2002, allows patients to voluntarily register with the State of California Department of Health Medical Marijuana program and receive a state ID card (for a fee). It is a state card issued through the county offices. Registering with the state provides immunity from arrest for the possession and cultivation of medical cannabis.
Many patients ask if they should get a state ID card. It is your decision based on your personal circumstances. Those patients who cultivate cannabis or have larger quantities in their possession, or those who want immunity from the threat of arrest, often apply for the card. Patients who only have small quantities in the privacy of their home often choose not to get the card.
If you would like to apply to get the state ID card, you must go to the Department of Health in the county of your primary residence. There is an application and a fee (each county has a different fee). You must show your California ID and your written recommendation for medical cannabis from your physician. Your physician will be contacted and asked to verify the recommendation. You will then receive your card. The process takes less than 30 days.
This process is completely separate from your physician’s office and must be initiated by you at the county office. If you choose to get the state card, you must sign a medical release form that allows the physician to verify to the state that you were recommended to use medical cannabis. This information is considered confidential and cannot be released without your written permission. CannaCenters includes this release form in the intake questionnaire – you can leave it blank if you are not going to apply for the card.