Important information for patients
and caregivers about California's Medical Marijuana ID Card Program

For over a decade, the Compassionate Use
Act (Prop. 215) has allowed patients in California to legally
use medical marijuana pursuant to their doctors? recommendations.
Unfortunately, many patients are still subjected to unnecessary legal
problems at the hands of state and local law enforcement.
State law requires counties to administer
a medical marijuana ID card program that works to protect patients
from false arrest, detainment or seizure of property.
This program is voluntary for qualified patients
and caregivers but many choose to become card holders because it greatly
reduces their risk of unnecessary legal hassles. Implementation of
the program even benefits those who choose not to obtain a card because
it forces the county to acknowledge our state's medical marijuana
laws.
Most counties are complying with the law by
offering the ID cards but some counties are still leaving patients
at risk by not implementing this vital program.
If your county is not offering the cards, please
call the number provided at the link below and urge your county department
of health or board of supervisors to implement the ID card program.
Click
here to for your county's contact information for the medical marijuana
ID card program.
Feel free to use the following talking
points when calling your county supervisor or health officer:
? The ID cards protect patients and caregivers from
lengthy detainment, arrest, seizure of property or unnecessary court
proceedings. While cases involving legal medical marijuana patients
are ultimately dismissed, this causes an undue burden on our judicial
system and most importantly, the seriously ill.
? The majority of California's counties have already implemented
the program. The need for uniform and consistent application
of the law should compel all remaining counties to implement the ID
card program.
? The ID card program will greatly assist law-enforcement
because it offers an easy means of identifying bona fide medical marijuana
patients, freeing up their valuable time serving the community.
? The county has a legal responsibility to implement the program,
as a requirement of Senate Bill 420, passed into law in 2003 and later
upheld by the San Diego Superior Court in December 2006.
? Voters' support for safe and legal access to medical marijuana
has only grown stronger since the passage of the Compassionate Use
Act in 1996. Three out of four Californians now support implementation
of the state's medical marijuana laws?including 63% of Republicans.
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