Last week, a state appeals court ruled that medical marijuana growers and patients should be allowed to sue police when their properties are illegally raided.
So this week, we thought we'd take a look at how Orange County patients can register to legally use the drug and get a medical marijuana card that says they're entitled to smoke.
Those cards are a tool for law enforcement, Orange County Health Care Agency spokeswoman Tricia Landquist says.
"If a person has the card, the officer can verify online with a state database that the card is valid."
So here's how you get one:
The county's Health Care Agency processes applications for state-issued medical marijuana cards. They're responsible for verifying three things: The patient's identity, that the patient has a written recommendation to use medical marijuana from their private doctor, and that the doctor is licensed in California.
Anyone can make an appointment or walk in to the Birth and Death office – 1200 North Main Street, Suite 100-A in Santa Ana – to complete an application for a card. The cost to apply is $150, or $75 for Medi-Cal patients, which Landquist says offsets the cost of processing the applications.
"There is no profit margin and no revenue generated," she says.
The agency uploads the application information directly into the state Department of Public Health's database. All applications are processed through counties across the state – it's the only way to get a card, according to the Department of Public Health. Applicants are required to list the reason they need a card on the application, but there's only one type of card issued to all who qualify.
Landquist says the county's health care agency doesn't track how many people apply, the reason given for needing a prescription or where the most applicants live.
Some surely live in Laguna Woods, where there was recently a rally for medical marijuana, Register columnist Jane Glenn Hass wrote in her column Monday.
In fact, medical marijuana has been in the news a lot recently. This also from Hass' column:
State Sen. Mark Leno has introduced a resolution that urges the U.S. Congress and President Barack Obama's administration to align national policy with the state laws legalizing the herb.
State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano says legalizing marijuana for general use in California could add $1 billion to the tax coffers. His bill to do that comes up next year.
What do you think?
News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Orange County Register
Author: Jennifer Muir
Contact: Orange County Register
Copyright: 2009 Orange County Register Communications
Website: How To Get A Medical Marijuana ID Card
So this week, we thought we'd take a look at how Orange County patients can register to legally use the drug and get a medical marijuana card that says they're entitled to smoke.
Those cards are a tool for law enforcement, Orange County Health Care Agency spokeswoman Tricia Landquist says.
"If a person has the card, the officer can verify online with a state database that the card is valid."
So here's how you get one:
The county's Health Care Agency processes applications for state-issued medical marijuana cards. They're responsible for verifying three things: The patient's identity, that the patient has a written recommendation to use medical marijuana from their private doctor, and that the doctor is licensed in California.
Anyone can make an appointment or walk in to the Birth and Death office – 1200 North Main Street, Suite 100-A in Santa Ana – to complete an application for a card. The cost to apply is $150, or $75 for Medi-Cal patients, which Landquist says offsets the cost of processing the applications.
"There is no profit margin and no revenue generated," she says.
The agency uploads the application information directly into the state Department of Public Health's database. All applications are processed through counties across the state – it's the only way to get a card, according to the Department of Public Health. Applicants are required to list the reason they need a card on the application, but there's only one type of card issued to all who qualify.
Landquist says the county's health care agency doesn't track how many people apply, the reason given for needing a prescription or where the most applicants live.
Some surely live in Laguna Woods, where there was recently a rally for medical marijuana, Register columnist Jane Glenn Hass wrote in her column Monday.
In fact, medical marijuana has been in the news a lot recently. This also from Hass' column:
State Sen. Mark Leno has introduced a resolution that urges the U.S. Congress and President Barack Obama's administration to align national policy with the state laws legalizing the herb.
State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano says legalizing marijuana for general use in California could add $1 billion to the tax coffers. His bill to do that comes up next year.
What do you think?
News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Orange County Register
Author: Jennifer Muir
Contact: Orange County Register
Copyright: 2009 Orange County Register Communications
Website: How To Get A Medical Marijuana ID Card
