Medical Marijuana Abuse?

[Cozmo]

Like Capt. Renault in the movie classic "Casablanca," we were shocked — shocked! — to discover that some proprietors of medical marijuana clinics have pulled down millions of dollars, even as "nonprofit" clinics.

We're also shocked — shocked! — at reports that just maybe some people without a medical condition are picking up their pot at medical marijuana stores.

Most people in California, including us, support the idea of those in need of relief from disease or from chemotherapy being provided with marijuana to take away pain.

But we can't understand what has led this state to adopt a system of distribution that is so easily corrupted. The 1996 state initiative that allowed legal medical marijuana is such a badly conceived law that we think even pot smokers should have voted against it.

There must be a better system of providing treatment for patients who need it. After all, some medical patients are given morphine to help relieve pain, but that hasn't meant that morphine clinics are springing up all over the state.

Former state Sen. John Vasconcellos has blasted the federal Drug Enforcement Agency for keeping an eye on medical marijuana clinics. He told The Associated Press recently: "We're helping people who are sick and they have this fascist mentality against good health and pleasure"

Actually, there's more to this than "good health and pleasure," and Vasconcellos should know better. For example, agents went into a Sacramento marijuana clinic and took away two loaded handguns and 60 pounds of processed marijuana.

In Los Angeles, agents raided several clinics, and discovered that the average clinic had about $20,000 in profits each day. There were four dispensaries in Los Angeles in 2005; today, there are more than 100.

There's more here than just getting marijuana to sick people. Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton has actually gone on record saying that the outlet operators are more interested in big money than they are in providing a service to ill people.

Police officers and narcotics agents found that the operator of another clinic in Los Angeles deposited $2.3 million a bank account within eight months of starting business.

We realize that some clinic operators are doing so out of concern for clients in need. Not every clinic is a problem. But it's obvious — handguns, millions in bank accounts, Porsches, huge amounts of processes marijuana — that there's some abuse going on here.

Some might say that marijuana trafficking is a kind of victimless crime and that at least sick people are being served. But any time you have big money, handguns and suspicious involvement from people on the street, you know there's a problem. Local cities and towns more and more are going to be looking at ways of keeping trouble out of certain areas.

After all, cities try to regulate the number of liquor stores and bars, just because abuse can happen. It's obvious that pot clinics need regulation as well.

What we'd prefer seeing is putting marijuana prescriptions in the hands of doctors, and removing the potential for abuse in obviously under-regulated marijuana dispensaries.

Newshawk: CoZmO - 420Magazine.com
Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA)
Copyright: 1999-2007 Santa Cruz Sentinel
Website: Santa Cruz Sentinel - Online Edition

[Cherma]

Reason 1,420,000 to have Prohibition ended, and true Taxation and Regulation of Marijuana initiated

[HighToGetBy]

For example, agents went into a Sacramento marijuana clinic and took away two loaded handguns and 60 pounds of processed marijuana.

Wait you guys found marijuana at a dispensiary...those bastards! thats what theyre really doing! God damn potheads!

[ZedRules]

Just about every business has same sort of protection...yeah we definitely need legalization...might flush out some of the shit that make MJ users look bad. We all could do better actually I hate those prices even with my prescription intact!

[Medical Marijuana]

I live in Australia and should not speak out on laws in California. However, I do have one comment that I believe people should consider. The providing clinics are supposed to be run on a non-profit basis. Surely, any profits made should be fed back into the clinics pricing structure to reduce prices paid by patients of the clinic for mj products. When clinics are able to bank substantial profits from sales instead of reinvesting for the benefit of patients, questons should be raised by the patients themselves. For example, patients could request the clinic to reduce prices of products to diminish the profit margins in favour of more equitable business practice. If police and government agencies see the clinics self-regulating, they would be less inclined to take punitive action against them. Large profits made by clinics that do not go to the benefit of medical marijuana patients, put them clearly at odds with the spirit of the legislation.
To get over this, patients should be more aware of where their money goes and be asking the clinics some searching questions. If they are not satisfied, they should change clinics to one that more fairly has the patients interest at heart.

[ZedRules]

Originally Posted by smokin.*****

I live in Australia and should not speak out on laws in California. However, I do have one comment that I believe people should consider. The providing clinics are supposed to be run on a non-profit basis. Surely, any profits made should be fed back into the clinics pricing structure to reduce prices paid by patients of the clinic for mj products. When clinics are able to bank substantial profits from sales instead of reinvesting for the benefit of patients, questons should be raised by the patients themselves. For example, patients could request the clinic to reduce prices of products to diminish the profit margins in favour of more equitable business practice. If police and government agencies see the clinics self-regulating, they would be less inclined to take punitive action against them. Large profits made by clinics that do not go to the benefit of medical marijuana patients, put them clearly at odds with the spirit of the legislation.
To get over this, patients should be more aware of where their money goes and be asking the clinics some searching questions. If they are not satisfied, they should change clinics to one that more fairly has the patients interest at heart.

Yes, what you're saying should be the way a coop should run,
however, you pointed to the fact that in SoCal USA it really is a matter of shopping for coops who are at least capping the cost to a threshold...there are legit clinics and then the entrepreneur...capitalism over the welfare of patient's. We are pushing for laws that free up our Law Enforcement to pursue the more hineous crime committed in our land. Billions of tax dollars have have been shunted to fighting the use of marijuana as the "Gateway Drug" for over 70 years and have squat to show for it, but ruinned lives...not just the life of the "criminal" user, but everyone dependent on that person gets dragged into hell without choice because of these current laws we have here. Honestly, I'm tired of seeing how contradictory it is for the US to pass judgement on other governments when they still subjugate it's citizens to such arcane control over this one substance against the mounting tide of meth heads and alcoholics who seem to flourish...pot is still the easiest target for Drug Enforcement to validate their existence and payroll...to the general US government, "potheads" are equal or worst because of this ridiculous argument of "Gateway Drug Theory"...ten years after California voted for limited MMJ use w/ MD prescription...the fight is leaning evermore in our favor...I'm optimistic and donate to many orgs that are fighting for safe access without legal harrassment and with some government regulations that will ensure the best quality MMJ is reachable to patient's that have need of them. The coops all require prescriptions and the verification process is annoying to go through (I've been through 7 coops in a year's time, namely because of the current state we are in over here...Federal law unfortunately supercedes any state law, unless more state's get on the side of the MMJ patient, it will be difficult...the White House is hostile to the entire world as far as I'm concerned and we would do well to mind our own business and quit pretending to be something we most certainly are not...RIGHTEUOUS...we have feet of clay, not gold...nobody does...GWBush & Co. think differently.
On another note, I love Australia and would move there in a heart beat, if my profession where recognized by your government, I would be able to work there...I was in Sydney back when I was 20 in the US Navy and love your country, it has sadly been thirty years and still of all the countries I visited while touring the Pacific in the military(I'm not one for travel now...with things as they are in the world), you're on top! Love beer back then...how are the laws in Australia for MMJ patients?

[Medical Marijuana]

The laws for mmj patients in Oz are still draconion. I live in Canberra which probably has the most liberal laws anywhere in the country. If any changes are to be made, it would have to be done at the Federal level. Lately, the Federal government has been legislating against any liberal changes to State or Territory laws. The most recent being a veto on recognising same sex couples - the Federal government felt that legalising same sex relationships would undermine the sanctity of marriage.
In Canberra, we have laws that decriminalise cannabis possesion. If you are caught with small amounts (less than one ounce, or two plants) the police have an option to give you a Simple Cannabis Offence Notice (a SCON), which is considered a misdemeanor rather than a felony. It carries a fine of $100. It used to be five plants but too many people growing hydro were being caught with traffickable quantities and the police were able to lobby for a reduction in the number of plants to curb the increased commercialisation. One can only hope that the government in Australia will not continue to be swayed by pressure from the DEA and will see that the current cannabis laws are inappropriate and destroy the lives of thousands of young Australians by tagging them with a criminal record. Having a criminal record in Australia is a terrible thing - you cannot travel to most countries if you have a record.
Thankyou for your kind words about Australia. Being a veteran, I take my hat off to you.

[CharlieBlayze]

There is abuse of course, the same with any other controlled substance, like alcohol for example.

We still have people getting drunk and being violent, we have store owners selling to kids, we have a large teen population that drinks as well. There is rampant profit and abuse in the alcohol community.

There is still the beer manufacturers who make alot of money, even the people who actually sell it make a nice profit. While a cannabis dispensary owner/operator/vendor may drive a porsche, the CEO of an alcohol company has a whole garage of them.

Ridiculous.

[Brett2theMax]

What exactly is processed marijuana? Thats like saying they found a processed pine tree in the ground

[User]

/\ ingesting it is how i do it

[donnar]

Originally Posted by Brett2theMax

What exactly is processed marijuana? Thats like saying they found a processed pine tree in the ground

I should think that's manicured and dried, good to go. The term that gets up my nose is 'manufacturing' marijuana. Technically correct, I suppose, but it brings to mind pictures of assembly lines and Lucy Ricardo.

[Medical Marijuana]

The term processed marijuana sounds like "cop-speak" to me. Cops tend to use terms that sensationalise, de-personalise, and dramatise aspects of their job. To refer to marijuana as "processed" hints at some clandestine criminal involvement on a "professional" basis and makes the cops look good in the press. Personally, I find it amusing that the simple task of drying and manicuring should be considered a manufacturing process. I agree with User in that the only processing I do is the preparation prior to consumption. Maybe I should consider my lungs a factory.

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by smokin.*****

The term processed marijuana sounds like "cop-speak" to me. Cops tend to use terms that sensationalise, de-personalise, and dramatise aspects of their job. To refer to marijuana as "processed" hints at some clandestine criminal involvement on a "professional" basis and makes the cops look good in the press. Personally, I find it amusing that the simple task of drying and manicuring should be considered a manufacturing process. I agree with User in that the only processing I do is the preparation prior to consumption. Maybe I should consider my lungs a factory.

FUNNY THING !! I agree with ya.
Today I bought "Processed and Manufactured" Tomatoes and Lettuce at Ralphs. And those bastards were making a profit on my lettuce to boot. I saw the store manager drive away in his BMW. Dirty MFs. Probably taking advatage of the Foodstamp system as well.

[User]

Originally Posted by donnar

.....but it brings to mind pictures of assembly lines and Lucy Ricardo.

lucy stoned... scary thought