About Cannabis Doctors Network

CannabisDoctorsNetwork.com is the leader in providing a reliable and trusted source for medical marijuana recommendations. Excellence in service is our #1 priority. Our expert call center associates and friendly staff provide you with a convenient means of connecting with trustworthy, knowledgeable and respected doctors that can evaluate and approve you for a medical marijuana card.

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Medical Marijuana Doctors in California – How to Get California Medical Marijuana Cards

If you are considering getting California medical marijuana cards – Your first step should be to find prescreened medical marijuana doctors in California.

California medical marijuana cards are regulated by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), which is tasked with managing the medical marijuana program in this state; a path that many other states have followed when implementing their own medical marijuana programs. In order to ensure that the program has minimized abuse and that it’s on the up and up, the CDPH also is the same entity that approves medical marijuana doctors in California for conducting medicinal cannabis evaluations, and also for issuing written and signed recommendations for patients to use cannabis as medicine. If you have ever wondered what to look for in medical marijuana doctors in California, and how to get California medical marijuana cards – the helpful information contained within this article will bring you up to speed.

What to Look for in Medical Marijuana Doctors in California

As with any doctor that you would choose to place your trust in, medical marijuana doctors in California should be no different. There are some things that you want to look for in order to ensure that a physician is reputable, credible and trustworthy. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Medical marijuana doctors in California should be state approved to issue recommendations

Office should be in a modern and safe location

Staff should be courteous and friendly

Doctor should have no outstanding legal issues

Office should be fully HIPPA compliant

You should receive a Patient’s Rights pamphlet at the time of your visit

Your questions about medical marijuana should be answered honestly

Doctor should be the one to personally sign your recommendation

Physician should advise you on alternatives to using cannabis, and the risks and dangers associated with using medicinal marijuana

How to Get California Medical Marijuana Cards

Now that you better understand what you should look for with medical marijuana doctors in California, how do you get California medical marijuana cards? The process is not nearly as complex as you might have thought that it was. In fact, it can be outlined in the following simple steps:

See medical marijuana doctors in California and get your recommendation.

Submit your application to the CDPH with any other required documents and fees.

Be issued California medical marijuana cards about 10-12 business days later in the mail.

Renew your card every 12 months to ensure that it remains valid.

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Wonder if Medical Marijuana Cards North Hollywood Can Help You?

The state of California has the most proactive medicinal marijuana program in the nation. Find out if medical marijuana cards North Hollywood are right for you!

If you live in the celebrity hub of North Hollywood, chances are that you have heard about medical marijuana cards North Hollywood. In California, it’s actually not that uncommon to know a person that has medical marijuana cards North Hollywood, or a card for a different city. In fact, according to NORML, they have estimated that at least 1 million people have marijuana cards in this state, and a good deal of those people happens to hold medical marijuana cards North Hollywood. If you ever wondered more about these cards, what their benefits are and how you can get one, the information provided here should serve to bring you up to speed.

Benefits of Medical Marijuana Cards North Hollywood

For card holders, medical marijuana cards North Hollywood offer numerous desirable benefits. For starters, patients are immune to criminal prosecution, provided that they adhere to the city and state laws and guidelines for patients who are approved for using medicinal cannabis. Secondly, medical marijuana cards North Hollywood allow patients to access collectives, dispensaries and compassion clubs so they can purchase their medicine. Lastly, in this city, patients can actually legally grow their own cannabis for medical usage, too.

How to Get Medical Marijuana Cards North Hollywood

There is a set of steps that you can follow that can get you approved for medical marijuana cards North Hollywood. The following three steps outline what needs to be done in order to be issued a card.

See a marijuana doctor in North Hollywood and get a written and signed recommendation.

Submit your application, photo ID and any required fees, along with your recommendation to the California Department of Public Health.

Receive your medical marijuana cards North Hollywood in about 10-12 business days by mail, valid for up to 12 months.

Important Things to Know About Medical Marijuana Cards North Hollywood

There are some things that you should know about medical marijuana cards North Hollywood. They are not a free ticket to smoking pot; only doctor approved patients will be issued them. You still must adhere to any state and city laws. Cards have to be renewed every 12 months to remain valid. Cards don’t protect you in the workplace, so you have to use your medicine in a private setting. You can’t ask a doctor where you can buy marijuana; that’s illegal. Lastly, there are no prescriptions for medical cannabis; doctors can only issue a recommendation that it will help to improve your quality of living. 

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Hollywood Medical Marijuana Cards – How to Get One

If you live in the bustling celebrity headquarters of Hollywood and you’ve ever wondered if you qualified for Hollywood medical marijuana cards, find out in this article.

The city of Hollywood is perhaps best known for hosting a wide array of celebrities, the world famous Whisky Bar and one of the most happening live music scenes to be found the world over. It’s also now known as a place where those who are suffering from terrible medical afflictions can more easily explore natural treatment options like medicinal cannabis – which can be legally used at a doctor’s discretion upon the issuance of Hollywood medical marijuana cards. However, many people misunderstand the purpose and efficacy of Hollywood medical marijuana cards. Even more important is that lots of people ponder if they qualify for one, and if so, how they go about getting approved for one.

Defining Hollywood Medical Marijuana Cards: Their Purpose

Let’s first explain the purpose of Hollywood medical marijuana cards, before delving into how you get one. Backtracking to the year 2003, when the state of California passed SB420, which decriminalized medicinal marijuana, the California Department of Public Health, which is tasked with regulating and managing the medical marijuana program in this state, began issuing Hollywood medical marijuana cards to doctor approved patients; only doctor approved patients are issued Hollywood medical marijuana cards. Over the years that have passed since the law took effect, now more than 160 different medical illnesses will qualify a resident – illnesses ranging from chronic pain, to wasting syndrome, addiction and even STDs.

How to Get Hollywood Medical Marijuana Cards

Now that you know more about how Hollywood medical marijuana cards came about, their function and their purpose, do you qualify for one, and how do you get one? Thankfully, there is a relatively easy to follow process in order to obtain Hollywood medical marijuana cards that can be outlined in a few simple steps for you.

See a Hollywood medical marijuana doctor, and be evaluated and issued your written marijuana recommendation.

Submit your application to get Hollywood medical marijuana cards to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Receive your Hollywood medical marijuana cards in about 10 business days by mail.

Renew your Hollywood medical marijuana cards every 12 months by following the same process once again.

Keep your card on you at all times to enjoy its benefits and civil protections.

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Marijuana Clinics Victorville Can Get You Approved for your California Medical Marijuana Card

If you live in Victorville and you suffer from medical ailments, see a doctor at marijuana clinics Victorville today to get a medical marijuana evaluation.

The hustle and bustle of daily life is enough to stress any person out. That’s the truth in a nutshell. Then you have to deal with other elements of living, like your mental and physical health. When a persistent medical ailment plagues you, it can really cause much detriment to your overall quality of living. The last thing you want to be dealing with is the stress, anxiety and the pain of a chronic medical condition. The good news is that marijuana clinics Victorville are here to help you if you reside in this city. The caring doctors are expertly trained and state approved to issue recommendations for a California medical marijuana card. If you think that medicinal cannabis may help to improve your life and reduce the severity of your symptoms—your first step should be to make an appointment to see a physician at marijuana clinics Victorville.

Factoids About Marijuana Clinics Victorville

Knowledge is power, and the more you know about medical marijuana the better that you can arrive at your own conclusion as to whether or not it’s a viable treatment option for you. Here are some facts about marijuana clinics Victorville that you may not have known before:

Marijuana clinics Victorville have been in place since 2003, when the state legalized marijuana for medicinal usages.

NORML estimates there more than 1.1 million holders of valid California medical marijuana cards.

More than 166 medical conditions qualify you for cannabis at marijuana clinics Victorville.

The state health department issues and regulates California medical marijuana cards.

A marijuana card is valid for 12 months, and then must be renewed.

How to Get your California Medical Marijuana Card in Victorville:

Now that you have a better idea of this program and how it works, do you wonder how you can get California medical marijuana cards from marijuana clinics Victorville? Thankfully, the process is not nearly as complicated as you may think that it might be. Here are some easy steps to get your card today!

See a doctor at marijuana clinics Victorville and get a written recommendation.

Submit your recommendation and application with any fees to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Be issued California medical marijuana cards by mail within 10-12 business days.

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Washington Supreme Court Rules Against Protecting Medical Marijuana Patients at Work

The Associated Press reports that a recent ruling by the Supreme court in Washington effectively removes protections from employees using medical marijuana.

Medical marijuana patients in Washington are facing another uphill battle: the right to use their medication and not be subjected to discrimination in the workplace; even if they are using the medicine offsite and not when they are at work.

On Friday, June 10th, the supreme court ruled 8-1 that employers do not have to accommodate medical marijuana patients, and that their jobs are not protected should they test positive for marijuana or THC – the main chemical agent in marijuana that provides relief – on an employee mandated drug test.

The ruling is part of an ongoing lawsuit that was filed by a woman who was a medical marijuana user that tested positive for a pre-employment drug test for a company called TeleTech Customer Care Management back in 2006.

When the drug test came back positive, the woman informed the company that she was a doctor approved medical marijuana patient, but the company rejected her for employment, citing illegal drug usage.

The woman filed suit, and now Friday’s ruling sets precedence in the state of Washington and elsewhere in the US.

The state law’s verbage specifically mentions that employers do not have to accommodate medical marijuana usage onsite, but fails to address the usage of it offsite.

The Justices interpreted the law as in favor of the workplace, and stated in their ruling that, “The language of (the law) is unambiguous — it does not regulate the conduct of a private employer or protect an employee from being discharged because of authorized medical marijuana use.”

Read Full News Article Here

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New Bill Allowing Cities to Regulate California Medical Marijuana Heads to Senate

A new bill called AB1300 is headed upstream to senate in the state of California. If passed, the bill would allow individual cities to regulate medical marijuana collectives.

Another medical marijuana showdown has been seen in the Sunshine State – where medical marijuana was first made legal by voters and by the state, when they decriminalized it back in 2003 with the passage of a now famous bill called SB420.

In the eight years since that bill passed, the state has seen a flurry of medical marijuana collectives, growers, caregivers and dispensaries open. The cities were only required to issue permits at first, but over the past several years they have been at odds with the collectives over several issues, and some cities, like Long Beach, have been shutting them down, raiding them or revoking permits.

Now the ominous battle has reached a climax as the cities push for the state to allow them to self regulate the medical marijuana program inside of their borders. As opposed to relying upon state laws and guidelines, the cities want to be held to their own ordinances and laws for the operation of collectives, compassion clubs and dispensaries.

Democratic state Assemblyman, Bob Blumenfield, has introduced a bill called AB1300, which would allow for cities to regulate these medical marijuana entities at their discretion.

Proponents view it as the city stepping on state laws. Pundits say that the state is already stepping on federal laws, as marijuana is still a Schedule 1 drug.

The bill was cleared for a senate vote by 53-1, and now will be voted upon next week.

California hosts the largest medical marijuana program in the US. There are currently more than 1.1 million people who have valid California Medical Marijuana Cards.

The medical marijuana industry in California brings in more than $4.5 billion in taxable annual revenues.

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Golden Rain Foundation Trying to Weed out California Medical Marijuana Card Holders from Growing Their Own Medicine Onsite

Forbes reports that valid holders of California Medical Marijuana Cards living in Laguna Woods Village retirement community are now being forced to grow their medicine offsite after the home owner’s association banned growing in community.

A recent article that was published by Forbes tells the saga of a 2-year old medical marijuana collective of senior citizens who live in the middle of the Laguna Woods Village retirement community in one of the most affluent and conservative areas of Southern California. Collective members are encouraged to grow medical marijuana from some 40 varieties of experimental designer-seeds, such as “Sour Tsunami,” which purportedly posses anti-inflammatory properties designed to better meet the medical needs of seniors.

The 150 seniors who belong to the collective (each of whom has a state issued California medical marijuana card) represent a tiny minority (less than 1% (0.8333%)) of the total 18,000 senior citizens living in Laguna Woods Village – one of the largest retirement communities in the country.

While the federal government poses a constant threat to the collective, the collective’s president says that their biggest problems come from the members of the volunteer board of the Golden Rain Foundation (GRF), which governs the retirement community and maintains all of the community property, facilities, and amenities within the 3 square-mile area of Laguna Woods Village.

Although community residents with California medical marijuana cards are still permitted to grow the state legal limit of 6 seedlings or mature marijuana plants per person in their private residence, GRF adopted a new policy last year banning cultivation of marijuana on all community property in Laguna Woods Village, including the community garden.

The vote empowered GRF’s Community Activities Committee's Garden Center Advisory Group to shut down the public pot-plots operated by resident members of the collective – forcing the collective’s resident-growers to rip out dozens of over-6-foot-high pot plants they had been growing on their 800-square-foot plot in the Laguna Woods Village community garden.

After several disastrous attempts to find an alternative growing site, one resident member of the collective has reportedly started an organic growing operation in two off-site greenhouses to supply the medical marijuana needed by collective members. Cost is on a sliding scale: members pay between $35 and $200 per ounce, depending on need and financial ability.

Read Full Forbes Article Here

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Long Beach City Council to Be Raided by Medical Marijuana Activists

Patient and caregivers who have been continuously harassed by police in Long Beach over collectives and dispensaries plant to pay back the raiding with one of their own.

If you have been approved for a California medical marijuana card and you happen to reside in Long Beach, chances are that you are planning to do a little bit of protesting this week. Activists have organized a planned city council demonstration to protest police harassment of lawfully biding medicinal cannabis users in this city.

The city banned dispensaries and collectives in 2009, and began raiding many without a warrant.

The main goal is to stop the harassment and illegal activity by the city, which picks and chooses dispensaries and collectives that it raids at will, yet issues permits and allows others to operate at its discretion.

All dispensaries in the state of California have been legally allowed per the passage of the 2003 law, SB420, which decriminalized medical marijuana statewide.

The most notable raid took place on May 10th, when 562 Collective, owned and operated by Katherine Aldridge, was illegally raided by police offers who did not have a search warrant. The officers arrested a few people for operating a collective without proper permits and demanded to gain access to Aldridge’s safe without a warrant, something that she refused to permit and the officers left, not arresting her, the owner, for some reason.

“They were trying to railroad me into opening my safe and I said if you don’t have a warrant, I'm not doing it," Aldridge told the press. “Give me a search warrant and I’ll open it; if you don’t get one, go get a blowtorch and do your thing.”

Another instance occurred when undercover police offers posed as medical marijuana patients and presented legitimate marijuana doctor recommendations to Joe Byron and Joe Grumbine, who owned a dispensary, and then who legally sold them medical marijuana.

Both have been charged with trafficking and sale of a Schedule 1 Drug, even though what they did was in par with state law. If convicted they could face up to seven years in prison.

Activists have gathered to protest these matters and many more related ones to city council this week in Long Beach.

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San Bernardino Shuts Down 7 Medical Marijuana Dispensaries & Collectives

Medical marijuana dispensaries and collectives are being shut down by police in San Bernardino, preventing California medical marijuana cards holders from accessing their medicine legally.  

In San Bernardino, holders of California medical marijuana cards are currently pitted in a battle with the city over it’s non-issuance of the necessary permits for medical marijuana collectives and dispensaries to operate within the borders of the city. Earlier in the month, the police served seven different dispensaries and collective with warrants, citing them for violating the city’s municipal codes.

In 2010, the city banned collectives and dispensaries due to complaints from citizens, effectively rejecting all active permits and refusing to issue new ones.

“Our own citizens are calling and are concerned about their neighborhood.” City Attorney, Jolena Grider, told The Sun.

 Of the seven that have been cited by police, one has already been closed.

The passage of Proposition 215 in 2003 effectively decriminalized medical marijuana in the state of California and created the medical marijuana program, managed by the California Department of Public Health, which is tasked with managing and regulating California medical marijuana cards.

The prop also allowed for dispensaries and collectives to operate throughout the state to provide patients with medicinal marijuana, operating as nonprofit entities.

Several cities still refuse to allow dispensaries or collectives, and cite the federal Controlled Substances Act, which places marijuana as a Schedule 1 controlled substance.

The collectives and dispensaries in question are planning to file a suit with state supreme court in the near future to get an official ruling.

Holders of California medical marijuana cards are still protected under state laws, they just have to travel further now to get their medicine.

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Arizona Medical Marijuana Dispensaries on Hold Pending Federal Ruling

The state of Arizona has been rejecting applications for permits to open Arizona medical marijuana dispensaries, pending a ruling by a federal judge regarding legality.

The director of the Arizona Department of Public Health, Will Humble, who is responsible for regulating and managing Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Program, which issues Arizona medical marijuana cards for patients, and permits for Arizona medical marijuana dispensaries, recently rejected an application from respected Arizona physicians to gain a permit so they could open a nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary.

Voter approved law that took effect in mid-April (2011) approved up to 125 medical marijuana dispensaries, a number that was proportionate to 10% of the pharmacies in the state, so that patients who hold Arizona medical marijuana cards could gain access to the medication they need without having to grow it themselves or purchase it illegally from pot dealers.

The state governor, Jan Brewer, has filed a federal suit to get a ruling on any possible federal legal repercussions that could stem from AZ employees issuing Arizona medical marijuana cards or dispensary permits to ensure that they are protected from federal prosecution.

While the state will still be issuing Arizona medical marijuana cards until a ruling is passed down, they have refrained from issuing dispensary permits until such time.

Marijuana is still classified as a Schedule 1 Drug by federal law, and the state fears employees will be prosecuted for trafficking a controlled substance. So the governor has filed suit to get a ruling, really advice, from a federal circuit judge regarding the matter.

Humble told the East Valley Tribune on Wednesday that, “I’m a public health official. I’m not a lawyer. So I have to rely on the lawyers to provide me with good advice on actions we should take where public health issues intersect with the law,” he said

Ryan Hurley, attorney for the Virtue Center, which is the physician group that was denied a permit, told the East Valley Tribune on Wednesday that, “At the end of the day, what’s happening is the law voters enacted is not going into place. Patients are going to suffer,” he said.

Dr. Richard Strand, one of the physicians who has invested money in the Virtue Center and its planned dispensaries, said that, “We want to allow patients in need and their caregivers not to have to go to the dark streets and back alleys to find medical marijuana.”

The Virtue Center plans on filing a suit against the state in the near future.

Currently there are about 4,000 approved holders of Arizona medical marijuana cards and 100 registered caregivers. Until the dispensaries are open, they will have to find another means of procuring their medicine.

When and if dispensaries open, patients can legally buy up to 2 ½ ounces every two weeks. If they live 25 miles or more away from the dispensaries, they can grow their own cannabis for medicine.

Read Full News Article Here

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Press Release: Cannabis Doctors Network Now Connecting Patients to Verified & Prescreened California Medical Marijuana Doctors in Nine Different Cities

The leader in prequalifying patients for medicinal cannabis & matching them to verified & prescreened California medical marijuana doctors announces nine new locations.

LOS ANGELES, CA – (JUNE 3rd, 2011) – Cannabis Doctors Network – an online service that prequalifies patients for California medical marijuana cards and matches them to prescreened and verified California medical marijuana doctors – is pleased to announce they now have nine locations to offer patients who are seeking to get approved for their marijuana card in California.

“We are constantly adding new California medical marijuana doctor locations every day to better assist patients who are seeking to get a medical marijuana evaluation,” said Srii Srinivasan, company spokesperson. “We are very pleased to announce that we now have nine convenient locations in this state to better serve the needs of our patients.”

As of June, 2011, the network is now offering doctor referrals to patients who reside in these following cities: Los Angeles, North Hollywood, Pasadena, Venice Beach, Victorville, Santa Monica, Riverside, Temecula and City of Industry.

“Our goal is to connect patients in need to the medicine that they require in order to find effective, natural relief,” Srinivasan says. “By vigilantly prescreening doctors and ensuring that they meet the very highest standards of medical practitioners, we can more expeditiously expand our locations and better serve patients who live in this region that could benefit from using medicinal cannabis.”

According to NORML estimates, as of June 1st there were currently more than 1.1 million approved holders of California medical marijuana cards. The medical marijuana industry in California generates an estimated $4.5 billion in taxable annual revenue for the state. Doctor and state approved medical marijuana users only account for fewer than 3% of the population.

About: Cannabis Doctors Network is the leader in providing a reliable and trusted source for medical marijuana recommendations. Excellence in service is our #1 priority. Our expert call center associates and friendly staff provide you with a convenient means of connecting with trustworthy, knowledgeable and respected doctors that can evaluate and approve you for a medical marijuana card.

To learn how you can get California medical marijuana card today by prequalifying online in minutes and getting matched with caring and knowledgeable California medical marijuana doctors in your location. To get started today, please visit: http://www.cannabisdoctorsnetwork.com.

Press Contact:

Company Spokesperson

Srii Srinivasan

Email: [email protected]

Online: http://www.cannabisdoctorsnetwork.com  

Phone: [phone]

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Big Box Medical Cannabis Grow Store, weGrow, “The Wal-Mart of Weed,” Opens in Phoenix for Arizona Medical Marijuana Cards Holders

The large superstore that supplies everything that Arizona medical marijuana cards holders need to grow weed, weGrow, has opened a store in Phoenix, Arizona for patients.

A new superstore has opened its doors in Phoenix, Arizona to aid patients who have been approved for Arizona medical marijuana cards so they can purchase the tools that they will require in order to grow their own medicine.

The state approved the legalization of medicinal cannabis at the end of 2010, and the law took effect in mid-April, 2011. Since that time, the public health department – which manages and regulates the Arizona medical marijuana program – has been issuing Arizona medical marijuana cards to patients who have been recommended to use cannabis by a doctor.

Dhar Mann, the Founder of weGrow, says that his store is in business to provide valid Arizona medical marijuana cards holders with the tools that they will need in order to responsibly cultivate their own medicinal cannabis.

“We sell everything but the plant itself,” he told Reuters. “We sell the products and the services for people to safely and responsibly cultivate their medicine.”

Similar to other big box stores in size and amenities – like Best Buy or Target – the 21,000 sq ft facility will be selling all sorts of hydroponic grow aids, food, soil, trays, lamps and just about anything related to cultivating cannabis. In the press materials, the store has actually compared itself to other well known big box stores, often calling itself “The Wal-Mart of Weed” or “Home DePot.”

Since the store only sells grow aids and tools, you don’t need to have an Arizona medical marijuana card to gain entrance. But the only way that you can legally grow marijuana in AZ for personal usage is by first being approved and issued an Arizona medical marijuana card.

In early June, the state headed to federal court to ensure that its employees and citizens were protected from federal prosecution for issuing Arizona medical marijuana cards and using medicinal cannabis.

Marijuana is still federally prohibited and is listed as a Schedule 1 Drug.

Arizona is the 16th state in the union to decriminalize medicinal cannabis.

Currently there are more than 3,700 patients who have been approved and issued Arizona medical marijuana cards.

Read Full News Article Here

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New Zealand Takes Next Step Towards Medical Marijuana Cards with Medicinal Cannabis Trials

New Zealand has signed off on new clinical trials for testing the medicinal benefits of marijuana. In the future they plan in issuing medical marijuana cards to qualified patients.

In an unusual turn of events, New Zealand, which has generally been opposed to legalizing medical marijuana, has actually taken the first steps towards making it legal. On June 1st (2011), NZ signed off on approval for clinical trials of medicinal cannabis with Auckland Greencross.

Unlike in the United States, where only the federal government can allow research on marijuana, as it is considered somehow to be a Schedule 1 drug, in NZ they allow marijuana research in order to better determine its medicinal benefits to patients.

Stephen McIntyre, the spokesman for the medical cannabis users, said in a statement to the press that, “Sixty five percent of submissions to this report – a figure consistent with online polling – favored the establishment of a scheme allowing people suffering from chronic, debilitating or terminal conditions to legally access and use herbal cannabis.”

He further added, “Most medical users of cannabis, alongside the serious condition they’re forced to cope with on a daily basis, have the added stress of finding reliable access to quality medicine from a trustworthy source, compounded by fear of being caught by the police.”

 “Auckland Greencross wants to see an exemption for both arrest and prosecution given to all bona fide patients once they have been given the approval of their doctor or specialist to use cannabis therapeutically,” McIntyre said.

Once the program is in place it will be managed by Auckland Greencross, New Zealand’s equivalent to a Public Health Department. Much like in, say, Los Angeles, where a person must receive a doctor examination to get approved for California Medical Marijuana Cards, the same will be true in the future in NZ.

“A national database could be established along similar lines allowing patients to possess ID that proving that they legitimately possess cannabis for their own use and are accordingly free from criminalization,” McIntyre said.

The country anticipates positive results from the clinical trials, which will further speed along passage of laws in US states that don’t currently allow medicinal cannabis.

“We know that for our members, cannabis is the best medicine around – preferable in both efficacy and absence of unwanted side-effects to the opiates and other drugs they’re prescribed – and that many of them would be willing to participate in trials to establish that,” McIntyre said.

He concluded that, “Ultimately Auckland Greencross welcomes the day when cannabis is available on prescription in New Zealand and medical grade crops are licensed and regulated in the same way as other controlled drugs.”

Read Full News Article Here

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NORML Says There Are More Than 1 Million California Medical Marijuana Cards

According to the nationwide marijuana activist organization, NORML, as of 2011 there are more than 1 million patients who hold valid California medical marijuana cards.

The leader in pioneering the medical marijuana movement, and the most proactive state in the union amongst the 15 others and DC that have decriminalized marijuana for medicinal usages, California, also tops the list for most active holders of a California medical marijuana cards, too. When you really break down the numbers, however, the spectrum of abuse is virtually nonexistent. Proponents of California medical marijuana cards would have you believe otherwise; that people are rampantly abusing this drug and that it should be illegal.

Pundits and the real numbers tell a different story, however.

According to a recent news report that was published in late May by the San Francisco Weekly, there are 1.1 million California medical marijuana cards that are active and that are currently being used by patients, according to NORML; a pro marijuana activist organization that has goal to see the drug legalized nationwide. To offer more perspective on this matter, the state has a staggering population of more than 37 million persons, and according to recent census data, this number reflects not even 3% of the population that holds California medical marijuana cards.

Some say that the numbers are not accurate, as all California medical marijuana cards information is kept strictly confidential and not recorded on any database so as to best protect a patient’s identity and freedom, and the same is true for doctors who recommend California medical marijuana cards to patients … it’s all very hush-hush. But at last estimates, the number has grown from 75,000 in 2003, when marijuana was first made legal to use as medicine in this state, and then from 350,000 in 2007 to nearly triple that amount of California medical marijuana cards in 2011.

Let’s also keep in mind that over the past several years more than 150 different ailments and medical conditions have been approved by state lawmakers and added as treatable conditions that would warrant the issuance of California medical marijuana cards. So it’s not all about people lying to get a card. Furthermore, marijuana doctors view it as medicine, the same as a painkiller, and they don’t hand out California medical marijuana cards recommendations like candy, either.

NORML Director, Dale Gieringer, issued a statement to the press recently, stating that, “The data shows that medical marijuana users are becoming an increasingly important constituency. It is time for the federal government to stop ignoring the facts and recognize their right to medicine.”

Medicinal marijuana in California and California medical marijuana cards brings in more than $4.5 billion in taxable revenue annually, a number that has steadily increased since 2003, and one that helps to pay for public services like a fire department, police department, new roads, trash, sewer and official salaries.

California medical marijuana cards are issued by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), which manages and regulates the medical marijuana program in this state.

Read Full News Article Here

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Helpful Information About Marijuana Clinics Pasadena

Marijuana Clinics Pasadena are staffed with caring and friendly doctors that can provide you with a marijuana recommendation today so you can get your cannabis card.

One thing that many people fail to notice about the city of Pasadena is its excellent health care rating and its first rate quality of living – something that many other cities across the US can’t compare to. Aside from the numerous and often glamorous amenities and attractions that this city has, it also has a leading health system. Part of that system includes marijuana clinics Pasadena, which are professional medical offices that patients who are suffering can visit to see if medicinal cannabis may be the treatment option that they’ve been looking for.

Marijuana Clinics Pasadena Offer Affordable Rates

If you live in California and you don’t have health insurance, but think that marijuana may help you feel better, don’t worry; marijuana clinics Pasadena offer affordable rates so that you can see a doctor today. Aside from that, something that you may not know is that most health insurance companies won’t cover cannabis because it’s not a conventional prescription drug, and because it has yet to gain FDA approval. The marijuana clinics Pasadena that are located here know this, and strive to keep their rates low so that cannabis can be an affordable treatment option to many and not to just a select wealthy few.

What to Expect at Marijuana Clinics Pasadena

If you are planning on seeing a doctor at marijuana clinics Pasadena in the near future, there are some things that you can expect from them. First and foremost, you will be treated in a professional medical environment where you will be put at ease and feel relaxed and not judged. The doctors at marijuana clinics Pasadena are here to help you, not judge you, as are their courteous staff members. You can expect a full examination and assessment of your health, and if cannabis may be right for you, the doctor will recommend that you start using it and explain its benefits and risks to you in full.

Important Questions to Ask a Doctor at Marijuana Clinics Pasadena

Before you head to an appointment to see physicians at marijuana clinics Pasadena, there are some great questions that you should prepare in advance to ask your doctor. To better aid you, here are a few that you should write down.

What rights do marijuana patients have?

Are there safe ways to use cannabis aside from smoking it?

What risks and side effects should I be aware of?

How effective will cannabis be in treating my symptoms?

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Arizona Medical Marijuana Laws: AZ Gov. Jan Brewer Taking Voter-Approved State Med-Pot Laws to Federal Supreme Court

The newly enacted Arizona medical marijuana laws are still facing new trials and tribulations after AZ Gov., Jan Brewer, decided to file a federal suit.

Arizona medical marijuana laws are once again under scrutiny by the very person who should be lauding the legal system and voters for stating their voice and passing them: Governor Jan Brewer.

Classically known as a proponent against these Arizona medical marijuana laws, something the Brewer has publically voiced, and also something that saw the newly passed laws rewritten so that they could not be shut down by state legislature, like they did after proposition 200 was passed by a 2-1 margin in 1996, but was later dumped by the state using legislative laws; the new Arizona medical marijuana laws require a supermajority vote of 2/3 to get ousted by state legislature, something that would be next to impossible for Brewer to pull off.

But the sly Gov has an ace up her sleeve. Brewer cites her concerns in a recent press release, stating that US Attorney Eric Holder’s letter to the Gov of Washington (in April, 2011) leaves her concerned the federal prosecution of state employees for processing applications for Arizona medical marijuana cards and permits for marijuana dispensaries. She specifically cited a United States Attorney for the District of Arizona Dennis Burke to Arizona Department of Health Services Director Will Humble letter, regarding the legality of the state approved Arizona medical marijuana program.

The item of concern in Burke’s letter states that “growing, distributing and possessing cannabis in any capacity, other than as part of a federally authorized research program, is a violation of federal law regardless of state laws that purport to permit such activities.”

But the same letter adheres to a 2009 letter penned by Deputy Attorney General David Ogden that guides US Attorneys to not “focus their limited resources on those seriously ill individuals who use marijuana as part of a medically recommended treatment.”

Now the battle is headed for a legal showdown

In a statement to the press Brewer said that “I won't stand aside while state employees and average Arizonans acting in good faith are unwittingly put at risk. In light of the explicit warnings on this issue offered by Arizona's U.S. attorney, as well as many other federal prosecutors, clarity and judicial direction are in order.” 

Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne is set to file the suit shortly.

The state still plans on issuing Arizona medical marijuana cards in the meantime.

Currently there are more than 4,000 patients who have been approved for Arizona medical marijuana cards by the state health department.

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[cannabisdoctorsnetwork-blog]

Medical Marijuana Strains for Pain Relief: Bubblegum

There are literally thousands of different medical marijuana strains that patients have to choose from depending upon their ailments. Bubblegum strain is lauded for its strong analgesic properties.

If you are a medical marijuana patient and you have a valid medical marijuana card, then chances are good that you have been to a marijuana dispensary in your city before to look for new medical marijuana strains to try out. The state of California is the leader in offering the most advanced grow operations for medical marijuana strains, due mostly to the large population density and the fact that the state hosts the oldest and most expansive medical marijuana program in the nation. So it should come as no surprise that this medical marijuana strain we are about to inform you of is lauded as hosting strong analgesic (pain relief) properties.

The strain is called Bubblegum and is named as such because it has so many red hairs – which comprise most of the nuggets that this strain produces – that it nearly resembles a piece of bubblegum. It also tastes and smells fruity and is known for its high potency. This medical marijuana strain has been awarded four awards at the prestigious High Times Cannabis Cup. It is a sativa hydro plant that is grown indoors, and has been reviewed by top growers and dispensaries as being a great pain relief aid for headaches and with treating chronic pain. The denser nuggets boast up to 20% THC, the main agent in marijuana that induces euphoria. Next time you are at your dispensary looking for medical marijuana strains that you can try out, ask them for world famous Bubblegum.