The Legal Issues Behind Medical Marijuana in Colorado

Medical Marijuana is a term used to denote theproduce, distribute or dispense, or transport Marijuana
administration of Marijuana for “debilitating”for any use which is not medical.
medical conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS,A patient and his caregivers should also remember
epilepsy, etc., or severe conditions with symptomsthat Marijuana seized from them by local authorities
that can be eased by use of the drug – severeshould immediately be returned once the district
pain and nausea, seizures, multiple sclerosis, et al.attorney proves that the patient is entitled to such
There are important clauses and rules in effect sinceprotection by the amendment. Confidentiality is a
the year 2000 that the Colorado Marijuana Clinicprimary concern among many patients, and under not
wants every medical marijuana patient to be awarecircumstances will any medical facility, marijuana
of, lest the patient or its parent/primary caregiver dodispensary or the Colorado Marijuana Clinic will reveal
something unlawful and punishable.the patient's names and identity.
Before a patient can start the use of cannabis, it isOnce a patient's conditions are not debilitating
necessary to ask his physician for three things:anymore, he is required to return his identification
1. The risks and benefits of medical use of Marijuana,card. No patient my posses more than two ounces
especially in relation to the patient's debilitatingof medical marijuana, and no more than six marijuana
condition.plants, with three or fewer flowering with mature
2. A written documentation signed by the physicianseeds. Use of Marijuana is strictly prohibited in view
stating that the patient has a debilitating conditionof the general public or in public places. For patients
that calls for the medical administration of Marijuana.under the age of eighteen, two physicians have to
3. A patient should also never procure marijuanadiagnose debilitating medical conditions.
unless he receives the registry identification card.Notwithstanding all of this, the amendment was to
Without procuring the above, no patient shouldprovide medical patients with reprieve from their
self-medicate himself with Marijuana, according to theconditions, and most clauses can be “bent”, if
laws of the state, states the Colorado Marijuanaand only if the patient's medically debilitating
Clinic. The section does not provide protection to anyconditions required so.
patient or caregiver to acquire, sell, manufacture and