Could Someone Help me?

[Em760]

Hello,

I have a few questions about a medical marijuana license, and how to get one. I wanted to know if I would be able to be a patient. I've always been really worried about my weight and lower back pain. I'm 19 Male 6'7 and I weight about 160. About 6 months ago I started smoking Marijuana with my older brother and I started to gain weight really fast. Around 4 months in to smoking Marijuana my weight was up to 175. As I kept smoking Marijuana I found myself eating more, I've always had a hard time eating. I recently stop smoking Marijuana for about a month. I got really sick and lost a lot of weight. I'm down to 158 now and for some reason I'm really picky on what I eat and I don't eat as much. I feel like my appétit is now gone. I'm really worried about this. And I don't want to start smoking illegally again, if anyone has any information that would be wonderful.

Kris

 

[Thepurplem0nkey]

I'm not sure what you are asking here, but I'll try to address all of your questions.
First, not to pick hairs, but you can not receive a medical marijuana license. In the state of California, you may have the usage of marijuana "recommended" to you by a medical doctor. That's it. No "prescriptions", no "license", no "card". While Prop 215 and sb420 mandate each county to set up an OPTIONAL/non-mandatory registration system, few have created such a program, and to be honest, I would never, N E V E R register with it if not required (and the law DOES NOT requires you to register). Why would you willingly place your name on a state data base that could, and most likely will, be confiscated by the federal government at any time they like, when you are not legally obligated to register in the first place? A card issued by a cannabis club or collective have absolutely no legal value whatsoever, and means absolutely nothing in the eyes of the law (and the eyes of the police). Anyone telling you differently has not read Proposition 215. If Prop 215 (and SB420) does not explicitly say it, then it is not legally covered.
Next, in order to have marijuana recommended to you by a doctor, you must meet the criteria of Proposition 215, which states:
"cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief."
If you suffer from one of those symptoms, or you believe you have an illness that marijuana provides relief for, you legally qualify for medical marijuana and you should consult with your doctor. If your doctor orally or textually recommends that you use marijuana for medicinal purposes, you are LEGALY permitted to consume marijuana. You are NOT legally protected from arrest for using marijuana, which is a common myth and false belief. The police can, and often will, arrest you if they feel like it, despite having a legal doctor’s note or oral recommendation. You are protected, however, in court where a judge would dismiss all charges assuming you were not breaking any of the laws you must obey as a medical marijuana patient. I should note that SOME (and I stress S O M E) state entities, like the Sherriff’s department, have policies in effect that mandate the release of medical marijuana patients AND their medicine, if they can prove their legal status. However, cases of this happening are few and far between, and if you get pulled over on Saturday night and your doctor is not in his office…good luck. Also, there’s nothing in the Sheriffs policy mandating the Sheriffs don’t be dicks and charge you for driving under the influence, conspiracy to sell, and a host of other nasty things they can do if they so feel like it.
As for your weight gain when using marijuana, I would seek a professional medical opinion on that. However, as someone who has NO medical education and NO formal medial training, I'll tell you what I believe to be the obvious answer: you got the munchies and ate lots of tasty, fatty foods. People who use marijuana for medicinal purposes have to learn how to dose themselves. Some experimentation and self restraint work wonders on weight gain due to munchies. I have weak self restraint myself, so instead of just vegging out all of the time, I buy HEALTHY snacks, like rice cakes, celery sticks, peanut butter, apples, fruit, yogurt, fat free pretzels...you get the idea. That way, even if I do succumb to the munchies, at least I'm not putting total crap into my body. Also, if your disability allows, plan a daily exercise routine where you burn off the extra calories you intake from the munchies (You’ll live a longer, healthier life this way too).

Good luck.
PM

 

[Em760]

Thank you for your post. So there is no need for me to get a Medical Marijuana lic? I've smoked one time in public and a cop asked me to put it out. I wasn't charged with anything he just asked me to throw the joint away. Maybe the cop wasn't a dick. Now i hear that a lot of people say your lucky that you live in CA. Now why is that? I was reading that you can have up to 28 grams and only be charged a fine of 100 dollars is this true? Anything other info would be great.

Thank you
Kris

 

[Thepurplem0nkey]

Hi Em,
Well, it's not that you don't need a doctors recommendation (remember, there is no such thing as a marijuana license OR a marijuana prescription...those things do not exist in California, nor anywhere else in the US that I am aware of)...in fact, if you qualify for one (I posted the qualifications from Prop 215 in my first post), you S H O U L D seek out a recommendation so that you can take your medicine when and where you please without fear of going to jail or having your medicine confiscated (This still happens of course, but you have legal recourse if you have a recommendation). Bottom line, if you feel that you meet the qualifications, you should get a recommendation. You can acquire quality meds from reputable locations and not have to worry about going to jail for using marijuana.
People probably tell you that you are lucky to live in California, first and foremost because Cali fucking ROCKS and there’s no other state like us in the union ;-) Cali also sports the most progressive and liberal medical marijuana laws in the nation. Even Oregon, which also sports some spiffy med pot laws, doesn’t hold a flame to California. Finally, in California, if memory serves me, an ounce of weed or less is merely a ticket and fine, no jail sentence like in other states. So if you were strolling down the street and got caught with a joint in your pocket, at most you would get a ticket and pay 100 dollar fine (or less, I don’t really know the specifics of this). Remember though that many crooked, bad police are out there...in fact, I have yet to meet one that is NOT crooked....and they can claim you were intending to sell that joint to children, that you were intending to bring it to school, etc. Just keep that in mind.
-PM

 

[Em760]

You've Helped me a lot purple. Glad i live in cali. My older brother now lives in VA and he said the laws are very very bad get cought with any weed a gram or w/e your going to jail. Now what about these people that grow Marijuana? Or buy from shops? I believe you were talking about this before were you have to sign your name up for that other stuff. I know i wouldn't want to do that i would hate to have the police watch me grow.

Em760

 

[ZedRules]

Excellent analysis of Prop 215 & SB 420 purplemonkey...that SB 420 has given way to LA County now having a program which registers, photo ID and lists you on some forboding database somewhere...What I have read is that this is to eliminate unneccessary arrest/seizure of goods or prosecution of a registered patient in the county system...however, we all know how trustworthy our Fed Gov is when it comes to any database

BUYER BEWARE...big brother is watching

 

[Thepurplem0nkey]

zedRules, I couldn't agree with you more. The card program exists to muscle people into believing they must register with the (you DON'T! Nowhere in prop 215 or sb420 does it state a mandatory obligation to sign up with the county) county. This only benefits law enforcement, particularly the federal law enforcement, NOT THE PATIENT. Some may argue that a county issued card will help avoid arrest, but I don’t think that placing your name on a database for the feds to peruse is worth what will occur with or without a card in the first place. However, to each his own.
Em760, no problem, I am glad I could help. As for signing up at clubs, also known as dispensaries, that varies. I live in the Los Angeles area. There are about 40 + clubs within my driving range. All of them vary in rules. Some require you to sign over cargivership (In Prop 215/sb 420, there exists language allowing for a non medical marijuana patient to become a caregiver to a legal medical marijuana patient. This title of "caregiver" gives the same legal protections (more or less) to the caregiver, such as growing medical marijuana, handling MMJ, and transportation of MMJ) to the club itself, essentially giving them legal authority to provide you with medicine. Others merely require that you show up with proof of doctor’s recommendation. I have found that the majority of clubs in the LA area simply require a doctor’s note. Many times, they will call and confirm with the doctor prior to letting you in. I was in San Francisco (SF County offers cards for county residents) not too long ago, and most of the dispensaries I visited required a county issued card, something I was quite peeved at. I will never support a dispensary that requires me to disclose to the authorities my medical status, but for some people, that is not a problem.
As for growing your own medicine, California law says that a medical grower can, in any county, grow at least 12 immature plants and 6 mature plants. A MMJ patient may poses up to 8 ounces of MMJ at a time. This law only sets the minimum amounts, some counties have raised it. I believe in Mendocino county, you can grow up to 99 plants, and some counties allow as many plants that can fit into a specific sized area. However, while individual counties may increase the minimum, NO COUNTY may LOWER the minimum.
Medicinal marijuana dispensaries carry a large selection of medicines. Besides the great strains of marijuana, they sell hash, edibles (cookies, soft drinks, caramels, candies, lollipops, cakes, peanut butter, butter, ice cream....the list goes on) oils, honeys, capsules, keif, and other wonderful items. Prices are, generally speaking, lower than street prices, the quality is significantly better, you have the freedom of always being able to acquire your medicine as opposed to hoping your dealer is stocked and has the time, you don’t have to worry about getting robbed or ripped off, and the most important reason of all...IT IS YOUR LEGAL RIGHT to pursue this if you legally qualify. The best thing you can do right now is to look up Proposition 215 and SB 420, read them both over (neither of them are very long), and pay special attention to the qualifications. If you believe you have symptoms that marijuana can ease, then you have legal grounds to ask your doctor. The doctor does not need to be a special "weed doctor", it can be your family practitioner. However, if you feel uncomfortable, or your family practitioner says no, then you always have the option of seeking out compassionate doctors who specifically see people solely for the recommendation of medicinal marijuana. You can find these doctors with a simple google search, or even better, check out California’s NORML web page.
-PM

 

[ZedRules]

Em760...I hope you will get treatment and join the fight for safe access for all patients everywhere.
BTW...no COOPs I've been to even asked for that county card yet, just my Dr. note & DL.

 

[Happy Kitty]

Thanks for all the good info, PM.

I have had one club that has asked me for the county ID card, which I refuse to get. They also wanted me to get a club card from them too. With so many other clubs in the area, I have taken my business elsewhere. Ironic that the county ID card program in that particular county has no program in place. My county does, but yet we have no clubs in Santa Clara county. Go figure.

I understand their reasoning for having the county ID card, but it's just another way to document you. They have enough info already.

 

[jeffmaica]

EM, I have the same problem as you with weight gain. If you go see a Medical Marijuana DR he will write you the recommendation. View my other post in the MM DR's section.

Jeff