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Medical Cannabis Conference 2015

Started by Tom Sawyer, May 29, 2015, 04:05 PM NHFT

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blackie

#15
Quote from: Free libertarian on June 01, 2015, 08:08 AM NHFT
Maine will likely "legalize" in 2016 under the tax and regulate permission based scheme put forth by Maine Representative D. Russell.

She has a plan for pot smokers - after cutting thru all the bullshit here's what it means, "give us money and you can use weed".
I doubt it. Weed will be "legalized" in 2016, but LD1380 has already been merged with LD1410 to give medical dispensaries automatic retail licenses, and I think it sets a cap of 45 retail stores in the state.

But both of the bill allow pot smokers to grow their own without paying anyone, or registering with anyone.

Quote
Legalization Bills

LD 1380

"An Act To Legalize, Tax and Regulate Marijuana," is sponsored by Representative Diane Russell.

Summary:

Among other things, this bill imposes the marijuana excise tax of 15% on the sale or transfer of marijuana from a licensed commercial marijuana cultivation facility to a licensed retail marijuana store and to a licensed marijuana product manufacturing facility.

The bill imposes a sales tax of 10% on marijuana and marijuana products sold at retail marijuana stores. It also allows municipalities to impose a 2% sales tax.

The bill allows a person 21 years of age or older to use, purchase from a retail marijuana store or possess up to one ounce of marijuana or marijuana products and marijuana accessories.

The bill allows a person 21 years of age or older to transfer or furnish, without remuneration, up to one ounce of marijuana and up to 6 marijuana seedlings to another person 21 years of age or older.

The bill allows a person 21 years of age or older to cultivate up to 6 marijuana plants and to possess the marijuana products produced from the marijuana plants on the premises where the plants were grown.

Full text of the bill with much more info is at: www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_127th/billtexts/HP093501.asp

LD 1401 "An Act To Allow for and Regulate the Adult Use of Cannabis," is sponsored by Representative Mark Dion of Portland

Summary: Among other things, this bill establishes a 10% sales tax on cannabis, which is in addition to the current sales and use tax.

Revenue from the sales tax on cannabis is distributed on a monthly basis as follows:

1. Ten percent each to regulate cannabis establishments; to counties and municipalities, based on the ratio of sales of cannabis products in the municipality or county to the sales of cannabis products in the State; to the Fund for a Healthy Maine for the elderly low-cost drug program; to the Department of Education for school construction; to conduct research on cannabis; to the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention for a public awareness campaign to reduce the use of cannabis by persons under 21 years of age and the use of alcohol and tobacco; and to the Department of Health and Human Services to obtain federal funding for MaineCare.

The bill allows a person 21 years of age or older to possess up to 1 ounce of cannabis.

It allows a person to cultivate up to 3 cannabis plants and up to 6 seedlings, and to purchase up to 1 ounce of cannabis, cannabis paraphernalia and cannabis seedlings from someone who is licensed to sell these products

The bill amends the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act to:

1. Remove the requirement that dispensaries be nonprofit corporations

2. Remove the restriction on how much marijuana may be transferred by a primary caregiver for compensation

3. Require a primary caregiver's cultivation facility to be open to no-notice inspection by the DHHS and direct the Department to develop rules on inspection and issuing caregiver cards.

4. Cap the number of primary caregivers registered with the department at the number registered with the department on December 31, 2015.



Full text of the bill with much more info is at: www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_127th/billtexts/HP095001.asp

from LD1380
Quote
Limitation on number of retail marijuana stores.   Unless a municipality has prohibited retail marijuana stores pursuant to section 2604, if at least one qualifying application is received, the bureau shall license:
A.  A minimum of one and a maximum of 4 retail marijuana stores in a municipality with a population of at least 20,000;
B.  A minimum of one and a maximum of 2 retail marijuana stores in a municipality with a population of at least 5,000 but less than 20,000; and
C.  One retail marijuana store in a municipality with a population of at least 2,000 but less than 5,000.

The bureau may license one retail marijuana store in a municipality or unorganized territory where the population is less than 2,000 if the municipality or county commissioners for the unorganized territory have not prohibited a retail marijuana store pursuant to section 2604.



9.  Tiered system of commercial marijuana cultivation facilities.   The bureau shall administer a tiered system of cultivation that affords an opportunity for small, medium and large commercial marijuana cultivation facilities in accordance with the need to ensure an adequate supply of marijuana and marijuana products, to keep supply and demand in balance and to avoid diversion of marijuana and marijuana products because supply far exceeds demand. The bureau shall ensure that at least 60% of all licenses for commercial marijuana cultivation facilities are held by small commercial marijuana cultivation facilities. The bureau may impose limits on the cultivation and processing of marijuana by licensed commercial marijuana cultivation facilities and licensed marijuana product manufacturing facilities on a temporary basis if the bureau determines that the supply of marijuana and marijuana products exceeds demand and that limits are necessary to protect the public health and welfare. An applicant for a commercial marijuana cultivation facility license shall indicate on the application the tier for which the applicant is applying and the amount of actual square footage in the premises that will be designated as plant canopy. A person may hold licenses for more than one tier. In the licensure process for a tier the bureau shall grant preference to a marijuana establishment that does not hold a license for that tier.





...
C. A commercial marijuana cultivation facility may not cultivate or sell marijuana derived from genetically modified seeds or from a female plant kept in a vegetative state and used only to produce cuttings or clones of the female plant.

From LD1410
Quote


A.  There are 3 size categories of commercial cannabis cultivation facilities:

(1) Tier 1, which has less than 500 square feet of plant canopy;

(2) Tier 2, which has at least 500 square feet of plant canopy but less than 2,500 square feet of plant canopy; and

(3) Tier 3, which has at least 2,500 square feet of plant canopy.
B.  The number of licenses that the bureau may issue for each tier facility is specified in this paragraph.

(1) The bureau shall issue at least 200 but may not issue more than 500 tier 1 licenses.

(2) The bureau may not issue more than 10 tier 2 licenses.

(3) The bureau may not issue more than 7 tier 3 licenses.

You would think http://legalizemaine.net/ would have a good bill as they push it as being good for caregivers, but it also sucks.
Check out some of this wording....and try to find the text of the bill on their website. They basicly just have talking points, and don't want to let you see the wording of the bill.
Quote
38. Natural Person.  "Natural Person" means a citizen of the state of Maine who has a verifiable social security number.

..

§ 6-1. Qualifications. This subsection governs the qualifications for licensure as a cannabis establishment. A person is not qualified to conduct licensed activities until the required annual fee has been paid.

A. Persons applying for any cannabis establishment license must be at least twenty-one (21) years old. If a corporation is applying, all members of the board must comply with this subsection. Preference in licensing shall be given to applicants who have lived in Maine at least three years prior to the passage of this initiative on the ballot or the enactment of this measure by the state legislature.

B. All Retail Marijuana Establishment licenses may only be issued to a natural person.

Free libertarian

Thank you Blackie for the update.  I knew there had been two proposals, one more "unregulated" than the other  Didn't know they'd merged them.  Interesting.   

blackie

The compromise bill came out last Thursday

http://www.pressherald.com/2015/05/28/bill-to-legalize-marijuana-in-maine-falters-in-committee/

LD1380 was the better of the two, but it still had lots of issues. LD1410 is a dispensary power grab that would limit the number of medical marijuana caregivers while giving the retail market the dispensaries.

MaineShark

The flip side, of course, is that once they are making money by taxing it, no future scheme to re-outlaw it will be possible.

It's far, far from ideal, but like giving the mafia a cut of your business, they make sure your business succeeds in the future, so they can keep milking you.  I guess it comes down to how worried one is about the political winds changing in a year or ten, and new prohibition laws being proposed.

Personally, I'm not of that view, but I can see how some are so concerned about what the next legislative session will bring, that they are willing to accept paying Danegeld precisely because it means that they will never be rid of the Danes.

Free libertarian

Maine will now "steal" tourism dollars from the live free or die state.  All New Hampshire has to offer is a toxic liquid that is the second leading cause of death.   Quick Maggie, create some jobs!!!   :P

blackie

#20
Since Maine caregivers can sell to visiting mmj patients, lots of medical marijuana is sold in Kittery.

There are a lot of Massachusetts mmj patients, but no where for them to legally buy in Mass.

There is one bill that would specify the visiting patient would need to be in the state for 24 hrs. Not sure on the status of that...LD1392

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_127th/billtexts/HP094201.asp
QuoteSUMMARY

This bill makes the following changes to the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act. It provides that:

1. The Department of Health and Human Services is permitted to obtain intelligence and investigative record information if it is used in the operation and oversight of the Act;

2. The term "person" means an individual, corporation, facility, institution or public or private agency;

3. The term "primary caregiver" means an individual, employee of that individual or an employee of a hospice provider licensed under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, chapter 1681 or a nursing facility licensed under chapter 405 that provides care for a qualifying patient. A corporation, facility, institution or public or private agency may not be a primary caregiver;

4. The definition of "registered patient" is repealed and all references to the concept of registering a patient have been removed from the Act;

5. The definition of "registry identification card" is amended to include a medical provider-issued medical certification card, department-issued caregiver certification card and department-issued dispensary certification card;

6. A qualifying patient may accept excess prepared marijuana from that qualifying patient's registered dispensary in addition to accepting it from that qualifying patient's primary caregiver;

7. A business entity that is a hospice or nursing facility is not allowed to be a primary caregiver, but staff of such an entity may be designated as a primary caregiver if the entity elects to honor a patient's request for this service;

8. A primary caregiver may only dispense 2 1/2 ounces of medical marijuana to each qualifying patient in a 15-day period;

9. A municipal official who is furthering the business of a municipality may enter a cultivation facility;

10. A primary caregiver who is designated to cultivate by only one qualifying patient and is designated by no other qualifying patients is not required to register if the qualifying patient is a member of the same household as the primary caregiver and no additional qualifying patients or primary caregivers are members of that household;

11. Exceptions to the requirement that a primary caregiver designated to cultivate marijuana for a qualifying patient register with the department are removed;

12. A visiting qualifying patient must be in this State not less than 24 consecutive hours;

13. A visiting qualifying patient must designate a primary caregiver in this State or registered dispensary in this State. A visiting qualifying patient receives protections under this Act only while in this State. A visiting qualifying patient is included in the maximum of 5 qualifying patients a primary caregiver may assist;

14. The department may not establish a sliding scale of application and renewal fees based on a registered patient's family income and status as a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States. The language establishing these provisions is removed;

15. Language regarding registered patients has been removed or changed to reflect the medical provider certification process;

16. Failure of an applicant to comply with the Act or rules adopted pursuant to the Act or a determination by the Department of Health and Human Services that an applicant has acted in bad faith with respect to the laws and rules governing medical use of marijuana is grounds for denial of an application or renewal of a registry identification card;

17. The name of a complainant who reports a violation of the Act is confidential;

18. Information to be included in the annual report to the Legislature has been changed to reflect changes in the medical provider certification process and new caregiver certification card terminology;

19. Fees are nonrefundable except that an unsuccessful applicant for a dispensary certificate of registration must be refunded all but $1,000 of the application fee;

20. When a registry identification card is denied or revoked on one occasion the individual may not reapply for one year; when a registry identification card is denied or revoked on 2 occasions the individual may not reapply for 2 years; and when a registry identification card is denied or revoked on 3 occasions the individual may not receive another registry identification card;

21. The effective date for the revocation of a caregiver certification card is 10 days after the notice date or 10 days after the right to appeal is exhausted, whichever is later. The caregiver must notify the caregiver's qualifying patients and dispose of the caregiver's medical marijuana;

22. A primary caregiver and a registered dispensary are subject to fines for violations of the provisions of the Act or for failing to register as a primary caregiver or dispensary;

23. Fines prescribed for violations of the Act are mandatory;

24. The Office of the Attorney General may seek an injunction to require a registered primary caregiver, a registered dispensary, a person who fails to register as a primary caregiver and who engages in conduct that is only authorized for a registered primary caregiver or a person or entity that fails to register as a dispensary and that engages in conduct that is only authorized for a registered dispensary to comply with the Act. The District Court may order the registered primary caregiver, the registered dispensary or the person or entity to pay the costs of the investigation and the costs of suit, including attorney's fees;

25. The Office of the Attorney General may seek court action against a registered primary caregiver, a registered dispensary or a person or entity for violation of an injunction, including but not limited to imposition of a fine; and

26. The department's burden of proof for a violation of the Act is a preponderance of the evidence.

KBCraig

Quote from: Tom Sawyer on June 01, 2015, 05:31 AM NHFT
It's unfair that homegrown tomatoes can unfairly compete against the grocery store!

That's funny -- when I talk about legalization vs. decriminalization, I always point out that I don't care what you call it, cannabis should have the same legal standing as homegrown tomatoes.

Tom Sawyer

#22
Talking about funny...
This just in!
Fox News Facebook page
QuoteA new ad campaign by The Heritage Foundation is highlighting stories of how medical marijuana ruins lives.Did Kris Jenner use medical pot on Caitlyn Jenner (the athlete formerly known as Bruce) to change him from a man into a woman? Join Sean Hannity tonight and his guest Ted Nugent as they discuss how the liberal media and gay bullies are using the medical community to force their cannabis/homosexual agenda on America.Don't miss a minute this week on Fox News. ?#?CaitlynJenner?


Tom Sawyer

The Conservatives are hating while the reformers are creating change and having fun.  :D



QuoteJo Jo and her electric hula hoop, dancing with the Magic Butter guy at the after party for Patients Out of Time's cannabis therapeutics conference last week. — in West Palm Beach, Florida.

From Facebook



Free libertarian

Sometimes marijuana can induce mirth, gayiety and laughter.   

I still remember being at the back of the crowd one winter night in Manchester during the Presidential campaign with MT Porcupine in 2008 (?) when we were still Ron Paulites and we "followed" (chased?) Sean Hannity down that alley.   He ran like a little girl.  He was clearly "on marijuana".   ;D

Tom Sawyer

#25
Quote from: Free libertarian on June 03, 2015, 08:31 AM NHFT
Sometimes marijuana can induce mirth, gayiety and laughter.   
I like your descriptors. 
High and stoned denote somewhat negative connotations.

It was a topic at the conference. The psychoactive aspect of some of the cannabinoids is considered an undesirable side effect. Euphoria and disphoria are two extremes of the scale. One is a pleasant experience the other disturbing.

Euphoria is not a sin. Especially when someone is dealing with a terminal illness a lift in mood is of benefit.

Back in the day there was a difference between Heads and Stoners. Heads wanted to be enhanced, music was more interesting. Stoners wanted to be blotto. Prohibition has promoted the Stoner Wastoid side of the culture. Winos vs. friends having a nice wine with dinner. 

Tom Sawyer

Quote from: Free libertarian on June 03, 2015, 08:31 AM NHFT
we "followed" (chased?) Sean Hannity down that alley.   He ran like a little girl.  He was clearly "on marijuana".   ;D
;D ;D ;D
You sir are (again) one of my heroes.

Tom Sawyer

Quote from: Tom Sawyer on May 29, 2015, 03:40 PM NHFT
Quote from: blackie on May 29, 2015, 10:48 AM NHFT
Nice.

Did you run into Dr. Dustin Sulak?

Yes, he is a great presenter and a very nice guy. Wish he was our doctor. I got him an interview on the ABC affiliate TV station.

One of the presentations by Dr. Dustin Sulak at a pre conference 2015 Doctor's Clinical Cannabis Workshop in a blog post.

blackie

My family uses Dustin Sulak's practice as our health care provider. I have been working with his brother to get my cannabis tested. He runs testedlabs.com.

Listening to Dr. Sulak speak made me decide to become a caregiver.

Tom Sawyer

Quote from: blackie on June 08, 2015, 04:06 AM NHFT
My family uses Dustin Sulak's practice as our health care provider. I have been working with his brother to get my cannabis tested. He runs testedlabs.com.

Listening to Dr. Sulak speak made me decide to become a caregiver.

Awesome. I saw they had some content up regarding him and thought of you.

Well then you already are directly aware.  8)

I met him last year at the Portland, OR conference. Such a positive upbeat guy. Becky wishes he was our doctor.