About eight out of 10 Michigan residents who have applied to Michigan's Medical Marijuana Program have been granted cards that allow them to use marijuana legally for medicinal purposes.
In the two months since applications became available to residents, the state Department of Community Health has received 2,377 applications and approved 1,903 of them as Thursday.
"We've had a little over 200 applications a week," said, spokesman James L. McCurtis Jr. "It's been pretty steady. No major highs or major lows."
McCurtis said the department is not tracking the hometowns of who gets the cards and can't release patient information, but the majority of the 320 applicants denied were missing paperwork or made errors in the forms.
Applicants must complete a form, have a physician certify them as a "qualifying patient" and pay an application fee of $100, or $25 if enrolled in a Medicaid health plan or receiving Supplemental Security Income.
The patient or caregiver once possessing the medical card can have up to 2.5 ounces of ready-to-use marijuana on them and/or 12 plants in an "enclosed, locked facility."
Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team Detective 1st Lt. Melvin Matthews said his department so far has not come across any patients with cards.
"If we come across something where the person is legal with that card, we just take a report, document everything but then we move on," Matthews said. "There's nothing else we can do."
News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: The Saginaw News
Author: Michael Wayland
Contact: MLive.com
Copyright: 2009 Michigan Live LLC.
Website: Eight in 10 Michigan Medical Marijuana Applicants Receive Cards
In the two months since applications became available to residents, the state Department of Community Health has received 2,377 applications and approved 1,903 of them as Thursday.
"We've had a little over 200 applications a week," said, spokesman James L. McCurtis Jr. "It's been pretty steady. No major highs or major lows."
McCurtis said the department is not tracking the hometowns of who gets the cards and can't release patient information, but the majority of the 320 applicants denied were missing paperwork or made errors in the forms.
Applicants must complete a form, have a physician certify them as a "qualifying patient" and pay an application fee of $100, or $25 if enrolled in a Medicaid health plan or receiving Supplemental Security Income.
The patient or caregiver once possessing the medical card can have up to 2.5 ounces of ready-to-use marijuana on them and/or 12 plants in an "enclosed, locked facility."
Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team Detective 1st Lt. Melvin Matthews said his department so far has not come across any patients with cards.
"If we come across something where the person is legal with that card, we just take a report, document everything but then we move on," Matthews said. "There's nothing else we can do."
News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: The Saginaw News
Author: Michael Wayland
Contact: MLive.com
Copyright: 2009 Michigan Live LLC.
Website: Eight in 10 Michigan Medical Marijuana Applicants Receive Cards
