ACQUIRING MEDICAL MARIJUANA REMAINS A CHALLENGE

New Law Makes No Provision for Legal Purchase

Lynn Allen is his own pharmacist.

He grows his medicine in a bedroom closet in his Williamston home -
five marijuana plants that promise relief from chronic pain caused by
hemophilia and HIV.

He has little choice. A newly implemented medical marijuana law in
Michigan makes no provisions for authorized patients to acquire
marijuana at a pharmacy or other retail source.

They must either grow it themselves - with no guidance on how to
legally acquire seeds - or find someone willing to grow a limited
amount for them.

"There's a lot of confusion generally," said Allen, 52. "The people
providing growing services are still trying to sort things out."

Such is the dilemma faced by medical marijuana users and caregivers
with new rules implemented April 6 for the state's medical marijuana
law. The law authorizes those with a doctor's recommendation and a
state permit to grow their own marijuana for medical use or designate
someone else to grow marijuana on their behalf.

A lack of guidance on acquiring marijuana means some patients must
walk a legal tightrope - and rely on emerging support groups in
Michigan - as they try to acquire medication to ease their pain and
suffering. For instance, it's illegal to order or ship marijuana
seeds through the mail, nor can they be purchased in Canada and
transported into the United States.

Supply: 'A Gray Area'

"It's a gray area," Greg Francisco, executive director of the
Michigan Medical Marijuana Association, said of marijuana supply
under the new law.

"The state had to be dragged into this all the way. They are not
actively putting up barriers. ... They just don't want to touch it."

But James McCurtis, spokesman for the Michigan Department of
Community Health, said supply is not addressed in the new rules,
because it was not included in the model recommended by the Marijuana
Policy Project. The national medical marijuana advocacy group has
assisted states in launching medical marijuana efforts.

"Our basic job is to regulate who gets the license and who doesn't,"
McCurtis said. "We don't deal with enforcement."

483 Have Applied

As of Friday, 483 people had applied to the state department to
become a medicinal marijuana user or caregiver, McCurtis said.

He said the state would begin issuing identification cards this week.

To address confusion over medicinal marijuana, "compassion clubs," a
form of support groups, are sprouting across the state, including
mid-Michigan. The clubs, which are being organized at the local
level, provide patients information on the new law, advice on growing
marijuana and networking opportunities for people new to the herbal
medical community.

Although some users admit they had been using marijuana illegally in
Michigan for years to ease pain before the practice was legalized
last year, association members say many others will be growing and
using marijuana for the first time.

"You can't just throw the seed in the ground and get medical quality
cannabis," said R.D. Winthrop, 61, of Lansing, a medicinal marijuana
user who has formed the Lansing-Eastside Compassion Club. It's
holding an organizational meeting Tuesday.

Nevertheless, compassion club organizers say they are careful not to
advise new users on where to acquire seeds because of the illegal
nature of that act. Organizers say they also strongly prohibit any
exchanges of marijuana at the meeting location and grounds.

No Swaps

"It's not about a place to swap seeds and (plants.) We're very clear
about that," said Roger Maufort, 56, of Jackson, who recently
organized the Jackson County Compassion Club. "It's not only the goal
that we are operating within the law, but that our members understand the law."

Winthrop said the goal is to encourage club members to form
acquaintances and friendships with one another so they can share
knowledge and supplies. Members also are directed to Michigan Medical
Marijuana Association Web site, where novices can blog and exchange
mail with more experienced users.

'System is workable'

As networking takes place, Greg Switala, 55, a medicinal marijuana
user from Clio, said he doesn't expect marijuana supply will remain a
problem among new users. Switala organized a compassion club meeting
in Saginaw on April 11 that drew 70 people.

"I think the system is workable the way it is," Switala said. "I
don't think it's a significant issue because qualified patients and
respective caregivers ... are in legal possession of the substance
and can transfer and deliver."

Eventually, Francisco said, he would like to see Michigan adopt the
model now used in New Mexico, which has set up a system of regulated
nonprofit cooperatives. In this system, a group of patients and/or
caregivers join together in marijuana growing efforts for medical use.

"I think the system is going to evolve," Francisco said. "A way for
caregivers and patients to find each other."

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ADDITIONAL FACTS - SUPPORT GROUP

Lansing-Eastside Compassion Club, a support group for medicinal
marijuana users and their caregivers, will hold an organizational
meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Gone Wired Cafe, 2021 E. Michigan
Ave., in Lansing.