30 Facts About Arizona’s New Medical Marijuana Law
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November 15, 2010
The votes are counted and Arizona’s Prop 203 – the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act – has passed by a margin of 4,341 votes (841,346 YES, 837,005 NO). We’re receiving many calls and emails from people interested in the details of the new law. Here are the highlights of the measure:- The allowable amount of marijuana for patients and caregivers is 2.5 ounces.
- IF a patient or caregiver is allowed to cultivate, the limit is 12 plants that must be grown in an “enclosed, locked facility”, defined as “closet, room, greenhouse, or other enclosed area”.
- Qualifying conditions: cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s), Crohn’s, Alzheimer’s, cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe and chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures (like epilespy), and severe and persistent spasms (like multiple sclerosis).
- Caregivers must be 21 years old and pass criminal background check for certain felonies.
- Caregivers can serve no more than five patients, must keep a card for each one
- Caregivers may receive reimbursement for actual expenses – not labor – from their own patients only.
- Patients’ and Caregivers’ medical marijuana cards last for one year and will contain their photo, name, address, birthdate, and indication whether medical marijuana is allowed to be cultivated at home.
- If the state has not issued a card within 45 days, a copy of the application shall have the same force as the card.
- Patients and caregivers may share marijuana with other patients for free, as long as they don’t knowingly cause the patient to exceed 2.5 ounces.
- Non-profit medical marijuana dispensaries are allowed.
- A patient who lives within 25 miles of a dispensary may not cultivate their own medical marijuana.
- Patients and caregivers may not possess medical marijuana on a school bus, school, or correctional facility.
- Patients may not smoke marijuana on public transportation or in any public place.
- Patients may not drive under the influence of marijuana; however, marijuana metabolites shall not be proof of impairment.
- Fees for non-profit dispensaries shall not be greater than $5,000 or $1,000 for a renewal license.
- Dispensaries must cultivate their own medical marijuana, which they can do onsite or at one separate physical address
- Patients and Caregivers may give marijuana to dispensaries, but not for any compensation.
- Neither the dispensary nor the cultivation address may be within 500 feet of a school.
- There can be no more than one dispensary for every ten pharmacies, except that there can be at least one dispensary in every county.
- The cards or recommendations for visiting patients from other medical marijuana states will be recognized in Arizona, but they may not shop at the dispensaries.
- Patients in assisted care facilities can be limited to non-smoking methods of use and only in certain areas; however, such facilities are not required to enact these limitations.
- Dispensaries must have a single secure entrance, a strong security system, and no medicating is allowed on the premises.
- Dispensaries must track patients’ acquisitions to ensure they receive no more than 2.5 ounces from any dispensaries within a fourteen day period.
- There shall be a secure, web-based confirmation system accessible by law enforcement and dispensaries, that reveals patients’ and caregivers’ names but not addresses and how much marijuana the patient received from all dispensaries in the past sixty days.
- Non-patients cannot be punished for being the vicinity of lawful medical marijuana use by patients or providing paraphernalia to patients.
- Schools and landlords cannot discriminate against medical marijuana patients and caregivers, unless they are subject to federal penalty.
- Employers cannot discriminate against patients and caregivers and a positive test for marijuana metabolites is not cause for disciplining or terminating a patient.
- Medical facilities and treatments, including organ transplants, cannot be denied to patients for their medical marijuana use.
- Parental rights of patients cannot be denied solely for their medical marijuana use.
The full text of the measure can be found at http://stash.norml.org/azmedmj
190 Responses to “30 Facts About Arizona’s New Medical Marijuana Law”
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I have chronic pains due to scoliosis which causes my vertebrae to often pinch nerves and send my body into a burning pain for about an hour and causes chest pains from the way my rib cage is bent and pinching on nerves and muscles constantly, muscle damage from a car accident, and poor joint lubrication meaning that when i move my joints in my hips and legs, it is a constant sandpaper like feeling, very painful. I know it’s nothing compared to what some people need this all natural and, when ingested, completely harmless medicine for (although smoking is easier cheaper and still relatively harmless compared to modern drugs and painkillers including ibuprofen and tylenol) but i was wondering, is it still possible for me to get my M.M. card? None of the painkillers i’ve taken have worked well enough to get me through the day. Also i have extremely severe ADHD which i know has been proven to be assisted with marijuana while the retilin that i take has very little affect. Would this be something under the requirements for recieving a card along with the other pains or am i still S.O.L. I don’t live in arizona but i plan on moving there rather soon since i have a job set up for me there. Please help me out. I know i can get my card in california and michigan, i just want to know if i can get it in Arizona which is where i will be moving. THANKS! =)
Does your name have to be on the lease if you decide to cultivate in your apartment?
Hey!!I??ll definitely have to check out Sean??s post. And I love the idea of blogging about a failure and how you learned from it. I??ll have to do that one soon
hey is it 12 matur eplants or just 12 plants total whether it be a seedling or flowering plant
Mmm. As you know your just finding an excuse to smoke pot clearly and its not a pain killer just makes u dumb for a few hours- ADHD is not cured from pot makes it worse. – think you should go to AZ get the card and help the gov with the tax. You’ll find its all about your money here.
can you be 18 and receive a medical Marijuana card?
My husband got his card for his scoliosis. His too is really bad and he can’t stand taking the pain medications that leave him feeling like crap and still in pain. You need to go to a Medical MJ clinic and have your doctor’s records faxed over to them. Pretty easy as long as you have documentation. I have witnessed the good it has done for him.
Seriously, stay out of this unless you are in pain and have been for years. No one wants your negative comments!
Hey I would like it if someone would answer my question please. And yes Ill elaborate a little more I guess. The question was this can I grow 12 mature plants with a bunch of little seedlings and clones or just 12 plants total whether it be a seedlings or flowering plants. I would really appreciate an answer on this one from a very reliable source please. So please don’t give me any I think this or that.
It is 12 plants total including any flowering plants or seedlings.
The law is very specific as it does not say including 6 mature and 12 immature plants.
It says 12 plants total.
Plan your grow cycle accordingly and happy toking.
i have psoriasis which in turn is causing me to develop psoriatic arthritis thus making my joints ache almost 24/7 especially in my hands. would this be grounds to receive a mmj card?
I smoke greens for any reason possible, people need to quit all the hating!!!!!!! its exponentially beneficial to every human alive!!!! makes everything better, makes anything hurting or aching feel better and the negative effects are minute compared to liver murdering pain killers or any other heart destroying medication. only reason is has taken this long is because of the difficulty to regulate its use. Not possible really. anybody can grow it, and anybody can learn how to grow it. #govermentcockblock
[...] County attorney Bill Montgomery, seemed to be more than a little upset over the voter approved medical marijuana act that passed back in November [...]
Well bill Montgomery can stop being an ignorant fool, this country has no problem selling alcohol by the gallon with NO LIMIT when it is top 3 leading causes of death in this country, this plant should be legal to buy over the counter in every single state, it will significantly help with the recession (jobs, taxing, etc.) And maybe if were lucky counter he urges of tobacco (cancer) and alcohol.
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[...] …. Only if you have done something wrong, at least by their definition. The Arizona director of health services, Will Humble noted that Arizona is going after those medical marijuana patients which may have lied on their application to receive their state card, or have sense violated one of Arizona’s many medical marijuana laws. [...]
Hey, honestly, I have no debilitating illness, no chronic what have you’s and, aside from the occasional Migraine, i’m actually fairly well off. I do have arthritis though (I don’t count this as debilitating, as it’s fairly mild). In any case, I was wondering if anybody knew as to exactly how heavily the guidelines are enforced. For example, will ADHD, or a spot of depression get you in? Or must you have something so drastic as cancer? I enjoy Marijuana, but not so much the side effects (as I am colored, and we have a pretty high rate of chronic “getyourasslockedup”ness….) so legal Marijuana would be excellent. Thanks
I have severe ADHD and Tourette’s (I have neck and eye twitch’s throughout the day) and marijuana is the only thing that helps stop it. I also have asthma and depression and I know that all have been treated successfully with medical marijuana. I would use a vaporizer but does anyone know if there’s a chance I would qualify for a medical card under those conditions?
[...] The Arizona caregivers will then be allowed to rent these fully equipped grow tents, to cultivate medical marijuana for their Arizona patients. Should they be successful in growing some resin encrusted, trichomes rich, flowers… they would then be able to sell their harvest to the patients for whom they are caregivers. If this sounds like an interesting business proposition to you, you might want to hang on until you hear the hoops that you must jump through, in order to get your Arizona marijuana caregivers license. [...]
[...] The Arizona caregivers will then be allowed to rent these fully equipped grow tents, to cultivate medical marijuana for their Arizona patients. Should they be successful in growing some resin encrusted, trichomes rich, flowers… they would then be able to sell their harvest to the patients for whom they are caregivers. If this sounds like an interesting business proposition to you, you might want to hang on until you hear the hoops that you must jump through, in order to get your Arizona marijuana caregivers license. [...]
I have been debating for the last couple of months if i should take the time and go though with getting a medical card. I was in a really bad accent last year in Nov. The guys Hit my family and i going 75 mph. I ended up in the hospital lucky with only short term memory loss. finds out later after going to see multiple doctors and being poked and scanned that I have a herniated disc, mid spine that has been causing me back pain and problems for almost a year. I have recently in Aug went in for a steroid injection which indeed did not work as planned. If anything my back hurts worse. So here is where i stand.. I was smoking pot about 6 months ago before i started seeing my pain specialist ( which drug test me for my pain killers) and with smoking pot it felt like it was helping my back. but being stupid and doing the injection and taking pain killers has just left my back feeling worse. They haven’t ruled out if the pain is “Chronic” but i feel the other option i have is surgery. should i say no to the pain killers and say yes to smoking? i’m stuck in deciding :”( i just want my back to feel better, I want to be able to play with my son, to work without having to sit because it hurts so much
Can Arizona mmj card holders use they’re cards in California dispensaries because I know Arizona welcomes california card holders
California unfortunately does not have reciprocity with other state medical programs, so in short you can’t use your AZ card in CA.
Arizona does NOT have reciprocity (honor other states’ cards for purchase of cannabis). Only Michigan, I think, honors other state’s cards. Too much money to be made by all these greedy doctors and by the states for a card in each state, which cancels out all your other cards automatically. Need a new card every year or every time you move… lots of bucks there.
[Editor's note: MI is not the only state that has reciprocity for qualified medical cannabis patients. The states that allow for such are: MI, AZ, RI, ME (and by court order in OR).]
Is depression a possible way of getting a MM card in AZ? I’ve personally been having chronic depression and it’s extremely hard to focus on anything i need to do when it hits, although i only feel it about 75% of the day, would this still be a probable reason of receiving a MM card ?
[Editor's note: From NORML's webpage: Patients diagnosed with the following illnesses are afforded legal protection under this act: cancer; glaucoma; positive status for HIV or AIDS, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), Crohn's disease, agitation of Alzheimer's disease or any chronic or debilitating medical condition or its treatment that produces one or more of the following: cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe or chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy, severe or persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis, persistent muscle spasms or seizures, severe nausea or pain. Other conditions will be subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Health Services.]
Can a person under the age of 18 receive a card with parental and doctors approval or must they be 18 or older to get a medical card in arizona.
It is not your primary doctor that decides. You go and see a physician that is qualified to “recommend” cannabis as a remedy to your symptoms, but you must bring paperwork that says you actually have a condition. You can get a card if your under 18 and you have a physician and a legal guardian that are supporting this decision, but if the health dept. doesn’t buy it then your out of luck. Keep an eye on Colorado this voting season.
Being a caregiver, is it at all possible to make any sort of profit? Or is it strictly not for profit? I want to move to AZ to help people, and myself with my knowledge of the medication. But I would be unable to get a job due to the inability to function normally from the chronic severe pain and nausea. I am wondering if it is possible to make aNy sort of living being a care giver. I suffer from traumatic arthritis, from a hit and run. I suffered a complete dislocation of my right foot, being forced to make a decision to amputate or try to save it. I chose to take a chance and save my foot, and take dilaudid and have been on it since 2010 for the chronic and severe pain. I also suffer from pretty severe IBS, and taking the dilaudid agitates it to an extreme. I am always in so much pain i can barely walk, and the nausea from treating it is becoming a debilitating factor. I would greatly greatly appreciate some advice here. I am also wondering if a caregiver could supply dispensaries at a profit of any kind. Or are you not compensated at all? I would greatly appreciate advice and a legitimate response to my questions from a moderator with knowledge on these stated subjects. Thank you so much.
I have chronic pancreatitis and multiple pain disorders ie spondilosis seven disk disease. Etc. What are my processes to do as a new resident to Az.
As stated have severe chronic pancreatic disorder ie; 7+ft exams also MRI for degenerative spinal cord, spondilosis bulge c-4 c-5 etc…
Michigan is NOT reciprocal–only if the other state is reciprocal; the only other state that *might* be is Arizona but, at this time, it does not appear to be.
Apparently, Michigan’s reciprocity is forward thinking for the day when other states *will be* reciprocal.
Michigan Reciprocity:
http://norml.org/legal/item/michigan-medical-marijuana
RECIPROCITY: Yes. Authorizes visiting qualifying patient with registry identification card (or its equivalent) from a State that also allows the medical use of marijuana by visiting qualifying patients, to engage in the medical use of marijuana. Also authorizes a person to assist with a visiting qualifying patient’s medical use of marijuana. Mich. Comp. Law § 333.26424(j) (2008).
(other state, district, territory, commonwealth, or insular possession of the U.S. must offer reciprocity to have reciprocity in Michigan)
[Editor's note: The other states beyond MI with reciprocity are OR (by court decision), Rhode Island, Maine and Arizona.]
i have severe adhd i took adderal for years and detroyed my heart. i find pot is alot easyer on my body and i can eat again and sleep other than takeing ampehtimines.
I have bad stoic pain that happens every day and am 15 can i get weed
wear do u get ur medical crad in florence az
wear do u get ur card at in florence az
i have ADHD and some more pain it help me get bye the day with out pain
I have a damaged Sciatic Nerve, depression, anxiety, insomnia, arthritis, tendonitis…..and MMJ works better than any big pharma med. + its 100% natural and harmless.
[...] And that’s just the way they like it… [...]
How to get an Arizona medical marijuana card: http://azmarijuana.com/links/tips-arizona-medical-marijuana-card/