Should Co-ops accept patients under 21 yrs old?

[BubbaKush]

What do you think about doctors recommendations for those under 21yrs old? And legally is thier any difference between a recommendation for an 18 yr old and rec for someone over 21 yrs old? Personally i know a kid under 21 who is a bone cancer patient and is polite and respectfull and follows rules and my bro delt with some kid today 18 yrs old who was too immature and kind of disrespectfull, The guy helping out thier didnt want him to come back he was like running up and down the stairs and shit and came right back for something different. Just wondered what all the thoughts were out there.

[Boss]

Persoanlly, unless it was a life threatening illness, I would ask for the parents to take care of the meds for anyone under 21. But this is a grey area man, for sure.

[4twenty4all]

I personally don't care as long as they are at least 18. If they are old enough to join the military (that was 17 for me) then they can definitely use mmj. I think there are special cases for really sick kids with cancer, etc... under the age of 18 with parental consent and supervision they should be allowed to use it if it helps since some of the cancer drugs are pretty harsh and mmj may help to alleviate some of those harsh side-affects. If they can prescribe a child demerol or any other schedule 1 drug then they should certainly be able to use mmj.

[merickson]

The treatment that a doctor recommends to their patients should not be moderated by a pharmacists opinion.

Minors should get birth control pills, if that is what their doctor prescribes, no matter the pharmacist's opinion about their age.

Minors should get MMJ, if that is what their doctor recommends, no matter what the clinic thinks about age. (Similarly those patients aged 18-20.)

Disruptive people, no matter what their age or medical condition, can not expect to be welcome in a public place.

[FreakNature]

^^ Right on ^^

[420]

pain and medicine do not understand age.

[Boss]

I agree, fully. However with the current VERY LOOSE regulation on medical cards, that's the only reason for my post. In a regulated, well kept system, I completely agree. But look at what is happening to the movement. They are useing the kids as scapegoats to put the ownsers in prison, look at the recent lynch case.

[merickson]

The reason the MMJ is an "issue" is that Fed law and state law disagree with each other.

Complicating the picture are stoners who know compliant doctors who write recommendations. (cf. talk show hosts who know compliant doctors who write scripts for opiate pain killers.)

Those who support MJ use as medicine should treat it and its use like other medicines.

[BubbaKush]

there is a dispensary owner facing 100 years in prison right now for giving meds to the parents of a 17 year old with bone cancer that lost his leg. Drew Carey did a segment on him his name is lynch. Check out this video Medical Cannabis: Voices from the Frontlines Blog Archive Drew Carey on DEA Raids & Medical Marijuana Use by Minors its pretty scary. The jurors who convicted him of 5 counts didnt even know how much time he would face and after telling one of the jurors he could face 100 years she is shocked. its sooo sad.

[4twenty4all]

Hey Bubba, that was a great story and I am a supporter of Barack Obama and sent that link and a brief email and I received a response. Although some of us may already be aware of Obama's stance on the drug war and raids on Co-Ops and MMJ patients some are not so I copied my email and Obama's response below:

My letter to Obama:
Hello,

I hope this email finds its way to Senator Obama. I am a supporter and am very disturbed by the actions that the Federal government takes against medical marijuana providers. Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought that the Federal government was supposed to let the states govern themselves and set their own laws passes by popular vote. I hope that Senator Obama plans to stop the federal raids on Caregivers.

Please take a few minutes to view this video hosted by Drew Carey, host of The Price Is Right. This video shows just one example of how the Federal government has gone too far with it's war on drugs. Why is it o.k. for a person to face up to 100 years in prison for supplying patients with prescriptions from doctors when rapists and murders spend much less time behind bars. This is morally not right. I am a concerned supporter trying to stand up for whats right.

I hope that I receive a response or at a minimum bring a little attention to this very disturbing issue.
Medical Cannabis: Voices from the Frontlines Blog Archive Drew Carey on DEA Raids & Medical Marijuana Use by Minors Please click the video for the full story.

////////////
Obama's response:

Thank you for contacting Obama for America to inquire about the Senator's position on allowing severely ill patients to use marijuana for medical purposes.

Many states have laws that condone medical marijuana, but the Bush Administration is using federal drug enforcement agents to raid these facilities and arrest seriously ill people. Focusing scarce law enforcement resources on these patients who pose no threat while many violent and highly dangerous drug traffickers are at large makes no sense. Senator Obama will not continue the Bush policy when he is president.

Thank you again for contacting us.

Sincerely,

Obama for America

////////////////////

It's just nice to see that there is hope just around the corner for us all!

[StonerGrower]

18...Flat out.

[BubbaKush]

talked to a kid today who is 19 and he said no co-ops are seeing him, i feel bad but shit 100years in prison is a big price i think parents should maybe be involved

[Pinch]

BILL NUMBER: SB 420 (February, 2003)

SEC. 2. Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 11362.7) is added to Chapter 6 of Division 10 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:

Article 2.5. Medical Marijuana Program

11362.7. For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply:

(e) A primary caregiver shall be at least 18 years of age, unless the primary caregiver is the parent of a minor child who is a qualified patient or a person with an identification card or the primary caregiver is a person otherwise entitled to make medical decisions under state law pursuant to Sections 6922, 7002, 7050, or 7120 of the Family Code.





For those who want to get technical re: age, the above SB420 speaks to it and this is the way I read it:

The "attending physician" may recommend the use of medical cannabis to any "qualified" patient, regardless of age.

Reality: The DEA basically singles out California MCDs that are servicing "kids". I guess some MCDs are slow learners. This targeting of MCDs servicing kids makes for a much easier case for the DOJ to prosecute in Federal Courts.

The MCDs have (or at least should have...) learned the hard way to limit their services to those patients over 21 years of age.

Pipe Dream: If we were just subject to California law, anyone could have access to any MCD.

But we are not, thus reality...

[Boss]

By the way, lynch is going to prison for at least 5 years, unless he wins appeal. And they used those videos of under 21 year old patients to get him. I completely agree with Rob on this, if you are sick, you are sick. But to protect the kids (They could get beat up and meds stolen on the way home), and the owners for now, I think they should have parents take care of picking up the meds for those under 18 at least.

[BubbaKush]

exactly its not right but they are targeting those that help those under 21. i feel if you need it, you need it. illness doesnt discriminate against age but the dea IS targeting those shop. Its sad. parents of those under 21 should really get involved and become caregivers for them it would be sooooo much easier.