The problem with full legalization and medical users not wanting to pay the tax, as I see it has to do with the way prescription medications are defined in the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Basically, if it isn’t safe to use without a doctor’s supervision, then it is a prescription drug, and if it is safe to use without supervision, then it isn’t a prescription drug.
If Marijuana is safe enough to be used recreationally, why would you need a prescription for it? It would be like anything else that your doctor might tell you will be good for your health, but is available over the counter.
Some solutions are (1) make certain preparations of marijuana exempt from a recreational tax, such as cannabis salves, which are more likely to be used therapeutically rather than recreationally and (2) provide a tax rebate or subsidy covering the amount of the tax for bona fide patients. And there is also the option that I think is being used in Colorado, where there are separate stores where only medical users may make purchases.
So to the extent that there are medical users fighting this, they should realize that there are solutions.
[quote=“japhroaig, post:43, topic:68816, full:true”]
It Oregon medical patients can get salves and edibles but recreational can not. [/quote]
I kind of see the reasoning – it’s a lot easier to have a hellish experience with edibles, were it’s harder to titrate your dose and if you take too much you have a lot longer to wait – but it’s kind of ridiculous on the other hand. After all, it’s not too hard to take your bud and cook it up in butter…
I think all drugs should at the very least be decriminalized - but what he seems to be saying is essentially true. There are other arguments about why there is a lack of evidence.
That reminds me… instead of giving the patient an actual card that is laminated and can fit easily into your wallet. Here they give you two sheets of 8x10 paper. Laminating the pages voids them. Also due to to the tamper proof ink, exposure to sunlight will ruin them. I was surprised that this years card has also added what your qualifying condition is. It would seem like that run against HIPPA?
Same here for retail. But the folks that are running retail want to take over medical. So they continue to pass new rules that make medical more expensive and difficult to deal with for doctors, patients and dispensaries.
