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While welcomed by some and shunned by others on both sides of the debate over medical marijuana, a medical marijuana dispensary is set to be awarded Aug. 7 in Graham County.
The Arizona Department of Health Services received 484 applications for dispensaries throughout the state. Only 126 will be awarded — one for each Community Health Analysis Area — and a random drawing for areas with more than one application will be held Aug. 7. Some CHAAs, including all of those on Indian reservations, did not have a dispensary applicant.
The Graham County South CHAA had only one application, and it was accepted, according to State Health Director Will Humble. The Graham County South CHAA encompasses all of Graham County with the exception of the San Carlos Apache Reservation.
The Duncan/Morenci CHAA — which encompasses all of Greenlee County — also had only one dispensary application, which was also approved. The Willcox/Bowie CHAA had three approved applications, however, and the AZDHS will hold a random drawing to see which one will be given a dispensary registration certificate. The drawing will be similar to the Arizona Pick Lottery, which uses a device that blows balls inside a clear cage. The process will be broadcast live over the Internet.
Each dispensary that is allocated a registration certificate will have a little less than a year to build out and get an approval to operate, according to Humble. An approval to operate is not complete until the AZDHS receives written notice that the dispensary is ready for an inspection and it passes the department's criteria.
Once in operation, dispensaries will be allowed to grow their own cannabis and sell to other dispensaries across the state. They will also be able to sell cannabis to patients and caregivers with medical marijuana registry cards. Patients will be allowed to obtain up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis every two weeks.
Once opened, the dispensary will force most patients in the Gila Valley to cease growing their own medicine. Registered patients with a grow endorsement on their cards will not have the endorsement renewed if they live within 25 miles of an operating dispensary. According to the program's monthly report, 25,353 of the 29,533 registered patients were qualified to cultivate cannabis as of June 30.
Safford Police Chief John Griffin previously stated he is in favor of opening a dispensary in the city because it would centralize growing operations and cause less opportunities for crime against patients. Some medical marijuana advocates oppose the opening of a dispensary because they would be forced to either purchase the medicine at the dispensary for a much higher price than it costs them to grow it themselves or purchase lower-quality cannabis on the black market.
New qualifying conditions denied
After reviewing petitions to add four conditions to the medical marijuana program, Humble and the AZDHS rejected all four.
Petitioners sought to add migraines, generalized anxiety disorder, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of acceptable conditions to receive a medical marijuana card.
While some studies have shown cannabis to be effective for treatment of some of the disorders, especially PTSD, Humble said there wasn't enough documentation to quantify the addition of any of the disorders.
"At this time, there is insufficient valid, scientific evidence that justifies adding these conditions to Arizona's medical marijuana program," Humble said. "We heard from a lot of people about their experiences, the department reviewed their petitions, but the science does not support expanding the program by adding these new qualifying conditions. The medical marijuana program will remain as approved by the Arizona voters."
Acceptable conditions remain as follows: cancer, hepatitis C, cachexia, seizures, glaucoma, sclerosis, Alzheimer's, chronic pain, muscle spasms, HIV/AIDS, Crohn's disease and nausea.
While more than one condition can be reported, the overwhelming condition for granting a medical marijuana card in Arizona has been for chronic pain, which is listed in about 89 percent of current cardholders. The only other double-digit condition listed is muscle spasms, with about 13 percent, according to the AZDHS.
Patients ages 18 to 30 make up the largest demographic, with about 25.67 percent followed by patients ages 51 to 60 (20.66 percent) and patients ages 31 to 40 (20.51 percent). Males make up slightly more than 73 percent of all patients.
There are 88 registered patients in the Graham County South CHAA and between one to four registered caregivers. There are 34 registered patients in the Duncan/Morenci CHAA and 35 in the Willcox/Bowie CHAA, with neither CHAA having any registered caregivers.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: eacourier.com
Author: Jon Johnson
Contact: aimee@eacourier.com
Website: Graham County set to get medical marijuana dispensary - Eastern Arizona Courier: News
The Arizona Department of Health Services received 484 applications for dispensaries throughout the state. Only 126 will be awarded — one for each Community Health Analysis Area — and a random drawing for areas with more than one application will be held Aug. 7. Some CHAAs, including all of those on Indian reservations, did not have a dispensary applicant.
The Graham County South CHAA had only one application, and it was accepted, according to State Health Director Will Humble. The Graham County South CHAA encompasses all of Graham County with the exception of the San Carlos Apache Reservation.
The Duncan/Morenci CHAA — which encompasses all of Greenlee County — also had only one dispensary application, which was also approved. The Willcox/Bowie CHAA had three approved applications, however, and the AZDHS will hold a random drawing to see which one will be given a dispensary registration certificate. The drawing will be similar to the Arizona Pick Lottery, which uses a device that blows balls inside a clear cage. The process will be broadcast live over the Internet.
Each dispensary that is allocated a registration certificate will have a little less than a year to build out and get an approval to operate, according to Humble. An approval to operate is not complete until the AZDHS receives written notice that the dispensary is ready for an inspection and it passes the department's criteria.
Once in operation, dispensaries will be allowed to grow their own cannabis and sell to other dispensaries across the state. They will also be able to sell cannabis to patients and caregivers with medical marijuana registry cards. Patients will be allowed to obtain up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis every two weeks.
Once opened, the dispensary will force most patients in the Gila Valley to cease growing their own medicine. Registered patients with a grow endorsement on their cards will not have the endorsement renewed if they live within 25 miles of an operating dispensary. According to the program's monthly report, 25,353 of the 29,533 registered patients were qualified to cultivate cannabis as of June 30.
Safford Police Chief John Griffin previously stated he is in favor of opening a dispensary in the city because it would centralize growing operations and cause less opportunities for crime against patients. Some medical marijuana advocates oppose the opening of a dispensary because they would be forced to either purchase the medicine at the dispensary for a much higher price than it costs them to grow it themselves or purchase lower-quality cannabis on the black market.
New qualifying conditions denied
After reviewing petitions to add four conditions to the medical marijuana program, Humble and the AZDHS rejected all four.
Petitioners sought to add migraines, generalized anxiety disorder, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of acceptable conditions to receive a medical marijuana card.
While some studies have shown cannabis to be effective for treatment of some of the disorders, especially PTSD, Humble said there wasn't enough documentation to quantify the addition of any of the disorders.
"At this time, there is insufficient valid, scientific evidence that justifies adding these conditions to Arizona's medical marijuana program," Humble said. "We heard from a lot of people about their experiences, the department reviewed their petitions, but the science does not support expanding the program by adding these new qualifying conditions. The medical marijuana program will remain as approved by the Arizona voters."
Acceptable conditions remain as follows: cancer, hepatitis C, cachexia, seizures, glaucoma, sclerosis, Alzheimer's, chronic pain, muscle spasms, HIV/AIDS, Crohn's disease and nausea.
While more than one condition can be reported, the overwhelming condition for granting a medical marijuana card in Arizona has been for chronic pain, which is listed in about 89 percent of current cardholders. The only other double-digit condition listed is muscle spasms, with about 13 percent, according to the AZDHS.
Patients ages 18 to 30 make up the largest demographic, with about 25.67 percent followed by patients ages 51 to 60 (20.66 percent) and patients ages 31 to 40 (20.51 percent). Males make up slightly more than 73 percent of all patients.
There are 88 registered patients in the Graham County South CHAA and between one to four registered caregivers. There are 34 registered patients in the Duncan/Morenci CHAA and 35 in the Willcox/Bowie CHAA, with neither CHAA having any registered caregivers.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: eacourier.com
Author: Jon Johnson
Contact: aimee@eacourier.com
Website: Graham County set to get medical marijuana dispensary - Eastern Arizona Courier: News
