News (Media Awareness Project) - US CA: County Issues Medical Marijuana IDs |
| Title: | US CA: County Issues Medical Marijuana IDs |
| Published On: | 2009-12-27 |
| Source: | North County Times (Escondido, CA) |
| Fetched On: | 2009-12-28 18:42:55 |
COUNTY ISSUES MEDICAL MARIJUANA IDS
Advocates Say Fear, Cost Keep Many From Applying
San Diego County has received 260 applications for medical marijuana
ID cards since it launched the program in July, according to county
health officials.
Nearly half the applications were from people ages 31-50, according
to data provided by the county. A quarter of the applicants lived in
North County, most of them in Carlsbad.
All of the applicants paid $166 for the card, which identifies them
as legitimate medical marijuana patients entitled to carry up to 8
ounces of pot.
The county implemented the program this past summer after it lost a
long legal struggle challenging the state law that required counties
to provide the ID cards. The law does not require medical marijuana
patients to have a card.
While acknowledging the program has only been in place for six
months, medical marijuana advocates say the 260 applicants do not
come close to the number of people they believe are legally allowed
to use the drug. They say patients may be reluctant to apply for the
card, fearing the information on the applications will be used by authorities.
"The problem here in San Diego County is that nobody trusts (the
county)," said Rudy Reyes, a medical marijuana patient and activist.
The county says those fears are unfounded. The information on the
applications is protected under federal privacy laws. And the
county's top prosecutor said people should use the card because it
quickly identifies them as legitimate users of the drug.
In recent years, law enforcement agencies in the county have
repeatedly cracked down on medical marijuana dispensaries, including
a Sept. 9 sweep that shut down 14 of the shops, two of them in North County.
The number of cards issued in San Diego County in the program's first
six months appears to be on par with the number issued by neighboring
counties in their first year, according to state figures.
For example, Riverside County issued 265 medical marijuana cards its
first year, Los Angeles County issued 401 cards and Orange County
issued 114 cards. But advocates cite other places, such as Oakland in
Alameda County, which issued 1,475 cards in its first year.
Unfounded Fears?
There are potentially thousands of eligible patients in San Diego
County based on discussions with doctors who recommend pot as
medicine, said Eugene Davidovich, a medical marijuana advocate with
the group Americans for Safe Access.
"People are afraid," Davidovich said.
County officials said legitimate patients have nothing to fear.
The county does not provide personal information from the
applications to anyone, including law enforcement, because it is
protected by federal privacy laws, said Adrienne Yancey, assistant
deputy director at the county's Health and Human Services Agency.
"We do not," Yancey said. "If we were subpoenaed, I can't say what
would happen then ... (but) we have not been subpoenaed."
District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said her office has not asked for
the information. She said people should use the ID cards because they
help law enforcement identify legitimate patients.
"No one should feel intimidated," Dumanis said. "The county program
is totally separate from us."
Of the 260 applications the county received this year through
November, 255 were approved. Five were rejected because the county
could not get the doctor to confirm the recommendation, Yancey said.
Other statistical information provided to the North County Times by
the county includes patients' age range and city of residency. The
newspaper also asked for, but did not receive, information on the
types of illnesses reported by patients and information about their
medical providers.
That information was not provided due to privacy rules, county officials said.
More Data
Most of the people who requested a medical marijuana ID are between
the ages of 31 and 50, a total of 114 patients, according to the
data. Of the 260 applicants, only 14 were between the ages of 18 and 21.
Nearly half of the applicants, 120 people, said they lived in San
Diego. Sixty applicants said they lived in North County cities,
according to the data. Carlsbad had the highest number of applicants
in North County, 14, followed by Vista with 11 and Oceanside with 10,
according to the county's data.
Patients' distrust coupled with the $166 price tag for the card may
have discouraged people from applying, said James Stacy, a Vista
resident who operated one of the medical marijuana dispensaries
raided by authorities in September.
The state requires a $66 fee and the county charges $100 to cover
staff time and other administrative costs. San Diego County's $166
fee is $13 higher than neighboring Riverside and Los Angeles
counties, which charge $153 for the cards.
"Why would I pay $166 to be harassed and be put on a potential arrest
list?" Stacy asked.
Stacy faces federal charges of selling marijuana to an undercover
officer who posed as a patient at Movement in Action. He has said he
did nothing wrong and operated his dispensary according to state guidelines.
In 1996, voters in the state approved the Compassionate Use Act,
which legalized marijuana for medical use. The Legislature later
passed Senate Bill 420 in 2003, which required counties to
participate in the state's medical marijuana ID program.
The county fought the state's medical marijuana law until the case
hit a legal dead end earlier this year, when the U.S. Supreme Court
declined to hear an appeal from San Diego and San Bernardino counties.
'Additional Protection'
After losing that case, the Board of Supervisors agreed to implement
the medical marijuana ID card program.
Officials estimated that they would receive about 100 applications a
month based on other counties' experience.
Yancey said the county processed about 100 applications the first
month, but the number quickly dropped off in following months.
Since the state began the program in 2004, more than 37,000 medical
marijuana ID cards have been issued. The county with the largest
number of cards is San Francisco, with more than 13,000, according to
the state's Department of Public Health.
Riverside County has 2,180 ID cards and Orange County has 622,
according to state figures.
Davidovich said the county could do more to publicize the card and
calm people's fears about privacy protection. Davidovich said he has
a card and encourages others to get it because it offers an
"additional layer of protection" for legitimate patients.
"We go out of our way to tell people to sign up for the program,"
Davidovich said.
[sidebars]
SAN DIEGO COUNTY MEDICAL MARIJUANA ID PROGRAM
Patients by Age
Ages 18-21: 14
Ages 22-30: 47
Ages 31-50: 114
Ages 50-over: 85
Total: 260
Applications by City
Carlsbad: 14
Chula Vista: 9
Del Mar: 5
El Cajon: 18
Encinitas: 3
Escondido: 7
Imperial Beach: 3
La Mesa: 12
Lemon Grove: 2
National City: 3
Oceanside: 10
Poway: 1
San Diego: 120
San Marcos: 7
Santee: 6
Solana Beach: 2
Vista: 11
Unincorporated: 27
Total: 260
Source: San Diego County Health and Human Service Agency
CARDS ISSUED BY COUNTY
San Diego: 255
Riverside: 2,180
Orange : 622
Los Angeles: 1,579
Imperial: 15
San Bernardino: 200
Source: California Department of Public Health
Advocates Say Fear, Cost Keep Many From Applying
San Diego County has received 260 applications for medical marijuana
ID cards since it launched the program in July, according to county
health officials.
Nearly half the applications were from people ages 31-50, according
to data provided by the county. A quarter of the applicants lived in
North County, most of them in Carlsbad.
All of the applicants paid $166 for the card, which identifies them
as legitimate medical marijuana patients entitled to carry up to 8
ounces of pot.
The county implemented the program this past summer after it lost a
long legal struggle challenging the state law that required counties
to provide the ID cards. The law does not require medical marijuana
patients to have a card.
While acknowledging the program has only been in place for six
months, medical marijuana advocates say the 260 applicants do not
come close to the number of people they believe are legally allowed
to use the drug. They say patients may be reluctant to apply for the
card, fearing the information on the applications will be used by authorities.
"The problem here in San Diego County is that nobody trusts (the
county)," said Rudy Reyes, a medical marijuana patient and activist.
The county says those fears are unfounded. The information on the
applications is protected under federal privacy laws. And the
county's top prosecutor said people should use the card because it
quickly identifies them as legitimate users of the drug.
In recent years, law enforcement agencies in the county have
repeatedly cracked down on medical marijuana dispensaries, including
a Sept. 9 sweep that shut down 14 of the shops, two of them in North County.
The number of cards issued in San Diego County in the program's first
six months appears to be on par with the number issued by neighboring
counties in their first year, according to state figures.
For example, Riverside County issued 265 medical marijuana cards its
first year, Los Angeles County issued 401 cards and Orange County
issued 114 cards. But advocates cite other places, such as Oakland in
Alameda County, which issued 1,475 cards in its first year.
Unfounded Fears?
There are potentially thousands of eligible patients in San Diego
County based on discussions with doctors who recommend pot as
medicine, said Eugene Davidovich, a medical marijuana advocate with
the group Americans for Safe Access.
"People are afraid," Davidovich said.
County officials said legitimate patients have nothing to fear.
The county does not provide personal information from the
applications to anyone, including law enforcement, because it is
protected by federal privacy laws, said Adrienne Yancey, assistant
deputy director at the county's Health and Human Services Agency.
"We do not," Yancey said. "If we were subpoenaed, I can't say what
would happen then ... (but) we have not been subpoenaed."
District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said her office has not asked for
the information. She said people should use the ID cards because they
help law enforcement identify legitimate patients.
"No one should feel intimidated," Dumanis said. "The county program
is totally separate from us."
Of the 260 applications the county received this year through
November, 255 were approved. Five were rejected because the county
could not get the doctor to confirm the recommendation, Yancey said.
Other statistical information provided to the North County Times by
the county includes patients' age range and city of residency. The
newspaper also asked for, but did not receive, information on the
types of illnesses reported by patients and information about their
medical providers.
That information was not provided due to privacy rules, county officials said.
More Data
Most of the people who requested a medical marijuana ID are between
the ages of 31 and 50, a total of 114 patients, according to the
data. Of the 260 applicants, only 14 were between the ages of 18 and 21.
Nearly half of the applicants, 120 people, said they lived in San
Diego. Sixty applicants said they lived in North County cities,
according to the data. Carlsbad had the highest number of applicants
in North County, 14, followed by Vista with 11 and Oceanside with 10,
according to the county's data.
Patients' distrust coupled with the $166 price tag for the card may
have discouraged people from applying, said James Stacy, a Vista
resident who operated one of the medical marijuana dispensaries
raided by authorities in September.
The state requires a $66 fee and the county charges $100 to cover
staff time and other administrative costs. San Diego County's $166
fee is $13 higher than neighboring Riverside and Los Angeles
counties, which charge $153 for the cards.
"Why would I pay $166 to be harassed and be put on a potential arrest
list?" Stacy asked.
Stacy faces federal charges of selling marijuana to an undercover
officer who posed as a patient at Movement in Action. He has said he
did nothing wrong and operated his dispensary according to state guidelines.
In 1996, voters in the state approved the Compassionate Use Act,
which legalized marijuana for medical use. The Legislature later
passed Senate Bill 420 in 2003, which required counties to
participate in the state's medical marijuana ID program.
The county fought the state's medical marijuana law until the case
hit a legal dead end earlier this year, when the U.S. Supreme Court
declined to hear an appeal from San Diego and San Bernardino counties.
'Additional Protection'
After losing that case, the Board of Supervisors agreed to implement
the medical marijuana ID card program.
Officials estimated that they would receive about 100 applications a
month based on other counties' experience.
Yancey said the county processed about 100 applications the first
month, but the number quickly dropped off in following months.
Since the state began the program in 2004, more than 37,000 medical
marijuana ID cards have been issued. The county with the largest
number of cards is San Francisco, with more than 13,000, according to
the state's Department of Public Health.
Riverside County has 2,180 ID cards and Orange County has 622,
according to state figures.
Davidovich said the county could do more to publicize the card and
calm people's fears about privacy protection. Davidovich said he has
a card and encourages others to get it because it offers an
"additional layer of protection" for legitimate patients.
"We go out of our way to tell people to sign up for the program,"
Davidovich said.
[sidebars]
SAN DIEGO COUNTY MEDICAL MARIJUANA ID PROGRAM
Patients by Age
Ages 18-21: 14
Ages 22-30: 47
Ages 31-50: 114
Ages 50-over: 85
Total: 260
Applications by City
Carlsbad: 14
Chula Vista: 9
Del Mar: 5
El Cajon: 18
Encinitas: 3
Escondido: 7
Imperial Beach: 3
La Mesa: 12
Lemon Grove: 2
National City: 3
Oceanside: 10
Poway: 1
San Diego: 120
San Marcos: 7
Santee: 6
Solana Beach: 2
Vista: 11
Unincorporated: 27
Total: 260
Source: San Diego County Health and Human Service Agency
CARDS ISSUED BY COUNTY
San Diego: 255
Riverside: 2,180
Orange : 622
Los Angeles: 1,579
Imperial: 15
San Bernardino: 200
Source: California Department of Public Health
Member Comments |
No member comments available...
