help growin need help

[CFO]

Did you ask if they had applied for a non profit and then set it up as a collective if that would work? But like I said before the costs would be prohibitive with the renewal fees that also have to be paid.

If the nonprofit's proposal were written to be a collective...it would probably work if submitted and approved. But then the "collective" would have to follow the same rules as the other nonprofits and would have the license renewal fees to deal with every year. I don't believe a collective would work, as you said, due to the costs. Are there revenues in a collective? Maybe my understanding of a collective and yours are two different things? I would think a $30,000 license renewal fee (after the 3rd year) would be cost prohibitive for a collective. IMHO. Currently, the rules are not written to allow for collectives.

[alfonso2002]

I think your right the licensing fees would put a damper on it .

[CFO]

I also was wondering who this person was seems to know more than the average bear.

Originally Posted by MimbresValley:
Am I the only person here who finds cfo's posts a bit odd...kinda like a doh go between.... LOL


No, I have no connection with the DOH. However, I am a registered patient and have other family members on the program as well. I have made it a priority to know the rules of the program to keep other members of my family out of trouble. We have to play by the rules or lose the program. One family member has been in the program since 2007 and I am the one who got his paperwork submitted for him. He would have staid out of the program all together if I hadn't insisted. Why do something illegally if you can do it legally? Yes, it costs more in $, but at least in the state, he is safer.

I am an accountant and I do work closely with one of the producers. So most of my posts deal with the business aspects. I cannot sit quietly on the sidelines when I see erroneous postings. There are new patients who come to this site for help. If we post incorrect information, or attack people for what they post, the new patients could possibly decide playing by the rules is too much hassle and continue to obtain their medicine illegally and from unknown sources.

Medicinal grade cannabis (controlled growing environment, organic nutrients, etc.) is safer than MOST of what is available on the street. I don't know how many times I have asked my family member who continues to buy on the street what the strain is he just purchased and his reply is "I don't know, but it's good stuff". Oh, and he paid $20/gram when the local LNPP has it for much less. Go figure.

So, in closing, I do not post to harm anyone...simply to help. I believe the DOH is doing a great job considering. And, as I stated in another post, yes, I believe the law suit is harming the program. It may be coincidental, but ever since the lawsuit, patient applications have crawled through the process. One family member is still waiting on his card and his app was sent in July. Not as long as some of the others but it's frustrating. And now the staff has to also help with the LNPP renewals so that is going to take time away from the patients temporarily. I sincerely hope all the patients will get their cards soon.

Have a great day!

[alfonso2002]

Thanks for clearing that up.street price 20 a gram? dam that sounds a little high but if it was AAA+ then I guess that is what it is.I don"t buy from producers any more. it took me about 1 and a half years to get the hang of growing indoors.The most important part is good genetics. Now I am able to grow what I need.And while I'm at it might as well post on one BIG problem with the rules. I think that the limit on what you can have has got to change that 6oz is not good. If you are an outdoor grower and only harvest 1 time a year you will need to store more than that to last you the year.The costs in indoor growing are also a lot higher than outdoors. and the learning curve is a factor too.I think that a petition to raise that limit would be a good thing I'm thinking at least 1 lb. would be a start.

[CFO]

Thanks for clearing that up.street price 20 a gram? dam that sounds a little high but if it was AAA+ then I guess that is what it is.I don"t buy from producers any more. it took me about 1 and a half years to get the hang of growing indoors.The most important part is good genetics. Now I am able to grow what I need.And while I'm at it might as well post on one BIG problem with the rules. I think that the limit on what you can have has got to change that 6oz is not good. If you are an outdoor grower and only harvest 1 time a year you will need to store more than that to last you the year.The costs in indoor growing are also a lot higher than outdoors. and the learning curve is a factor too.I think that a petition to raise that limit would be a good thing I'm thinking at least 1 lb. would be a start.

I believe I read that patients can get exceptions to the 6 ounce rule. I agree that for some the 6 ounces is just not enough. Some of my family members would consume an ounce a week and would if they were allowed to grow more. If it keeps them off of all the damaging pharmaceuticals, I would support an increase.

[Bknight]

not sure in NM but usually in other states doctor recomendations allow for increase in plant # and quantity.. 6 ozs is weak.. the only way to make that work would be perpetual grow harvesting at least monthly if not more within the same light which is insane and doubtful that a novice grow would be able to do. i think 12oz is closer to a realistic #.

[alfonso2002]

The rules state"means an amount of cannabis, derived solely from an intrastate source and

in a form approved by the department, possessed by a qualified patient or collectively possessed by a qualified patient and the qualified patientâ??s primary caregiver, that is determined by the department to be no more than reasonably necessary to ensure the uninterrupted availability of cannabis for a period of three (3) months.
An adequate supply shall not exceed six (6) ounces usableble cannabis An amount greater than six (6) ounces usableble cannabis may be allowed, at the departmentâ??s discretion, upon proof of special need as evidenced by a practitioner letter explaining why a larger dose is indicated. Any such allowance shall be reviewed for approval by a medical director designated by the department, who shall consider standards for exceptions to the adequate supply requirements that are approved by the advisory board." The reason is not that you are using more than2ozs a month.In this case it is that you need to have a 12 month supply.Also the six oz. limit at any one time is a problem if you want to make edible you will need at least1-2 ozs per pound of butter. So that would leave you with 4 ozs to last you 3 months.Now if you want to make the "cure" which is an oil you would need up to a pound of product.This is an area that needs to be redone with a better understanding of the needs of a patient.

[alfonso2002]

Bknight you talk about a perpetual grow harvesting at least monthly That would be a nice feat if you can do it but I don't see how that can happen we have a 4 plant limit on flowering plants so I'm thinking 2 months if you have an 8 week strain. And the rules also do not state that an increase in plant count can be obtained with approval from doctor. Just the usage amount can be uped.And here we go again with 4 desent plant harvest you are going to be over your limit of 6 oz. the numbers don't add up. something has to be done. P.S. CFO you seem to be able to contact DOH will you find out if there have been any approvals on amount over six{6} ozs.

[alfonso2002]

just got this from NORML Marijuana Prosecutions For 2010 Near Record High

Pot Arrests Now More Than Half Of Total Drug Arrests Nationwide

Washington, DC: Police made 853,838 arrests in 2010 for marijuana-related offenses, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's annual Uniform Crime Report, released today. The annual arrest total is among the highest ever reported by the agency and is nearly identical to the total number of cannabis-related arrests reported in 2009.

According to the report, marijuana arrests now comprise more than one-half (52 percent) of all drug arrests in the United States. An estimated 46 percent of all drug arrests are for offenses related to marijuana possession.

"Today, as in past years, the so-called 'drug war' remains fueled by the arrests of minor marijuana possession offenders, a disproportionate percentage of whom are ethnic minorities," NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. "It makes no sense to continue to waste law enforcements' time and taxpayers' dollars to arrest and prosecute responsible Americans for their use of a substance that poses far fewer health risks than alcohol or tobacco."

Of those charged with marijuana law violations, 750,591 (88 percent) were arrested for marijuana offenses involving possession only. The remaining 103,247 individuals were charged with "sale/manufacture," a category that includes virtually all cultivation offenses.

By region, the percentage of marijuana arrests was highest in the Midwest (63.5 percent of all drug arrests) and southern regions (57 percent of all drug arrests) of the United States and lowest in the west, where pot prosecutions comprised only 39 percent of total drug arrests.

By contrast, the percentage of arrests for heroin and cocaine was lowest in the Midwest (14 percent of all arrests) and highest in the northeast (29 percent of all arrests).

Overall, law enforcement agents nationwide arrested 1,638,846 people last year for drug abuse violations, surpassing arrests for all other crimes.

Since 2000, law enforcement have reported making an estimated 7.9 million arrests for marijuana violations.

[alfonso2002]

wondering what is wrong with this picture

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Exactly five months into the voter-approved program, more than 13,000 Arizonans now have the state's legal permission to get high.

And at this rate, 32,000 of your friends and neighbors will be card-carrying medical marijuana users when the system hits the first anniversary.

But state Health Director Will Humble said he cannot predict ultimately what percentage of Arizonans will become medical marijuana users. He said, though, there is no immediate indication that the figure will hit 200,000 any time soon, the number of people in Colorado - a state of similar size - who possess that state's medical marijuana card.

The latest figures also show that the use of marijuana, at least legally, is not spread equally around the state.

Among the 126 community health districts, the largest numbers are concentrated in a few areas in Scottsdale, north and east Phoenix, as well as the east side of Mesa and southeast Chandler. There also is a pocket in the Peoria area.

But residents of Tucson's Catalina foothills area, and those living on the eastern edge of the city also have lined up for their medical marijuana cards.

And a fair number of Prescott-area residents also are participants.

Humble said there was an initial rush of applications in the days following the April 14 start of the program, with applications coming in at the rate of about 100 a day.

"It's tapered off a little bit," he said. But Humble said the online application system still is getting close to 70 requests each day, leading to his extrapolation of 32,000 users by the middle of next April.

Humble, however, said it's more difficult to make predictions on a longer-term basis.

He pointed out that the cards are good for only one year. And with that annual $150 fee, Humble said some people may decide not to renew.

In some cases, Humble said, their medical situation may have changed. But he said others may have believed that, once they had a card, "they could walk into a dispensary" to pick up their legally permitted 2 1/2 ounces of marijuana every two weeks.

"That's probably not going to be the case any time soon," Humble said. His agency has so far refused to license any dispensaries, with attorneys for the state asking a federal court to first rule whether health department workers who process these applications might be subject to federal prosecution for facilitating the possession and sale of marijuana, which remains illegal under federal law.

Humble also said the restrictions the health department put on the program may account for the fact that there are not more medical marijuana users in Arizona.

"I think we've done as good a job as we possibly can to keep it as medical as possible," he said, versus a program that was really designed to provide recreational users a legal method to obtain their drugs.

That includes various requirements for doctors to examine patients and review medical records. And Humble has asked medical boards to investigate a handful of doctors who appear to be processing applications at a rapid rate, suggesting it appears they were more interested in making money by issuing marijuana certifications than meeting their patients' legitimate medical needs.

Still, Humble said, his rules can go only so far. The voter-approved law which spells out the conditions under which a doctor can recommend marijuana has a broad catch-all category of "chronic pain," a category cited in more than eight out of every 10 applications.

"There are certainly recreational users in the system," he said. "There's no doubt about that. But I'm pleased with the fact that we've done everything that we can to try to keep it as medical as possible."

N.M. has been at it almost 5 years and we are only a little over 5000.