Aloha Medical MJ Patients, Card Holders and Supporters.
Another hearing has been announced, and as it's for next Tuesday, you've got all weekend to work on it....forget the Super Bowl...testify!
Please submit testimony in SUPPORT
SB 58 Relating to Medical Cannabis
Increases patient to caregiver ratio to 4 to 1, increases plants to 10 (and removes mature/immature distinction), increases dry, usable medicine to five ounces, makes grow location confidential and omits it from the card, clarifies that the Department of Public Safety may not require that the qualifying patient's certifying physician be the the patient's primary care physician
WHO: Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs
WHAT: SB 58 Relating to Medical Marijuana
WHEN: Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 3:15pm
WHERE: Conference Room 224
Testimony is due by 4pm Monday February 7
A copy of the bill is at:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2011/Bills/SB58_.HTM
and the hearing notice can be found at:
http://capitol.hawaii.gov/session2011/hearingnotices/HEARING_PGM_02-08-11_.HTM
Talking points:
I think this bill will be a faster way to improve the quality of patients' lives. The dispensaries/compassion center bill is important, but it could take years to implement. Increasing the patient-caregiver ratio, plants and dried, usable medicine will have immediate impact.
The law also clarifies that the Department of Public Safety's forms may not require more information that is required by the medical use of marijuana law.
It does allow for a primary caregiver to be "reimbursed for costs associated with assisting registered qualifying patients. Reimbursement shall not include the sale of controlled substances."
Although the law allows for the increase in patient-caregiver ratio, it still has no way for a patient to find a suitable caregiver. Is there a way to match the two?
Removing the "location of marijuana" from the blue card will be a major relief for patients, who have feared the card falling into the wrong hands. The location of the grow will still required on the form from NED.
The increases in plants, medicine and patient-caregiver ratio are all positive...but, share your personal thoughts on the amounts. Be mindful that the police will try hard to say that five ounces is way too much...find examples of why you need more (making butter and baked goods, tincture, concentrates).
I think the law should also require that NED's phone number and a set of procedures for the police to follow be printed on the blue card. That way the police will know what to do when they encounter a patient.
That's what I have for now. Jeanne Ohta will probably have more talking points tomorrow, but I wanted to put this out and give you as much lead time as possible.
I repeat that I think this is a really important bill, and we want to put in a good showing of testimony. I may even fly over to Oahu for this one.
By the way, I usually start my testimony "I am a medical marijuana patient residing on the Big Island." We have the most patients in the state, and we need to let them know in Oahu that even though we cannot attend in person, we are stakeholders and we care about being involved in the process.
Thanks. More to follow.
Matt Rifkin
· By Email: Testimony may be emailed if less than 5 pages in length, to the Committee at
[email protected] . Please indicate the measure, date and time of the hearing. Email sent to individual offices or any other Senate office will not be accepted.
· By Web: Testimony may be submitted online if less than 4MB in size, at
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/emailtestimony.