MEDICAL MARIJUANA REGISTRY FEE ANGERS PATIENTS

HELENA - The state of Montana's launch of a new medical marijuana
registry Tuesday drew criticism from one of the law's major
supporters, who called the $200 registration fee "exorbitant."

Robin Prosser of Missoula, who is suffering from an immunosuppressive
disorder, said she's appalled that the state is charging the
chronically and terminally ill $200 to get on the medical marijuana
registry.

The new law protects registered patients and their caregivers from
local and state prosecution, even though federal law prohibits
possession and use of the drug.

"This is a pretty high cost just to get a card," Prosser said. "A
driver's license doesn't cost that much. It's like charging people for
handicapped stickers for their car."

The new law, passed by a majority of voters on Nov. 2, created a state
medical marijuana registry. Upon written recommendation from their
doctors, patients with certain medical conditions are registered on
the confidential list and issued a card that permits them to have as
many as six marijuana plants and an ounce of marijuana.

Roy Kemp, head of the state's Licensure Bureau, said the new law
didn't come with any funding. He said the $200 fee is necessary to
keep the new database and the registration service financially
self-sufficient.

"We had to come up with a fee that would enable us to administer the
program as the voters intended," Kemp said in a written statement. "We
tried to keep the fee as low as possible without putting the program
in jeopardy. Given the cost of most medical treatments, we think $200
is not unreasonable."

Prosser, who uses marijuana to ease chronic bone pain, muscle spasms,
nausea and headaches, wants to be registered on the list. Prosser, 47,
was charged with drug possession and drug paraphernalia possession
last May.

Prosser is one of the 30 Montanans who have already requested an
application for the registry, but said Tuesday that she won't be
sending the forms back to Helena.

"I got my application in the mail Friday and I was stunned to say the
least," Prosser said.

The state began mailing registry applications on Friday, Kemp said. No
cards have yet been issued.

"I've had a lot of calls since November," Kemp said. "There's
definitely been a lot of interest in this program, both from people
who are ill and from people who want to be caregivers."

To be eligible for the program, individuals must suffer from a
debilitating medical condition, which is defined in the law as cancer,
glaucoma, or positive status for HIV or AIDS, a chronic or
debilitating disease or medical condition that produces one or more of
the following: cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe or chronic pain,
severe nausea, seizures, or severe or persistent muscle spasms.

A doctor must certify in writing that the patient has a debilitating
medical condition and that the benefits of using marijuana to treat
symptoms would outweigh the risks. When a patient registers with the
state Department of Public Health and Human Services, the department
will provide a form for the treating physician to sign.

By law, only medical doctors and doctors of osteopathy may sign the
certification, Kemp said.

"A physician can't prescribe marijuana under this law," Kemp said.
"They can only recommend it to a patient and then certify that
recommendation with us."

Prosser said she's exhausted from campaigning for the medical
marijuana initiative during the election season, and doesn't know if
she'll lobby the 2005 Legislature to change or eliminate the $200 fee.
But she said the registration fee is prohibitively expensive and
should be axed.