MEDICAL MARIJUANA CLINIC FRIDAY

How Does It Work?

GAYLORD - Dr. Robert "Bob" Townsend, DO, said about 95 percent of the
prospective medical marijuana patients he sees at his traveling
clinics have past experience with cannabis or currently use it.

After the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act passed in 2008, Townsend
realized people who were managing their pain or other aliments
through the illegal use of cannabis had been granted a means to do so
legally. His goal is to make sure they do it right and follow a
legitimate process.

"My average patient is a middle-aged, blue-collar worker with a bad
back who has been using (marijuana) for 15 years illegally, has
gotten some relief and wants to do it legally," he said.

For Townsend, who holds upwards of 25 clinics monthly throughout the
state, being legitimate in his practice means he follows three steps:
Verify patients' qualifying conditions through records; determine if
medical marijuana is the right course of action; and follow up with
his patients by phone or e-mail. He compares the process to that
adhered to by any other physician.

"When you go to the doctor there's certain things you're going to
expect. He will make a recommendation based on evidence of what is
best, then follow up with them," he said. "That's the way I do it and
that's the way medicine dictates it be done."

Before seeing a patient, Townsend insists he or she provide medical
records as evidence they have a qualifying condition (see story
below). By doing so, he not only determines whether the person can be
a legal marijuana patient but also decides whether marijuana will
help them. Should the legitimacy of a patient's medical marijuana
certification ever come into question, he will have copies of the
patient's records to support his recommendation and the patient's
qualifications.

Townsend referred to clinics that do not require patient records as
"signature mills," where patients are "basically purchasing a
signature." He said the affidavits patients receive from these
clinics will not hold up should the cardholder be questioned in a
court of law and only serve to protect the doctor and his/her clinic.

Once Townsend determines marijuana will help a patient, he writes his
certification and refers the patient to a local compassionate care
club to either find a care provider to grow their medicine or learn
how to do it themselves.

He also recommends certain strains of marijuana - which have varying
levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other active compounds - to
treat specific aliments. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a compound determined
to decrease inflammation and treat pain.

Finally, he provides patients with his personal phone number so they
can call him anytime with questions. "That again is part of the
education process," he said. "It's ongoing."

After receiving their certification, patients must submit their
paperwork to the Department of Community Health to receive their card.

Townsend is holding a clinic Friday, March 25, from 6 to 9 p.m. at
Alpine Lodge in Gaylord. Call 989-619-6312 for an appointment. For
more information about Dr. Townsend visit www.drbobmmj.com.

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WHAT CONDITIONS QUALIFY FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA?

Medical marijuana patients must suffer from a debilitating medical
condition, defined by the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act of 2008 as:

Cancer, glaucoma, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C,
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn's disease, agitation of
Alzheimer's disease or nail patella.

A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its
treatment that produces one or more of the following: cachexia or
wasting syndrome, severe and chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures
(including but not limited to those caused by epilepsy), severe or
persistent muscle spasms (including but not limited to those
characteristic of multiple sclerosis), or any other medical condition
adopted by the Michigan Department of Community Heath (none added yet).