Future of Program with Martinez in office?

[marshall16]

What has anyone heard about producer renewels/ new applications with the new administration? I, along with my board, are working on submitting our application. Does anyone have any feedback or suggestions? Obviously there are many hurdlesThanks, Marshall

marshall16 Reviewed by marshall16 on 09-14-2011. Future of Program with Martinez in office? What has anyone heard about producer renewels/ new applications with the new administration? I, along with my board, are working on submitting our application. Does anyone have any feedback or suggestions? Obviously there are many hurdlesThanks, Marshall Rating: 5

[CFO]

What has anyone heard about producer renewels/ new applications with the new administration? I, along with my board, are working on submitting our application. Does anyone have any feedback or suggestions? Obviously there are many hurdlesThanks, Marshall

Hey Marshall - welcome.

In my humble opinion, things will remain status quo for some time. If you are willing to risk your $1,000 nonrefundable application fee, then go for it.

If you aren't aware, however, there is currently a lawsuit against the state (including many individuals) brought by six NPP APPLICANTS. And just to let you know...their application fee was $100 ...and they are suing. I don't predict a swift process for you, but good luck!

[STONEGROOVE]

So what are they suing for??Why did the app fee jump fro 100$ to 1000$?

[CFO]

So what are they suing for??Why did the app fee jump fro 100$ to 1000$?

Only insiders really know why they sued. The leader was a man who applies for a license in maybe October last year and expected to get licensed just because he submitted an application. So when he wasn't one of the last producers who were licensed in December, he decided to sue for the DOH to disclose their criteria for their previous selections. There were some who have had their apps in for over 2 years without being approved. Recently learned that there were 102 pending applications and only 4 were complete. The other 98 apps were incomplete. Now those 92 received a letter, but it only states their app has been denied because it was incomplete. The only criteria that I am aware of is found in the Rules and Regulations. Although not specific or "spelled out" anyone who wants to apply would really just need to follow the Rules and Regs and the Lynn & Erin Compassionate Use Act to be able to determine what is needed.

The app fee increased from $100 to $1000 back when the rules changed in December 2010. The reasoning was due to the number of frivolous applications (indicative by the number of incomplete applications). Many of the apps would be submitted without the patient board members in place. Something that basic! They would tell Dominick "when you give us our license we will have access to the patient base and will be able to get our 3 patients then." Give me a break. Anyone who wants to be a LNPP should at least have their board in place. So, they increased the non-refundable fee in hopes of receiving only complete applications. A little harder to lose $1,000 as opposed to $100.

[CFO]

Wow, where do I start....

JACKSONF: "The letter sent out to rejecties also states that they are not accepting applications at the moment and will let us know when they are."
CFO: So this means you were one of the 102 applicants still pending and thus the reason for the criticisms? So sorry for your loss.

JACKSONF: "The lawsuit is about the arbitrary and capricious way the producers were chosen. Many were selected for reasons that were not clear, they were certainly not qualified as their inability to produce has shown. One of the litigants was given their license and then after considerable expense had it taken away with no explanation. Others declared complete were passed over by others who applied later. The whole process was bogus. It was not compassionate.
CFO: Are you a member of the lawsuit or the applicant who supposedly had their license issued and then taken away? I say supposedly because I have never heard such a claim before and have never seen any mention of same until your posts. According to the DOH and Dominick none of the applicants had been denied ....until now....they were all still pending. Out of 102 applications only 4 were complete. What is complete? I would say an application that has all of the elements as listed in the rules and regulations. You can say that there is no criteria specifically stated and you are somewhat correct. However, there is a checklist (or was) that applicants can use. It is similar to an index. I understand now that a business plan must also be part of future applications. Unsure as to whether or not the 4 complete applications will have to submit a business plan if one was not previously part of their application.

JACKSONF: "I suggest that none of the current producers are 'complete' (can be logically proven) and selection was done to minimize production (seems to have been effective). Dominiqic had no criteria to select producers, it was capricious and arbitrary . . thus the lawsuit. This administration has no criteria as well and are making it up as they go along. If you don't know what you need . . how can you select for it?"
CFO: NONE are complete? Can be logically proven? Go for it...tell me...I'm curious.
To minimize production? That's a new one, too. A number of the producers are pushing to increase the plant count from 150 to 300. They want to produce as much as the law will allow and you state they were selected to "minimize" production. Hmmmm

JACKSONF: "What should the criteria be? Perhaps experience, a proven track record in start up agricultural endeavors, a degree or training of some kind, economic resources to pull it off and compassion . . just because one can grow a home garden of tomatoes, does not mean that you can grow 40 acres . . commercial production is a whole different operation. I can only suppose what was behind the selection process . . I can see the results."
CFO: That is a lot of acreage for 150 plants! Have you seen the applications for all of the current LNPPs? How do you know there isn't a horticulturist or experience grower involved with each producer? I personally know that SFINM had a seed breeder as their grower. They quit due to too many unanswered questions by the current administration. Their medicine was awesome. Certainly glad they made a connection with Mother Earth before they left the state. We patients in Las Cruces will be benefiting from the SFINM genetics. I have also had the medicine from CGC and their HOG worked great for neuropathy and insomnia.

JACKSONF: "Still waiting for MJ Express-o and Mother Earth Herbs to get their act together down south and begin supplying medicine to their patients, what has it been, a couple years?."
CFO: Don't know where you are, or what you are "waiting for" but I am in Las Cruces and Mother Earth Herbs has been supplying my medicine for over a year now...they were licensed in July 2010. Don't know about MJ Express-O first hand but I know other patients have gotten medicine from them. I think they were licensed in November or December 2010. It takes time to build the facility and produce medicine as you are well aware.

JACKSONF: "Some of the producers are doing well and serving their patient base. Others are doing great and working to improve the medicine. I do not paint all producers with the same brush, some have got it, others are still playing 'dope grower' games. Try getting a phone call returned . . ."
CFO: Mother Earth returns my calls. Maybe you should hook up with them.

Marshall, back to your original question....I wish you luck in your application. Perhaps under Secretary Torres there will be a clearer set of guidelines that you will be able to follow. She certainly wants to micromanage the Department so I am sure she will be personally involved with setting the criteria for future producer applications. She is certainly more involved than Vigil ever was. And Jacksonf is correct....there won't be any new producers added any time soon. When the application process is reopened, my advice would be to make sure you have your Board of Directors in place. That has been the biggest hurdle for most of the producers.

Governor Martinez signed the bill for the program to be self-sufficient, but it does not appear that she will allow any new producers while she is in office. You may get lucky and she may decide to run for VP. LOL

PEACE