Questions about growing for others.

[medicalmary]

Hi,

I'm still fuzzy on how the grower/patient relationship works. I'm growing for a close friend now and want to make sure we are doing everything legally.

How do other growers handle donations for electricity, supplies and time?

thanks

mm

 

[mcpurple]

This is just me but. its legal to take donations for the equipment used and electricity used, or if your both card holders then u can keep more to. i however if grew for others would not charge a dime i hate growers who charge theri patients, might as well buy off the street if it is the case. i hadto take 2 months and like 50 grower interviews before i found one that doens tcharge a dime. legaly they cant ask for money at all. its only if u want to donate. call the THFC ot MAMA and they will tell you more. but i hate growers who charge

 

[woodsmaneh!]

Well in a perfect world that may be so, but back here where nothing is free, if some nice person wants to help a friend out and that friend in turn offers to help with the cost what do you have against that. Maybe the person can't grow for themselves. Maybe the fact you had to go through 51 interviews till you found a like minded person tells us something about the market and over all feeling.

Everyone is intitled to have there say and it was nice of you to point her in the right direction but don't be such a grumpy old man. They came asking for help, not an ass kicking.

Save the flame for those who need it.

Peace

 

[symbolic47]

I agree about growers charging for the meds....but I see nothing wrong with asking for donations for the electric bills, and stuff of that nature. That to me is perfectly acceptable.

 

[medicalmary]

This is just me but. its legal to take donations for the equipment used and electricity used, or if your both card holders then u can keep more to. i however if grew for others would not charge a dime i hate growers who charge theri patients, might as well buy off the street if it is the case. i hadto take 2 months and like 50 grower interviews before i found one that doens tcharge a dime. legaly they cant ask for money at all. its only if u want to donate. call the THFC ot MAMA and they will tell you more. but i hate growers who charge

I'm sorry about your plight, but I think you should take off your rose colored glasses for a sec and think about where all growers are coming from. Grow equipment, seeds, and electricity are very expensive and it is not at all out of the question for a patient to chip in on expenses when the grower in actuality is investing a considerable amount of their free time to tending plants. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy watching the life cycle and all (also have several other non-weed gardens and dozens of houseplants), but there are more interesting plants than cannabis that I could grow for this kind of money (i.e. very rare orchids).

Well in a perfect world that may be so, but back here where nothing is free

I may be quoting this statement out of context, but bare with me. Nothing in the world is free is a true, while rather harsh statement to say in an altruistic community like RIU. We do live in an imperfect world with commerce and such, which means that growers have bills and responsibilities just as patients do and contrary to popular belief not all of us make out like bandits on the suffering of others.

I agree about growers charging for the meds....but I see nothing wrong with asking for donations for the electric bills, and stuff of that nature. That to me is perfectly acceptable.

This is how I feel about the subject after talking and thinking about it for myself. Right now as the system is set up in Oregon, growers are not allowed and shouldn't charge for medication. However, expenses incurred in growing the medication, which is much more of a grey area, should be paid at least partially by the patients.

Why should expense be paid by the patient? As the system is set up now it gives little to no option for those who love plants to help another person without resorting to the black market. If fact, from most people I've talked to it seems like an unwritten rule in the patient caregiver relationship that the patient will receive less cannabis for free and the grower is expected to recoup expenses by selling the excess.

I think that patients should be allowed to grow their own weed. The current setup we have is a good start to a medical marijuana system (and quite liberal in the amounts one can have), but a dispensary system to accompany the current one seems like a better alternative to me. After all, if we believe cannabis to be a drug for medical purposes then it has to become a commodity openly exchanged, right. Your statins, hypertension and antidepressants are regulated and sold for monetary exchange, right. If we want cannabis to be treated as actual medication and maybe one day be covered under insurance (and not listed as a schedule I narcotic under federal guidelines) then patients should become used to the fact that you may be paying money for it.

The beginning of this this thread was like my 4th on RIU, so I needed some time to get to know the community and actually get to know pot culture and politics.

mm

 

[woodsmaneh!]

Well no matter how good our intentions are reality can be cold. Most "compassion clubs" IMO are just still about money, how can they charge 10 to 15$ a gr. now everyone cool your jets, not all clubs but.... so it is easy to put a value on the product just about anywhere. Why do the clubs charge the same as the street? I know it does not cost that to grow and yes there is overhead but come on 50% markup.

Not allowing you to charge is a way to get around the issue. Subcool delivers meds hours away to people who can't get out. Some times you just follow your hart, but not to the poor house or jail.

The real question is where will they go, if you can't afford to pay all the cost. Lets face it that's just dumb ass, that's just making you pay, should be eligible.

I would be up front with the person's and say they need to pay the cost of the grows expenses. Have you looked into if any of it is a tax write off for you or them. Give receipt's if they can use them. Medical ex pence for tax? Can you make it a business expense or start a non-profit organisation to get exemptions.

Just some random thoughts

Peace and good vibes your way

"may be quoting this statement out of contex" , no you were not.

 

[medicalmary]

Well no matter how good our intentions are reality can be cold. Most "compassion clubs" IMO are just still about money, how can they charge 10 to 15$ a gr. now everyone cool your jets, not all clubs but.... so it is easy to put a value on the product just about anywhere. Why do the clubs charge the same as the street? I know it does not cost that to grow and yes there is overhead but come on 50% markup.

We don't have clubs here, but I've been tracking prices in California and yes they are high (sometimes higher than street prices). One reason why there may be a high markup is that it is a volatile market right now. One year your dispensary could be pulling in 15-20% profits from "compassionate care" after all expenses and salaries paid and then the next year maybe the city or county have taken a referendum and shut down every dispensary in their jurisdiction. I know this is happening in certain parts of Colorado. This kind of uncertainty is costly. Why build up a business and clientele with low margin products if you may not be around in 6 months?

One plus about dispensaries is that if managed well they are in a set location, open for business ours at your convenience and have a fantastic selection of products.

mm

 

[kushma]

no we have some clubs that take donations, and my groser grows for me free of charge and supplies me on a regualr basis with some dank.
and patients are aloud to grow theri own im a patient and i have grown my own before

 

[cmckean]

This is just me but. its legal to take donations for the equipment used and electricity used, or if your both card holders then u can keep more to. i however if grew for others would not charge a dime i hate growers who charge theri patients, might as well buy off the street if it is the case. i hadto take 2 months and like 50 grower interviews before i found one that doens tcharge a dime. legaly they cant ask for money at all. its only if u want to donate. call the THFC ot MAMA and they will tell you more. but i hate growers who charge

I have a friend who is an outdoor grower. He charges $20 per oz because he has expenses and spends his own time doing it. If he gave it away free it would be like giving away money out of his own pocket. I think his prices are fair for his patients and his time.

 

[mcpurple]

well thats not to much money, like i said i understand giving money for the materials and what not, but not money for the medicane its self. but know grower should EVER ask for money if the patient feels like being generous and giving his grower a donations then cool. but if a grower ever asks for money then fuck them. if they ask for money thats obviously all they are in the business for. like i said i have a grower who supplies me with some of the best meds free of charge every time. not once has he asked for money, and that bein said and he has not asked for cash i might just make a donation to him, just mabye though.

 

[cmckean]

Even the Gathering requires a donation. And thats a facility set up for patients. It would just seem like slavery if you had to put the time into growing marijuana and end up losing out rather than breaking even.

 

[cmckean]

It would take over a year to cut the guy out at $20 an oz. Especially if you grow indoors so a required $20 oz seems like a fair deal.

 

[cmckean]

Even though he requires a $20 Im sure hed kick you down your meds if you were broke.

 

[bajafox]

I told my friends they could help me up front by donating money for equipment, seeds or clones or they can donate it later, they all chose later and I'm already into my first grow about $700 with 2 week old seedlings. My electric bill, water, nutrients, soil, and even the enormous amount of TLC will add up over the next few months. I HATE charging my friends for anything, but by the time I even get to smoke my stuff I'll easily be down $1000. I'm not trying to get rich growing, I just want it to help keep my head above water with some bills and smoke some free shit along the way

 

[mcpurple]

I told my friends they could help me up front by donating money for equipment, seeds or clones or they can donate it later, they all chose later and I'm already into my first grow about $700 with 2 week old seedlings. My electric bill, water, nutrients, soil, and even the enormous amount of TLC will add up over the next few months. I HATE charging my friends for anything, but by the time I even get to smoke my stuff I'll easily be down $1000. I'm not trying to get rich growing, I just want it to help keep my head above water with some bills and smoke some free shit along the way

totally understandable while doin peoples meds indoor.

 

[medicalmary]

I told my friends they could help me up front by donating money for equipment, seeds or clones or they can donate it later, they all chose later and I'm already into my first grow about $700 with 2 week old seedlings. My electric bill, water, nutrients, soil, and even the enormous amount of TLC will add up over the next few months. I HATE charging my friends for anything, but by the time I even get to smoke my stuff I'll easily be down $1000. I'm not trying to get rich growing, I just want it to help keep my head above water with some bills and smoke some free shit along the way

This is where I'm coming from. I'm out nearly $2500 and will be 3k by the end of the grow...
An overly simplistic way of thinking about it is I view some patients (my friends) as coming over to my house for a potluck and not even bringing over chips. They stay and eat/drink all my well being without even thinking of common courtesy. And I don't mind it if you do this once or twice, but it is the expected norm.
We can make it up to me by implying growers can make money and then some by selling on the black market. Well, thank you for implying this...!

Don't get me wrong, I don't feel bad about giving away cannabis to medical patients (if their situation deems it necessary), but nothing in life is every free. My patient expected it to be and it was hard to broach the subject of how much it was costing me even though she is a friend. But the fact of the matter is she is more well off financially than I and I'm doing okay for myself.

I see our situation as microcosm of a greater systematic problem. Do we actually think there are enough charitable growers out there to supply every medical patient. My understanding is there are more than twice as many patients looking for growers and most growers are shysters. Why not have the patients pay for medication and get it in quantities necessary to treat their ailments? I've heard from several sources the going rate is between 2-3 ounces per month on the high end for patients.

Now that my rant is over I have a question. Mcpurple, does your grower use your card in the winter months for indoor grows? This is what I would be asking myself if I was growing when the temperature drops. Both of you can claim negligence, but it might turn into a sticky situation. Just trying to look out for you and please don't take offense.

mm

 

[mcpurple]

They stay and eat/drink all my well being without even thinking of common courtesy and then make it up to me by implying I can make my money and then some by selling on the black market. Well, thank you for telling me this... And I don't mind it if you do this once or twice, but it is the norm.


Now that my rant is over I have a question. Mcpurple, does your grower use your card in the winter months for indoor grows? This is what I would be asking myself if I was growing when the temperature drops. Both of you can claim negligence, but it might turn into a sticky situation. Just trying to look out for you and please don't take offense.

mm

well you just admittied that you willingly know that your patients sell and you continue to supply them so you are in the wrong right now.
and no i only have a grower for the summer i can grow for myself fine in the colder months indoors. and no offense takin, but why are you trying to tell me i am doin somethin wrong when i know for a fact im not. like i have said, i have talked to lawyers and the thcf many times to clarify that every thing I do is legal.
the only person i see doin somthin wrong is you by the fact of knowing your patients sell YOUR supply.

 

[bajafox]

I dont think there is anything wrong for a patient in need to get free meds, but growers don't count on insurance companies to support them financially to pay for your meds, it is all out of the growers own pocket and to even have the nerve, IMHO, to literally ask for free meds is really something my friends better not even consider. For example, I order every UFC PPV on only and very rare occasions when I was short (over the last 3 years) have I ever asked my friends to chip in, mostly in the last few months since I have been unemployed for over a year.

When I do get a full cycle in I plan to donate free meds to people who I think are deserving. I'm not really sure how I plan to do this, I'm thinking about doing it through my favorite collective somehow but I am a firm believer that pot should be available to anyone who needs it. As far as everyone getting it for free, that's something the Democrats might do for you, but I need to pay my bills one way or another

 

[MellowHaze]

it is illegal to even give someone a pass on a spliff in the eyes of the law this is considered deal (yes i know its ridiculous i know) even if you give someone weed for free and def if you take money off them even if it's as you say a donation lol but i suppose it depends on were you're from etc my mate was busted last yr an all they cops did was sit in his kitchen an have a cupa then left lol it helps to know ppl lol

peace out

 

[medicalmary]

well you just admittied that you willingly know that your patients sell and you continue to supply them so you are in the wrong right now.
and no i only have a grower for the summer i can grow for myself fine in the colder months indoors. and no offense takin, but why are you trying to tell me i am doin somethin wrong when i know for a fact im not. like i have said, i have talked to lawyers and the thcf many times to clarify that every thing I do is legal.
the only person i see doin somthin wrong is you by the fact of knowing your patients sell YOUR supply.

i never said my patient sells cannabis. She has crohn's disease and needs large quantities in edibles. Where did I say I or my patient sell?

mm

edit: "And I don't mind it if you do this once or twice, but it is the norm."

Ah, I see. This statement is in reference to the metaphor of needing cannabis for an ailment and not being about to give a charitable donation for cost. It is not in reference to selling. It only seems as such because i placed it after my tirade of systemic problems in the current system. I do not condone the sale of medical marijuana in any way, shape or form. Otherwise, I would not of started this thread in the first place.

mm