The
Compassionate Use Act (CUA) is an act that legalizes the use of marijuana
solely for therapeutic purposes and this act was passed in 1996 legalizing the
citizens of the state of California to use and grow marijuana as an additional
treatment option for their illness. The California marijuana growing laws
approves the growing and harvesting of the plant for personal use. It is
however limited to only six plants per household with an eligible patient. It
is the only state that can grow marijuana among the fourteen states in the
United States as of spring 2009.
Marijuana
however, is a prohibited drug and is classified as Schedule I under federal
laws thus, it is illegal for a physician to prescribe it as well as an ordinary
pharmacy to dispense it. Then how can they use such illegal drug in a legal
way? Well, there are steps to make it happen.
The
California marijuana growing laws allow qualified patients and their designated
caregivers to possess eight ounces of dried marijuana. Moreover, the Senate
Bill 420 approves possession of the drug in larger quantities as long as
specified by the physician. By meaning of eligible, he has to carry a medical
marijuana identification card. A patient can apply for the ID by contacting the
Medical Marijuana Program (MMP). It is an agency that is responsible for
processing medical marijuana identification cards.
Before
you can get an identification card, you have to consult a licensed medical
doctor. Keep in mind that physicians cannot prescribe the use of the drug but
can write a recommendation for the patient to do so. The physician also should
make a written documentation that he wrote the said recommendation, the reasons
for such, and should affix his or her signature. Doctors usually recommend a
medical marijuana treatment to chronically ill patients and those whose general
activities will be impaired if treatment is not given. It is important to
remember that not all consultations lead to medical marijuana treatment
recommendation.
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