With last week’s deadline for legislation to clear its chamber of origin, several bills that would have created new regulations for Arizona’s medical marijuana program have gone up in smoke, though a few remain alive.
In addition to two bills that died in the mire of House floor votes, another bill met the same fate while another awaits a vote in state senate.
HB2066, the bill allowing the Department of Health Services to start spending their $40 million medical-marijuana-program surplus on youth “education” about marijuana, and HB2068, the bill restricting use among patients convicted of drug charges, DUIs or juvenile crimes, both failed the first vote on the House floor.
HB2068 failed by 11 votes on Feb. 22 and no motion was made to revote.
The focus turned to two more bills sponsored by Vince Leach (R-Saddlebrooke): HB2064, which aims to soothe Republican concerns over minors’ inexplicable attraction to goofy marijuana packaging, and HB2067, intended to limit the number of marijuana patients by creating punishments for doctors who knowingly sign off on people who don’t need the medication.
HB2064 would have made it illegal for dispensaries to sell products with designs of cartoons, minors or words and symbols typically used in marketing toward minors. The apparent intention here was to discourage the 12-year-olds wandering into dispensaries from buying anything.
The other side of HB2064 added opioid use disorder as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana, which may have warranted wide support for the bill, but HB2064 failed its first floor vote by just four votes. Likely the opposition to the addition of a qualifying condition that would expand medical marijuana use was greater than efforts to regulate packaging.
HB2067, since it’s not an actual amendment to the AMMA, passed the House floor vote on Feb. 21 and now goes to the Senate. With wide support in the House, it’s likely that marijuana-prescribing doctors will soon face felony charges for not following state regulations.
Currently, doctors must conduct a full medical examination or review a year’s worth of medical records in order to recommend marijuana treatment to patients. Though failure to adhere to these rules results in discipline by the state medical board, the state legislature wants to raise the stakes with up to a year in jail and loss of licenses.
Leading the charge is none other than Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, who has taken up arms against medical and recreational marijuana since voters decided to create the medical marijuana program back in 2010.
“What I see from my perspective as a county attorney is a culture of young folks who get their green card and then they’re going out and they’re smoking pot, and they’re not sick,” she said. “For me it’s a problem for the state because this becomes kids who are not going anywhere.”
Once again Polk reveals her misunderstanding of a plant she has probably never used. A quick swing by the UA Honors dorms will show you where adults using marijuana are headed. As one Honors student put it, “full ride scholarships, double stem majors, the whole deal.”
It’s hard to argue marijuana ruins lives when users are capable of some of the university’s highest academic achievements.
The “kids” she’s referring to are specifically men ages 18-30, who she claims make up 85 percent of chronic pain patients.
Arizona currently has 133,867 patients who use marijuana for chronic pain. There are 95,849 men in the medical marijuana program. If every single one of them got their card for chronic pain, they could only amount to 71.6 percent of the total.
The idea that people seek medical marijuana for recreational purposes isn’t an indication of a broken program but of a state that thinks it know better than the people it governs. The line between government and oppression is as fine as keif in a grinder.
This article appears in Mar 1-7, 2018.
Well here we go again Nick;
This is the amended version of HB 2067 by Leach the felony is struck from the bill.
“Stipulates that it is considered an act of unprofessional conduct, rather than a Class 6
felony, if a specified health professional intentionally or knowingly makes a false
statement in a written certification submitted to ADHS after making a diagnosis of a
patient’s debilitating medical condition.”
This is how Comey went from a negligent to extremely careless, or 12 plants to 25 miles. So the verbiage here is it is left up to the medical licensing board. Then to write and enforce what is debilitating and what is not in regards to medical marijuana. They just might come up with some that are tax free some that are not.
The AZDH/MMJ awarded retail outlets according postal zip codes. Was it a wonder that the carnival tent, music, talk to our ND. Then get a prescription and soon you will be one of the select dude. Right On, power to the people, giving it to the man, only way righteous and to the sole brother epic. Bob Marley playing in the background best way to chill on a Sat in the AVE’s baby let’s score some tye dye!
Then one notices the transient movement of the 18>28 yr old males that make up the majority. They are no longer in the same or moved to other area’s and the new growth is predominantly the college zip codes that dont reflect the medical needs intended AMMA. Is it any wonder the patient information is shared and dispensaries are scouting the best they can to open up shop in student areas.
Does it not seem incredulous to the writer to chastise “Republican'” according to his moral orthodoxy then embrace the very movers and shaker republicans that are in the business. The very ones that are loaning private unsecured business loans backed by personal assets.
Wow massive inaccuracies and misreporting. You guys should check w sources before making stuff up. 2064’s opioid provision didn’t come from Leach, it was proposed by Dr. Friese. 2067 was amended, to remove the felony provisions. You didn’t even mention SB1420, the testing bill that passed through the Senate 27-3 or any of the work by Tucson legislator, Pam Powers-Hannley.
AND, the state has over 150,000 patients, not 133,000. So much misinformation here, if Nick Meyers hadn’t dogged Polk, I would think he was working for her.
Maybe next time you should call someone who actually pays attention before sending out error filled copy:
AZ-NORML
928-234-5633
Mike Weisse; WOW seems like you also ride in the same boat. 2064 is dead and so is about Dr. Friese reelection.
As I stated the amended version came from Leach as is the quote. 02/26/2018 house only voted to revisit not to pass and that was by Leach in the next 14 days we will see. But probably pass OH by the way both 2067/2067 are listed in he Arizona state Legislator As the prime sponsored by Leach. I will post the web site for you to look them up if that helps here it is.
,https://www.azleg.gov/
When get to the web site you see the box upper right just type in the bill number only and it will take you right there. I hope this helps.
2067 was watered down to mean What? has not gone to the Senate doubtful it will pass with the amendment another we will see.
Bill 1420 needs to happen and the director needed the legislate to make this happen. I dont think so but happy it did I went by a place had this tier BS going. I ask what made a tier value, he said quality of product. Great and the quality is rated by what? re; Dude it better alright. Went to another place best tested was 20% thc “TOP TIER” in Seattle average is 24% top quality is 30’s.
As far as Pamela Hannely this is enough for me to go with. The “ME TOO” rekindling the ERA. OK best of luck they dont resonate in anyway with me. I dont see the commitment with MMJ with so much other on her plate.