Proposed Amendments to the CT Marijuana Program
Attention CT Patients and Caregivers,
The DCP has announced they intend to amend the current medical marijuana program regulations. They are accepting public comment on these proposed changes until Feb 5th 2018 @ 12am (midnight). Comments should be addressed to Commissioner Michelle Seagull and may be submitted on the Connecticut e-regulations website, or by electronic or postal mail.
Send post to:
Department of Consumer Protection
Attn: Commissioner Michelle Seagull
450 Columbus Blvd.
Suite 901
Hartford CT, 06103
There are some interesting amendments being proposed, some of which are not bad for the program. They are adding new conditions to access the program. The state is also giving dispensaries/growers the ability to deliver medicine to hospice patients etc. However, the proposed changes which do not benefit the patient are not being publicly highlighted by the Department of Consumer Protection, or should I call them the Department of Grower/Dispensary Protection.
Here are the major amendments you should be concerned with.
Sec. 21a-408-8. Revocation or suspension of a qualifying patient or primary caregiver registration.
(15) The qualifying patient does not purchase marijuana from a Connecticut licensed dispensary facility for a period of at least six months;
As a patient, this amendment requires the patient to use the dispensary system. You are no longer allowed to procure in any facet as previously allowed.
Sec. 21a-408-10. Precautions for preventing the loss, theft or misuse of marijuana by patients and caregivers.
This is a classic example of government regulations hindering growth. The program started out with high expectations and fanfare, slowly the state is killing off all reasons to be in the program. What protections do we really have in the program?
Can the Federal Government take my right away to own a firearm…technically yes. Does the state protect patients against corporations or unions… the jury is still out. There are open cases, proving the state isn’t making it their priority. There is a lot of uncertainty still around the patient protections, which shouldn’t be the case. As a patient, we pay annual fees for a license and annual fees for a doctor to recertify your diagnosis. Diagnoses which are life altering to say the least. Why is it we are required to keep paying fees when we don’t receive protections and each year the services are being diminished. All patients should know that new renewals are issued pieces of paper and no longer a physical card like a driver’s license. But did you know, the fee for a replacement card raises from $10 to $35. Seriously, how can the DCP justify this. It doesn’t matter if you get married and require a name change or if you simply lose your card.
By the way, patients are not the only ones getting shafted here. It would appear the state program is shifting to a more aggressive money grab approach. Someone needs to pay for the new Department of Consumer Protection branding. This time they are increasing the dispensary application fees and breaking down the cost associated to patient registration. Is this going to be used to raise the fees on patients down the road? I’m concerned, but are you?
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