Number Of Registered Medical Marijuana Patients In Michigan Grows

[Jacob Redmond]

The number of Michigan's active, registered medical marijuana patients is up more than 18,000 people from three years ago, according to the Michigan Medical Marijuana Registry Program, part of Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs in Lansing.

Currently, the state logs 178,629 active, registered medical marijuana patients. Crain's reported that there were about 160,000 in 2012.

The number of active, registered patients with registered caregivers is 68,834 compared with 52,406 in August 2012. Patients using medical marijuana can have a registered caregiver, but it is not required.

The registered caregiver numbers in the last three years went from 27,132 to 33,264. Why a significant jump in registered caregivers?

"You can grow a certain amount of marijuana if you are a caregiver and a certain amount if you are a patient. Some people may register as both so they can get double the amount," said Gerald Fisher, professor of law at the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in Auburn Hills. "People can be caregivers for legitimate and non-legitimate reasons."

Fisher said the leap in the number of patients does not reflect that there are more people in chronic pain. Rather, it shows more people are using the drug recreationally. "There is a significant view that has formed that marijuana is not harmful and perfectly safe and appropriate to use recreationally."

Right now, LARA does not license dispensaries because the Medical Marihuana Act does not address or include provisions for dispensaries. Caregivers, however, must meet the requirements of the act, which are:

• Being designated by qualifying patients.
• Being 21 years or older.
• Having no more than five qualifying patients.
• Having no disqualifying conviction.

The state's registry program is where patients bring a doctor's prescription to get their official medical marijuana card. Cost for an application this year is $60, reduced from $100 in 2014.

According to LARA in an email, the application fee was reduced to reflect the application fee that was in effect for about 90 percent of the applicants. It would not comment further.

"To take the price down that much is suspect," Fisher said.

He said businesspeople's feelings about dispensaries tend to vary depending on professions. For example, landlords frequently discourage pot growers, sellers and users in their buildings because they are undesirable to other tenants. But a landlord with a vacant retail strip would welcome a dispensary.

Meanwhile, attitudes toward retailers are split according to urban and suburban locales. Urban areas tend to be less restrictive toward dispensaries, while the suburbs want more regulation.

"This issue has nothing to do with race or wealth. It's a lifestyle issue," he said.

News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Number Of Registered Medical Marijuana Patients In Michigan Grows
Author: Marti Benedetti
Contact: Email Crain's
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Crain's Detroit Business

 

[OlderGrower]

"You can grow a certain amount of marijuana if you are a caregiver and a certain amount if you are a patient. Some people may register as both so they can get double the amount," said Gerald Fisher, professor of law at the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in Auburn Hills. "People can be caregivers for legitimate and non-legitimate reasons."
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I see comments like this and only wonder if we were talking about prescription pain-killers or other prescription drugs sold by big Pharma would they be making comments like these?
I am sure that in anything in life there are legitimate and non-legitimate reasons for doing things I just find it funny how this kind of statement always appears when you mention things like MJ or any other thing that may benefit the little guy. Just once I would love to see that statement restated something like "Much like the way there are legitimate and non-legitimate subsidies to large corporations, so are the ways in the medical MJ industry."
Has a bit of a different flavor when you say it that way.

 

[Lady Cannafan]

I see comments like this and only wonder if we were talking about prescription pain-killers or other prescription drugs sold by big Pharma would they be making comments like these?
I am sure that in anything in life there are legitimate and non-legitimate reasons for doing things I just find it funny how this kind of statement always appears when you mention things like MJ or any other thing that may benefit the little guy. Just once I would love to see that statement restated something like "Much like the way there are legitimate and non-legitimate subsidies to large corporations, so are the ways in the medical MJ industry."
Has a bit of a different flavor when you say it that way.

Agreed, it isn't nearly as "targeting" as they made it sound.

And this:

Fisher said the leap in the number of patients does not reflect that there are more people in chronic pain. Rather, it shows more people are using the drug recreationally. "There is a significant view that has formed that marijuana is not harmful and perfectly safe and appropriate to use recreationally."

How do they conclude that the numbers of patients going up is due to people obtaining the card for recreational use?? Where is he getting his information to be able to intelligently make a statement like that? Although, in all fairness to Fisher, that part was not a direct quote.

Could it be that the numbers going up are due to more people caring about supplying or growing a proven healing natural medicine for their patients and themselves without fear of prosecution? Duh!