Is it better to get a medical card?

[spek9]

I'm with @GroErr. I too am Canadian, and although I *could* get a card, I wouldn't even be entitled to grow now. Canada has gone backwards, and there's no chance in hell I'm giving the Harper fascists my address. That just makes me a target if they ever decide to crack down. I'll take my chances with my 'illegal' small personal medical grow.

I do disagree on one point though bud, I do believe we'll see it federally legal sooner than you may think.

-spek

 

[GroErr]

I'm with @GroErr.

I do disagree on one point though bud, I do believe we'll see it federally legal sooner than you may think.

-spek

Lol, I hope so for all of us, and I'm usually an optimist, but this one involves politics so I'm a little skeptical - lol Cheers.

 

[GuerrillaRed]

I stayed underground for years completely paranoid to get involved with medical or any of the new legalization. I just got my medical card this year after spending a lot of time around people in the industry and seeing what they're doing in Denver and Washington.

There's seriously no reason not to have a medical card. It is the best American thing this country has done in years. State level legal protection for growers and access to an entire new world and industry. My mind has been blown after becoming a med patient and I was a 13+ year vet. If you can do it, do it. Especially since the Fed wants to fuck with medical laws and who knows how long we'll have this freedom.

 

[curious2garden]

Your medical records are federally covered by HIPAA, so they cannot run your Drivers License to pull medical records. If you have applied for extended plant count, that may require separate registration outside of medical, so maybe that would go outside of the HIPAA protection but this sounds like a made up paranoid stoner story.

Your records are only as strong as the weakest link, so dispensaries and "Dope Doctors" are in the care of protecting your information, this could be a concern, but they could face big fines if they violate the law. Even if your in a medically legal state, I would recommend staying within the law and still sticking to the "Don't Smell, Don't Tell, Don't Sell" mantra. The fewer people that know, the better off you are.

Your postings here on the other hand, are not protected and are stored in a database

An appropriately targeted, and served, Subpoena Duces Tecum will get protected health records.

 

[hbbum]

An appropriately targeted, and served, Subpoena Duces Tecum will get protected health records.

Yeah, but not going to happen on a traffic stop. They can also subpoena your isp and determine you have been posting pics, or search your property. If these things are happening, your likely already screwed and doing something you really shouldn't be. At least in the US, pretty sure the "a friend got pulled over and the cops knew he had a med card " is just an urban legend.

 

[TheYokel]

I have a state license that allows me to grow up to 45 mature plants and transport MJ anywhere in the state of California I want to... from Mexico to Oregon.

Why would you *not* have something to protect you in a worst case scenario? Your piddly-ass medical card that allows you to grow 9-60 plants (depends on your limit) is not what they are looking to bust. It's the commercial warehouse grows they make their money off of.

They want to bust someone they can take 30k in equipment from, and that has the money for legal fees and court costs... not Mr. Bob with 10 plants from San Fransisco.

 

[JuicyyFruit]

Yeah, but not going to happen on a traffic stop. They can also subpoena your isp and determine you have been posting pics, or search your property. If these things are happening, your likely already screwed and doing something you really shouldn't be. At least in the US, pretty sure the "a friend got pulled over and the cops knew he had a med card " is just an urban legend.

Speaking of posting pics is it a bad idea to post pics of your plant(s) and growroom/box on here?

 

[dbkick]

Your medical records are federally covered by HIPAA, so they cannot run your Drivers License to pull medical records. If you have applied for extended plant count, that may require separate registration outside of medical, so maybe that would go outside of the HIPAA protection but this sounds like a made up paranoid stoner story.

Your records are only as strong as the weakest link, so dispensaries and "Dope Doctors" are in the care of protecting your information, this could be a concern, but they could face big fines if they violate the law. Even if your in a medically legal state, I would recommend staying within the law and still sticking to the "Don't Smell, Don't Tell, Don't Sell" mantra. The fewer people that know, the better off you are.

Your postings here on the other hand, are not protected and are stored in a database

um yeah, things may have changed since then but this was a couple years back, there's plenty of info on this subject on the internet with legit sources.
Here's something from awhile back.

From Westword.

Police are allowed access to information in the registry only when presented with medical marijuana patient information that needs verification. Under the old method, police would have to call the CDPHE to do so -- but the new computer system allows police to access it with just a few keystrokes.

 

[dbkick]

Yeah, but not going to happen on a traffic stop. They can also subpoena your isp and determine you have been posting pics, or search your property. If these things are happening, your likely already screwed and doing something you really shouldn't be. At least in the US, pretty sure the "a friend got pulled over and the cops knew he had a med card " is just an urban legend.

Law enforcement WAS allowed certain info on nothing but a traffic stop and driver's license check. How they go about things now I don't know.

 

[dbkick]

better than a year old but you get the idea...
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_24319779/colorados-medical-pot-registry-facing-changes

 

[curious2garden]

Yeah, but not going to happen on a traffic stop. They can also subpoena your isp and determine you have been posting pics, or search your property. If these things are happening, your likely already screwed and doing something you really shouldn't be. At least in the US, pretty sure the "a friend got pulled over and the cops knew he had a med card " is just an urban legend.

I did not realize we were limiting the domain to traffic stops, LOL. I was making the point that privileged medical records are not sacrosanct.

As for cops accessing state registry information that is possible in the state of California. If someone voluntarily registers they are entered into the "registry database". The point of which is LEO validation.

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/MMP/Pages/default.aspx
The California Department of Public Health’s Medical Marijuana Program (MMP) was specifically established to create a State-authorized medical marijuana identification card (MMIC), along with a registry database for verification of qualified patients

Annie
PS I don't know if the database is currently working or not LOL But theoretically it's possible if the tech works LOL.

 

[hbbum]

yeah, I was referring to dbkicks post. The way it works is if they found you in possession, you can present you MMJ card or Dr recommendation, this includes a number they can enter to verify you have an active recommendation, but they cannot find it by looking up your DL number.

Things are still nowhere near ideal, but I think it still makes more sense to get a card if you are growing than to run the risk. Particularly for small time grows. As for posting pics on this site, if your a small time grower, your probably not worth the paperwork needed

 

[TheYokel]

The Man can come check out my plants any time he wants to. I keep counts and never go over my limit, even in the clone room.

In my county they've even stopped taking your plants if you have a med card and are under your limit. They are tired of getting sued for destruction of property. Now they just take a sample from each plant usually.

Now I mean, being legal doesn't mean they won't screw with you here... it depends on the situation. If you have a collective going where you are growing for 8 people and everyone is allowed 30 plants... you can basically guarantee they are clearing out your 240 plant warehouse and will wait for the smoke to clear later.

Still, it might not keep you from getting raided... but it will still help keep you out of jail. And that's the biggest thing in my book.

 

[curious2garden]

yeah, I was referring to dbkicks post. The way it works is if they found you in possession, you can present you MMJ card or Dr recommendation, this includes a number they can enter to verify you have an active recommendation, but they cannot find it by looking up your DL number.

Things are still nowhere near ideal, but I think it still makes more sense to get a card if you are growing than to run the risk. Particularly for small time grows. As for posting pics on this site, if your a small time grower, your probably not worth the paperwork needed

Are you certain of that? I am not. Frankly I think it depends on the cross-linking of the DB and what access that particular 'officer' has. Then again I was wrong about the Patriot Act too! Thank god they never started calling drug dealers "Narco Terrorists", and using that on our hallowed shores (tongue firmly in cheek here).

We already have precedent for the benign nature of electronic registries. We need look no further than the aftermath of hurricane Katrina to calm our concerns.

As for leveraging the signal:noise ratio for our pics. LEO uses their repositories in a retrospective manner as well. All you need is someone to write the appropriate filter, for retrospective enhancement of charges.

 

[JuicyyFruit]

If you can grow legally, why would you not? Still a good idea to keep quiet about it, even if legal. But a no brainer to get your card if you can.

hbbum I was still scared but I realized all the most advanced and well known growers like cervantes and kushman got a medical card so it must be good. I also learned that a lot of people move to california because it's legal here. So if they wouldn't mess around in their home state and moved here just for that it must be worth it. Also I want one because I would have access to some really good med shops that have good strains and clones and seeds and I wouldn't have to buy seeds online.

But how does the law know you are growing 6 plants?

 

[TheYokel]

hbbum I was still scared but I realized all the most advanced and well known growers like cervantes and kushman got a medical card so it must be good. I also learned that a lot of people move to california because it's legal here. So if they wouldn't mess around in their home state and moved here just for that it must be worth it. Also I want one because I would have access to some really good med shops that have good strains and clones and seeds and I wouldn't have to buy seeds online.

But how does the law know you are growing 6 plants?

You won't have access to seeds in most any place in SoCal. Not sure about SanFran, but I know down here you can't find seeds to save your life in most cases.

 

[hbbum]

You won't have access to seeds in most any place in SoCal. Not sure about SanFran, but I know down here you can't find seeds to save your life in most cases.

I have seen seeds at a couple of dispensaries, but pretty rare. The legality of seeds seems to be a bit of a grey area around here (at least according to the dispensaries, I have been told they cannot sell by a couple, and seen the for sale at others).

They know if you have more than 6 plants if they can check, they would really only check if you don't follow the same rules as in a non-legal state. Don't Smell, Don't Tell, Don't Sell.

 

[TheYokel]

I have seen seeds at a couple of dispensaries, but pretty rare. The legality of seeds seems to be a bit of a grey area around here (at least according to the dispensaries, I have been told they cannot sell by a couple, and seen the for sale at others).

They know if you have more than 6 plants if they can check, they would really only check if you don't follow the same rules as in a non-legal state. Don't Smell, Don't Tell, Don't Sell.

I know San Diego used to be the last bastion for seed production, but they cracked down on that 2 years ago and everyone has been jumping ship and moving farther north. I know in OC you can find shops that will sell under the counter if you have been a patient for a while, but I hardly ever see anything on weedmaps for seeds. Like. Ever.

Plus, I live in the Mojave a few hours from DT LA... not even worth the gas to look around in my case.

And yes, I agree 100%. Even if legal.. the first rule of grow club is you Do Not Talk About Grow Club.

 

[hbbum]

I usually do clones, but when I have done seeds, I got them online.

Clones are about $10, and you know your getting a female, and you dont need to worry about germination. Usually when I get clones, I get them all at the same time, I don't like bringing in new plants because I have gotten pest that way. One clone can last me several grows.

 

[JuicyyFruit]

You won't have access to seeds in most any place in SoCal. Not sure about SanFran, but I know down here you can't find seeds to save your life in most cases.

Well I've found two places that advertise seeds one is even 15 minutes away from my house. Here's a recent tweet even: https://twitter.com/thehoneyspot420/status/530557786057609217
The problem with that place is I've seen what I believe is their selection and most I have not heard of.

hbbum I'm with you on the clones but even if shops don't carry seeds it's still convenient to be able to buy a clone. I don't quick get the don't smell, don't tell, don't sell saying, are you implying that getting a med card is telling or that if I get a card I should still stay quiet?

My friend worried me cause he said the only reason why he isn't getting one is because he's getting into the healthcare industry and it would prevent him from getting jobs. Can this be possible if I even want to enter a certain field and it holds me back?