OFF THE WIRE
Susanne Posel
Occupy Corporatism
One way to clamp down on medicinal marijuana dispensaries is through exorbitant controls on financial requirements for a business license.
In Massachusetts, applicants will need to show documented evidence of at least $500,000 in liquid capital as an assurance for operation costs during the registration process.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) is pushing for applicants to pay $31,500 in fees for the license whether a dispensary or growing outfit.
Robert Carp, president of the Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Dispensers Association (MMMDA) points out that these new requirements will exclude many entrepreneurs from being able to open a dispensary. This will also have an impact on non-profit groups that advocate for veterans and the use of marijuana as medicine.
Carp is also concerned about how the MDPH would consider the “past experience in medical marijuana services when issuing certifications to new dispensaries” as part of the licensing process, and possibly as a defining factor.
The MDPH claims that these new regulation will inspire competition in licensing for medical marijuana dispensaries which is designed to provide all the funding necessary to pay for state regulatory oversight.
The medical marijuana industry is worth billions of dollars with the advent of legalization in 18 states which causes concern among the dispensaries, trade associations and advocacy groups who represent those dollars.
While advocacy groups push for legalization in all 50 states by 2016, industry owners would lose their monopoly on distribution within respective states.
The Medical Marijuana Caregivers (MMC) joined a group of anti-legalization enforcement organizations to push against a bill that would legalize possession of marijuana in small quantities within state borders.
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana (NORML) states that groups like the MMC are concerned about financial competition.
Erik Altieri, director of communications at NORM explains: “There are people who are benefiting financially and would prefer to see nothing change that. NORML believes the only way to truly ensure access for those patients who need cannabis for medical purposes is to legalize its use for all adults. This will provide every adult safe and convenient access to quality cannabis, regardless of whether or not their state legislators think their specific condition ‘qualifies’.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) states that marijuana is a Schedule 1 controlled substance “with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”
The American Medical Association (AMA) will not “ endorse marijuana or cannabis programs but believes more clinical studies are needed on the use of marijuana in medicine, and supports review of marijuana’s controlled substance status in order to facilitate that research.”
However, researchers at Harvard Medical School have found that in laboratory tests, THC activates naturally produced receptors that aid in fighting off lung cancer.
In Canada, a man produced a documentary on how he cured skin cancer in himself and others using oil derived from cannabis.
The International Medical Verities Association (IMVM) has placed cannabis oil on their schedule for cancer treatments as part of a prioritized collection of combatants including:
• Magnesium chloride
• Iodine
• Selenium
• Alpha Lipoic Acid
• Sodium bicarbonate
A directive issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has enabled clinics and hospitals to prescribe medical marijuana to patients in 14 states.
Although those doctors are not admonished to prescribe marijuana to veterans who are denied pain medication, it sets a precedent.
In addition, it federalizes the use of medical marijuana while at the same time conflicting with federal laws prohibiting the use and sale of marijuana.
Robert Petzel, undersecretary for health at the VA stated that these new guidelines will be sent to all 900 care facilities across the nation; while making a concise warning that doctors retain the right of refusal to patients based on a professional opinion of treatment options.
Petzel said: “If a veteran obtains and uses medical marijuana in a manner consistent with state law, testing positive for marijuana would not preclude the veteran from receiving opioids for pain management. The discretion to prescribe, or not prescribe, opioids in conjunction with medical marijuana, should be determined on clinical grounds.”
The Obama administration’s stance on the legalization of marijuana is that since the National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that “marijuana use is associated with addiction, respiratory disease, and cognitive impairment. We know from an array of treatment admission information and Federal data that marijuana use is a significant source for voluntary drug treatment admissions and visits to emergency rooms” this is not a “benign drug”.
Clearly, the financial gain to the federal government in drug related law enforcement was $9 billion as of 2012 which shows a decisive move toward keep it illegal within federal jurisdiction.
With a multi-billion dollar business being conducted because of its illegal status, it would be a big loss to the federal government if marijuana were legalized across all 50 states.