it's unfortunate, but the NM MCP program is grossly underfunded, in part because of the ridiculously low application fee for producers who are supposed to be non-profit companies. They could certainly afford more then $100 out of their war chests when the board of directors are paying themselves IRS allowable maximums. In part because the State on NM is run by a bunch of for lack of a better word...idiots who are more about lining their pockets then taking care of the voters.

Things will slowly change however. I've gotten significant positive responses from the DOH, granted it's taken a few weeks, but each communication eventually gets a response.

My suggestion of raising producer license fees to 5k for the first renewal has gotten some positive feedback from state lawmakers, since after a year, it should be quite affordable for those who have been given the privilege of growing legally under the state umbrella. Those funds would be directed to add additional staff to the MCP program, which is to provide better service to what I expect will be several thousand patients by the end of 2010.

There is enough info on the DOH website for a patient to get thru it without much help, and one of the first producers has gone totally public ( you can find his email address around here someplace) and would be a good resource to make sure you've got all the ducks in a row before sending the application in.

A good friend of mine with MS was able to get a card in under a month. He's in bad shape so there was no question what so ever about his qualifying, but he still got an inquire phone call from DOH (his doctor did too)

MMJ is an alternative to perspiration painkillers, but perhaps not a do all end all. Not as effective as an anti-inflammatory as I had hoped, but as a pain killer, it sure beats the crap out of vicodin ( if you've taken v for any length of time you should have just cracked a smile)

Get the forms, give then a read, take em to your doc, fill em out and send them in..you should have a card in 4-6 weeks I imagine with the backlog the holiday has created.