In November 2010, the folks of Arizona passed Prop 203, legalizing Medical Marijuana. This was the 3rd time marijuana's medicinal usage has actually passed in AZ. It's appearing as though the 3rd time may be the charm, however, since the Arizona Department of Health Services is placing Rules and Regulations into place at the end of March 2011 for Dispensaries and Patient ID cards.
What are the guidelines for Arizona Medical Marijuana Dispensaries? Applications for obtaining a medical marijuana dispensary Doja exclusive are being accepted starting in May 2011. The AZ Department of Health Services plans to allocate these dispensary certificates predicated on an analysis of Community Health Analysis Areas.
These Community Health Analysis Areas were created in 2005 to align with growing rural and urban areas. In highly towns, a CHAA contains 100,000 people. In a rural CHAA the people is all about 10,000 people. Each county in Arizona could have a minumum of one dispensary. If just one complete application is received for a dispensary for almost any particular CHAA, then it's approved. If any CHAA has multiple completed applications, a random selection process will occur.
To open a dispensary, the applicants must pass a background check, be over 21, and have been Arizona residents for the past three years. Each dispensary must employ or contract with a medical director. The medical director cannot provide written certifications for marijuana and must provide training to the staff along side providing educational materials/information to qualifying patients and caregivers.
For the entire state of Arizona, 124 licenses is likely to be given out. It appears there might be near 5,000 applications for those licenses. One or more is likely to be given out for each Arizona county. Their state want to track the inventory from seed to cultivation to dispensary to patient. That'll hopefully minimize marijuana from being siphoned into the world of drug dealers.
Each Arizona dispensary is likely to be necessary to cultivate and grow their very own marijuana. Initially the Rules stated 100%, but the most recent states 70% so dispensaries will be able to get 30% from approved growers, patients, caregivers, or other dispensaries. The 70% being grown should be on-site in a specific area and you will have specific provisions about the security set up at the dispensary.
Dispensaries should be non-profit entities. What this means is profits can't be distributed to the owners, simply the salaries which can be set. At this time, it seems Arizona is likely to be specifically limiting the salaries that may be received.
Qualifying patients having an Arizona Medical Marijuana Registry ID card may purchase up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana every a couple of weeks from a professional, licensed dispensary. If there is no dispensary open within 25 miles of the in-patient, that patient can grow their own marijuana. Patients won't be allowed to take marijuana at the dispensary. Arizona Dispensaries will be able to sell edible food products infused with marijuana provided that the dispensaries adhere to specific preparation regulations and they're labeled to show the particular marijuana content.
You will see set costs for the original registration of a dispensary ($5000), renewals ($1000), and a price for changing the place of a dispensary ($2500). The objective of the Arizona Dept of Health Services is for dispensaries to offer information in addition to marijuana. Educational materials should be provided for patients about drug interactions, safe usage, and information about substance abuse programs.
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