Caregiver application question

[budwich]

Hello fellow Mainers,

I had a quite question about the application to become a caregiver... Alot if it is pretty straight forward, but I was thinking I would like to totally upgrade the grow if gone legal. The application has a space to describe how your room will be "an enclosed/locked facility", does this mean you should have that facility built before applying?

I have a small grow now, should I use that for the application? then upgrade? Also the # of patients, can you change that after the application is processed... say add more by paying another $300 per addition?

Love to hear some thoughts.

 

[SickofPain]

Just went through the same thing with my landlord. You do not need to have a "facility" per se, just an area to grow. You can use what you have now & expand as you want. They do not come out & check the facility out. Also, you can apply to be a caregiver with having no patients at all when you send in the application. So, yes, you can add more patients as you can, and send in the $300. Hope this helps. This forum is the best place to get info, the people are great here!! Welcome to RIU Maine!

Peace!!

 

[mdanforth]

if your grow area is in your house just say " a locked secure room in my basement, attic....."

you can send in an application for 1 patient or all 5 at once, so if you decide to register 1 now and want to add 1 or 2 later you can send in another app with the additional $$$ at that time.....*

 

[budwich]

that is a huge help man... thank you! I was thinking an inspection was needed, and had to have the room built before sending the application in. did you join one of the groups to connect with patients? CCM or the Green cross. Im sure there are others I dont know about, but how did that go?

 

[budwich]

if your grow area is in your house just say " a locked secure room in my basement, attic....."

you can send in an application for 1 patient or all 5 at once, so if you decide to register 1 now and want to add 1 or 2 later you can send in another app with the additional $$$ at that time.....*

thanks for the info. it sounds to me like you can keep updating your application?? adding patients, but what about address. and if you want to provide edibles or not.

 

[SickofPain]

What do you mean about address? Like if you move, or move grow facility to another address you just let DHHS know. But yes, you can just update the application for whatever changes occur. The laws on edibles & tinctures have changed so I just looked them up on the Maine Legislature site http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_125th/billtexts/HP095101.asp it says right at the top about food establishments that a caregiver would be considered a food establishment& would need a license, but can provide the edibles to "family or household members of the caregiver"
Personally all I know about CCM is from their forums, and it really doesn't seem beneficial to pay all that money for them to "provide" you with patients, that they don't seem to be able to provide as much as they claim. But like I tell anyone, don't trust my word, check out their forums, call & talk with them & make your own decision. Here's links to the 3 organizations I know of

CCM
http://mainemedmarijuana.com/groups/caregivers/forum/

Maine Green Cross
http://www.mainegreencross.net/main/

MMCM
http://www.mmcmonline.org/forum/index.html

Hope this helps

 

[budwich]

What do you mean about address? Like if you move, or move grow facility to another address you just let DHHS know. But yes, you can just update the application for whatever changes occur. The laws on edibles & tinctures have changed so I just looked them up on the Maine Legislature site http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_125th/billtexts/HP095101.asp it says right at the top about food establishments that a caregiver would be considered a food establishment& would need a license, but can provide the edibles to "family or household members of the caregiver"
Personally all I know about CCM is from their forums, and it really doesn't seem beneficial to pay all that money for them to "provide" you with patients, that they don't seem to be able to provide as much as they claim. But like I tell anyone, don't trust my word, check out their forums, call & talk with them & make your own decision. Here's links to the 3 organizations I know of

CCM
http://mainemedmarijuana.com/groups/caregivers/forum/

Maine Green Cross
http://www.mainegreencross.net/main/

MMCM
http://www.mmcmonline.org/forum/index.html

Hope this helps

+rep for you sir, I read this same law and was really having a hard time figuring it out. for the time being I will just fill it out for the space I have now, then start expanding as necessary. Another question I had was about renting commercial property.. I read a thread on RUI awhile ago about this, but they didnt get into it to much before the thread died. The law states as I read it you have to have controll over grow space and has to be an enclosed locked facility. Can you get together with another caregiver, rent a commercial space and have individual grow rooms...which you are in controll of?

 

[SickofPain]

I don't know anything on renting a commercial property or working with other caregivers, sorry. I'm sure others here have the answers for this, good luck

 

[budwich]

now that I think of working with caregivers that would be considered a collective as described in part B of the amendment. thanks for the info though, and I will get to work on this instead of trying to have everything in place now.

 

[maineyankee]

Hi Bud and welcome I am glad that you are getting the answers to the questions that you have. I agree that this entire site of RollItUp is great, but the sub "Maine Patients" is over the top". I know that the people here in Maine have helped me out tremendously over my first grow, and beyond.

I too was always wondering about getting together, and renting out a place, but then you hit the nail right on the head when it would then become a "Collective", and therefore a big no - no according to State Law. I really think that would be a great idea going back to a Maine tradition that is still in use today with vegs, and other Maine items ... they call the Co-ops or Community Markets. To me (IMO) I would love to see that aspect up here in Maine ... The Way Life Should Be !

Best of Luck in 2012
Bob ~ The MaineYankee

 

[cerberus]

no getting together. thats a collective. the only way that is possible is if, the commercial space is split into four separate locked facilities, utils are separate, A/c is separate and no growers can work together, i can;t go in and give you a hand(unless im an employee or your on vacation) its all in the law.. the way its set up there really is no benefit to getting closer (physically) to another caregiver's opp..

 

[budwich]

again thanks to all for the great info. I totally understand the whole Collective thing being frowned upon, as im sure people would take advantage of that. I am having a hard time justifying why there is no inspection of grow space? If this is supposed to be medicinal grade cannabis, why would they not make sure everything is in place to provide that. Also have you had to train yourself to grow small plants? with a max of 30 plants for 5 patients it seems like you would have quite a bit of excess product. I know they suggest giving it to Maine DEA, but that seems kindof crazy.

 

[mdanforth]

one can always find other caregivers to donate extras to.....low income patients are also a good place to donate to as well.....

 

[budwich]

is that something that these caregiver/patient groups will help you with. Is it harder to find that on your own?

 

[budwich]

I also had another question... I hope Im not killing you with all these questions. Sorry in advance if that is the case, there are so many things Im thinking of in order to pull this together. I read awhile ago Maine Lawyers are not inclined to advise you on these laws because federally it is still illegal. Have you found it helpful to speak to a Lawyer? if so where do you find one? I would think this would help the process of setting up a DBA, and clarify the regulations.

 

[mdanforth]

http://www.gregorybraunlawoffice.com/

 

[Maine Brookies]

I've heard somewhere that the State is considering a "collective" to be 3 or more people collaborating. There are loopholes that allow husband and wife to share grow space and for a caregiver to have an assistant so this seems like a pragmatic approach.

 

[budwich]

3 or more... So you can technically work with 1 other person or just your employee. I appreciate all this great info

 

[Maine Brookies]

Just a standard disclaimer - i'm not a lawyer and you should not take my statements as valid legal advice. Consult a lawyer to be sure.

 

[Buddy232]

I've heard somewhere that the State is considering a "collective" to be 3 or more people collaborating. There are loopholes that allow husband and wife to share grow space and for a caregiver to have an assistant so this seems like a pragmatic approach.

Social clubs need to make a comeback.