Caregivers Under Attack -- Again (Action Alert)

Once again, the Colorado Health Department (CDPHE) has launched an attack on medical marijuana caregivers.

Hiding behind the Attorney General’s questionable legal interpretation, the CDPHE has rejected the proposed definition of "caregiver" as put forward by the CDPHE Medical Marijuana Advisory Board. After studying the issue, the Advisory Board concluded that providing education about medical marijuana was sufficient to meet the definition of "caregiver".  The CDPHE rejected that idea (and disbanded the Advisory Board!) and is now attempting to require caregivers to regularly assist patients with “activities of daily living” including transportation, housekeeping, meal preparation, and more. This ruling will limit patient choice and force patients to find caregivers who will not just provide quality medicine, but also provide additional, and often unnecessary,  services.

The CDPHE is taking public comment on the proposed rules until April 20th, 2011 at 5:00p. Please tell the CDPHE to amend their proposal to allow patients to choose what services their caregiver should provide! Send them an email here: [email protected]

DRAFT E-mail:

Dear CDPHE,

Hi my name is  _______________ and I am a medical marijuana patient advocate.  Please consider adopting the below amendment to the definition of "caregiver".  These changes will protect patient choice of provider.

“Significant responsibility for managing the well-being of a patient” means, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING MEDICAL MARIJUANA, AND UPON REQUEST FROM THE PATIENT, REGULARLY assisting a patient with ACTIVITIES OF daily LIVING, including but not limited to transportation or housekeeping or meal preparation or shopping or making any necessary arrangement for access to medical care or NON-MEDICAL MARIJUANA services.”

Thank you,

­­­­___________________

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