Are MMJ patients paying illegal prices?

Katatawnic said:

Thanks for the clarification, hon! I've got four MMJ status friends who are very interested in obtaining what I'm growing; whenever I yield over what I need and/or what is within my legal dried bud limit. (Which should happen, as I've worked hard on maximizing yield for my space; I'd rather harvest extra than not have enough for my daily needs.)

I'd told them that I'll give them whatever I can spare, but they won't hear of it.... not only have they insisted they pay me, but three of the four told me they hope I won't be giving them any "friend discount" because that wouldn't be fair to me. (They're fully aware of the vast expense this has been for me, both financially and physically.) If we weren't so broke, I'd insist on giving it to them. But I did tell them that I'll give them any "friend discount" I wanna give them, dammit! Just enough to help my incurred expenses, though. They are very dear friends, they pay a lot more than they can afford for their MMJ, and their spouses/kids/etc. have all helped me immensely several times; especially when my fiance was deployed this last year and I was alone and unable to do much of anything to take care of myself or my home, etc. The least I can do is give back by giving them MMJ at a price they can afford, while they'll still be helping me out with the utilities and supplies for which I've had to pay.

I figured (again, being able to give them clones, seeds, etc.) that this wouldn't be illegal (feds not included!), but thought I should check since legalities are being mentioned in this thread.

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PM me your email address and I'll send you the legal documents that I had drawn up for my collective. You want to have them give you your growing rights. Then you can have 6 mature plants for each of them.

Katatawnic said:

Is giving one's "growing rights" to another the reason that people think a "caregiver" is a MMJ patient's designated cultivator only, rather than being assigned other physical/health/home/etc. care as well.... two terms mistakenly thought of and referred to as being one and the same?

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No, giving someone your grow rights means that they won't grow or have any one else grow for them. They can still go to other dispensaries, they just can't grow. You have to form a collective or co op. Don't feel bad about being confused. The LA city counsel and the city's attorney are more confused than we are.

Of course if you are operating as a caregiver, you are required to be available to perform many more tasks for the patient than most people are aware of.

GrowTech said:

Of course if you are operating as a caregiver, you are required to be available to perform many more tasks for the patient than most people are aware of.

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We aren't talking about being a caregiver here. That was discussed earlier. Yes, you are right. Being a caregiver requires providing more than just medicine. You must provide shelter, physical care, driving services or something like that and also have do so for a substantial time before starting to provide medicine. I'm only talking about California law here people so if you're in another state, you'll need to research your laws. Come on Obama, end this grayness!

Wait until the PLUM (LA city counsel planning and land use management) "eradicates" all the dispensaries!!!!!!!

Get involved NOW people or we're all going to suffer.

PLUM fumbles
September 29th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in » Medical Marijuana Information

Medical cannabis advocates left today’s Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee disappointed when, after more than two hours of comments and debate, the committee voted unanimously to approve a badly flawed ordinance prepared by the City Attorney’s office. Chairman Ed Reyes gave staff four pages of instructions amending the ordinance before sending it on to the Public Safety Committee. However, advocates argue that the amendments do not address the key issues that make the ordinance unworkable – the legal status of storefront collectives, sales of cannabis, and patient-cultivator privacy.

Like his predecessor, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich insists that sales of medical cannabis and storefront facilities that provide it to members of patients’ collectives and cooperatives are illegal. As a result of this faulty interpretation of law, the City Attorney’s staff developed a draft ordinance that seeks to regulate the collective cultivation of medical cannabis, instead of the storefront facilities from which medicine is provided. Trutanich’s position is in conflict with guidelines published by the California Attorney General last year and a growing body of case law.

This conflict over regulations in Los Angeles is explored in greater detail in a White Paper prepared by Americans for Safe Access (ASA) and the Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance (GLACA). I will publish a more detailed analysis of the City Attorney’s draft ordinance when a draft incorporating today’s changes in available (probably next week).

The City Attorney’s intransigence on this issue may be due, in large part, to his fundamental opposition to medical cannabis in the city. ASA released documents today showing that Mr. Trutanich will be a headliner at a training luncheon for local law enforcement entitled “Eradicating Medical Cannabis Dispensaries in Los Angeles and Los Angeles County” on October 8. I reminded PLUM Committee members to consider the bias reflected by participation in an event like this when considering the City Attorney’s analysis of medical cannabis law. Is he working with the City Council to regulate safe access, or at cross-purposes to eradicate it?

Not all of the debate today was about the minutia of the Health and Safety Code and its interpretation in court. Councilmember Dennis Zine got some chuckles when he defended his recent radio comments, in which he referred to collective operators who are breaking the law as “greedy bastards.” He also surprised advocates by calling on the City Attorney’s office to call in the Drug Enforcement Administration to close recalcitrant collectives that refuse to close after the denial of their hardship application. This drew condemnation from Dege Coutee of the Patients Advocacy Network, and audible boos from the crowd.

Councilmember’s Zine’s suggestion is more likely to be the result frustration than an articulation of a new policy. He made his initial motion to study regulations in 2005. The issue has been before the Committee numerous times, usually with long and passionate debate. He and his colleagues are impatient for an ordinance – which may be why they are willing to move forward with a flawed policy, in lieu of more inertia. We can only hope Councilmembers bring fresh eyes and open minds to the coming debate in the Public Safety Committee and before the full City Council.

Please follow this link and take the survey, but more importantly, get your friends to take it. Los Angeles is about to "eradicate" all the legal dispensaries! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=3 … fcEQ_3d_3d

I don't know why that one didn't work. Let's try again.

<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=3qNsNcv_2fbESD_2bZ8hs5_2fcEQ_3d_3d">Click Here to take survey</a>

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=3qNsNcv_2fbESD_2bZ8hs5_2fcEQ_3d_3d

This is the one!

wow way to quintuple post.. And I thought double posting was lame.. go figure.. Cool little button >

Lets face it 70%, I am being conservative, might not even need weed for medical use, they use it for recreational reasons. Not to say that is good or bad but it is not helping the situation for people that need it for medical reasons. Till California legalizes it for all people, tightens the guide lines on what is a medical condition which will warrant a reduced price for medical marijuana, you are going to see these huge prices. Dispensaries need to be regulated, most of them are just drug dealers with buildings. How is it possible to go to Canada and pay 5$-10$ a gram, black market prices, at times for mid-high grade and then go to California where it is legal to a degree and pay 20$-30$, it makes no sense. Someone has to look at the books of some of these places, and close down the ones that are clearly in there for huge profit. A board of individual people that truly care about mmj and are loosely associated with the government. Lets face it they have to have some governmental power to make sure these people are following the guide lines. I am on the the other side of the coast, and am a recreational user, but realize that what is going on in California is affecting everyone, medical and non. Your "Governator" needs to stop screwing around and give a clear answer. He was on CNN this last week and they asked him the question, it came out of left field, and he gave the same re hashed answer of "we need to to have a discussion and look at the pros and cons", sorry but the discussion has already been taken place for the past 80 years. Its time to actually do something about it. Just my $0.02.

I agree that some of the dispensaries are making a lot of money. It depends on what their charter says. If they are taking excesses and doing things like setting up hospices or in other ways taking care of sick people then that can legally justify the extra revenue. The debate may be all for nothing because the LA city counsel may shut every last one of them down. This is real. I'll be supporting ASA on Thursday in a peaceful protest. I hope everyone reading this in the LA area shows up too.


Implement, Don't Eradicate!
ASA protests in Montebello 10/08

Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is calling on patients and advocates to join a peaceful demonstration against plans to eliminate medical cannabis collectives in Los Angeles. We need everyone who believes in medical cannabis to come out to Montebello next week and tell local officials and police that we expect implementation of our state laws &#8211; not the eradication of safe access to medicine.

On Thursday, October 8, Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley and Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich will join local law enforcement for a training luncheon hosted by the California Narcotics Officers Association (CNOA) entitled &#8220;Eradicating Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County.&#8221;

Over their choice of chicken or beef, local police officers and prosecutors will learn how to close medical cannabis collectives and prosecute their operators. The District Attorney and City Attorney consider all medical cannabis collectives to be illegal &#8211; even if they follow state law. Legal patients rely on these collectives for doctor-recommended medicine to treat the symptoms of HIV/AIDS, cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, chronic pain, and other serious conditions.

The CNOA and local law enforcement are working at cross-purposes to the Los Angeles City Council, which is working to craft regulations for patients&#8217; collectives. This is an important task for patients and the community at large. Research shows that sensible regulations protect access for legal patients, while reducing crime and complaints around collectives. We must not let medical cannabis opponents and ideologues derail the long campaign for safe access!

Please join ASA, the the nation&#8217;s largest organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research; in defending safe access in Los Angeles County. Bring signs, banners, drums, bullhorns, drinking water, and your friends and loved ones to Montebello next week.

What: Peaceful Protest in Montebello &#8211; &#8220;Implementation, Not Eradication!&#8221;

When: 10:30 AM * Thursday, October 8

Where: At the entrance to the Montebello Country Club, at the intersection of N. Garfield Ave. and Via San Clemente (near the 60 Freeway) in Montebello

Info: don@safeaccessnow.org

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Read more about the CNOA training luncheon at http://safeaccessnow.org/blog/?p=316

Read &#8220;Advancing Medical Cannabis Regulations in Los Angeles&#8221; at http://www.AmericansForsafeAccess.org/LAordinance

Well if i can put my $.02,

I dont like the fact that it is more expensive than illegal. I can get 1/2 ounce of really bad ass stinky, sticky shit for 150$... thats at least 180 at the club and closer to 200 in most clubs. And usually it aint sticky either. (how do they make it sticky liek that?...spray 7 up on it or something?) lol...

i do have to say that the veriaty in the clubs is nice. But then ost of us can only go there and buy 1/8th at a time if you dont want to be slinging on the side. and 60$ for good shit sucks balls. I mean its a legal place... i think it should be 1/2 due to the low risk for the grower/seller...

$150 for an ounce.. $25 an 1/8...

and i know.... Im one of those wierd ones that doesnt sell his shit. Its ALL MINE!..LOL

gooodd!! i try to not hate ASA but they always find ways to mess with the patients, ahhhh!!! safe access my ass!

Katatawnic said:

How'd it go?

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I have a blog up about it. Please don't look at the rest of the site. We just started working on it and it's not the right design. I have some pictures and my experience. Thanks for asking. http://canibusiness.com/