Hey all, I'm 24 (almost 25) and started smoking a little less than a year ago after buying into the pot-kills rhetoric for so long. Smoked out of apple pipes until we got a volcano a few months ago, suddenly we're going through product alot faster I'm here because I'm really interested in different types, cultivation techniques and legalization... My fiance has chronic neck pain from a car accident, and I have really bad IBS so we both "qualify" for medical cards but are both concerned about getting on some federal list. So hi!
I don't think that type of information can be used against you anywhere. It is literally a doctor patient confidentiality thing. Does the government know which school teachers, Bus Drivers,Judges, and Senators are prescribed Vicodin, or Prozac, or Zanex. No they don't! And no they shouldn't! It is up to the Individual to take their medication responsibly. and besides that it is between you and your doctor! Now having said that there are a couple of things I could suggest to you as I am a Medical Marijuana Patient here in California. When I got my recommendation from my doctor it was in Oakland, and it was suggested to me by my buddy that now that I have My recommendation I should go to get my "card" which is issued in this case by the County Of Alameda! The "Card" registers you as a medical marijuana patient. They will issue you a " Growers Permit " which you place in your garden. On the permit there is a phone # for law enforcement to call and verify that you are a patient and that it is a legal garden.They will issue you a card to carry in your wallet to show law enforcement in case you need to identify yourself as patient at any time. They will also provide you with the form to appoint a caregiver. I did all of these things and then found out that I didn't NEED to. You have the same rights as a patient if you have a " Card " or not. You can still grow a garden,still transport in your vehicle and still buy it at all of the legal Collectives and dispensaries. The card is just a fast way of communicating to any city, county, or state law enforcement that you are a patient. IT DOES NOT GIVE YOU ANY MORE RIGHTS AS A PATIENT. keep in mind that Gardens are regulated by the county you live in. Example: In Santa Cruz County it is whatever you can fit in 100 square feet. in other counties it is defined by the number of plants! Know Your Counties Laws!!!!
In theory yeah, there is doctor patient confidentiality - I was under the impression that over the course of the "California law vs. Federal Law" MMJ thing the feds had in the past forced dispensories(sp?) to turn over their patient logs, or in some cases just taken them in the raids. I'm in Solono county and there were two dispenseries locally until one of them was raided in December, now theres only one. I would love to grow, we just bought a house and are setting up our gardens (vegetable) now but are still concerned. When you were getting your doctor recommendation did you go through a specific clinic, or was it just your primary physician? I'm through Kaiser and my doc would much rather prescribe me anti-depressents for the IBS than a pot card so even though I qualify medically I think I'd have to go outside of Kaiser to make it happen. Thanks for your reply, really enlightening - I appreciate you sharing your experiances. Incidentally, 100sqft? Wow, thats a whole lot of pain relief!