Medical Marijuana Update

Residents of a pair of California counties are fighting back against restrictive ordinances, Arizona rejects some new medical conditions, Illinois sets out draft rules, and more. Let's get to it:

Last Friday, Arizona officials declined to add several conditions to the list that qualify for medical marijuana. The Department of Public Health denied petitions seeking approval to use medical marijuana for the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder, depression, and migraines. Director Will Humble said the decision was due to a lack of published data regarding the risks and benefits of using medicinal cannabinoids. The department will accept new petitions January 27 – 31.

California

Last Wednesday, foes of Lake County's medical marijuana ordinance turned in signatures for a referendum to repeal it. Organizers turned in 4,222 signatures, about half again as many as needed to qualify for the June ballot, but they must still be verified. The ordinance, which has been suspended pending the outcome of the referendum, bans cultivation in residential neighborhoods in unincorporated parts of the county. Grows would be allowed outdoors on parcels bigger than an acre, with a maximum of 48 plants on a 20-acre parcel.

Last Thursday, Fresno County activists began a signature gathering drive for a referendum seeking to repeal the county's new ban on cultivation. Organizers need to obtain 20,130 valid voter signatures by February 5.

On Tuesday, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano said he would again work this year to get a medical marijuana bill passed in Sacramento. "This year, I will again have legislation to create a regulatory structure for medical marijuana. Nearly two decades after voters legalized cannabis for those who have a medical need, we still see a chaotic environment of prosecutions, threats and confusing court decisions," he said. "We need to have a regulatory structure to make sure that patients have a safe supply, free of criminal influence. We also need this to ensure that growers are environmentally responsible, and to make sure that medical recommendations are based on real needs, not some doctor's profit motive."

Illinois

On Monday, state officials unveiled draft regulations for the medical marijuana program. They include a $150 fee for a patient to register, fingerprinting at the patient's own expense, and barring anyone with a drug felony from being registered. But it could still be a year before some patients are able to register, and that and other aspects of the draft regs are raising eyebrows among patient advocates.

Michigan

On Monday, new state medical marijuana figures came out. They show that the number of registered patients declined about 5%, from 124,000 in 2012 to 118,000 last year. But the number of providers dropped dramatically, from 50,000 to 27,000, because of changes in state law, prosecutions, and adverse court decisions.

New Mexico

On Tuesday, a Santa Fe doctor filed a complaint against the Medical Cannabis Advisory Board, charging that it overstepped its authority by requiring her to provide patient documentation above and beyond that required by state law. The complaint also alleges that board chair Dr. Steven Rosenberg has a conflict of interest because his practice certifies patients for medical marijuana, making other certifying doctors his economic competitors.

Utah

Last Wednesday, a new poll showed narrow majority support for medical marijuana in the Beehive State. The Salt Lake Tribune poll had 51% in favor. The poll comes after parents of children suffering from seizures gained considerable publicity in their bid to get a bill allowing the importation of high-CBD cannabis oil passed.

[For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]