Making a living as a caregiver

[Dr. Bob]

And to clarify , a nice living can be obtained from a spare room grow and this is far from commercial growing ... I am talking about commercial caregivers using the cards to capitalize with massive grows ! These guys are making more than a nice living they are pulling in hundreds of thousands of dollars with each crop !

Looking at the amount you can grow for 5 patients, I always saw caregiving as a paid hobby yielding at most a car payment or a mortgage/rent check. That is a great thing for Michigan. I don't know if patients would really appreciate it if they knew they were paying someone $80 an hour to grow cannabis for them. For 5 hours like that I would invest in a small grow room and pay myself the $80/hr to grow my meds. Big money comes from big grows, and the only way that works is with legal dispensaries to buy the overages. That system is not in place yet for many reasons. But if it does become available, it would be a good job and the state needs good jobs.


Dr. Bob

 

[Cory and trevor]

Bob, you are not a caregiver, are you? You are also not a grower....are you? Also not a lawyer, correct? Yet here you are, giving opinions out like they are fact and golden rules to live legally by. Why do you start up on these threads? If you never showed up in them you wouldn't get bashed. You have medical advice to give, GREAT but you don't. I have never read about a recommendation for a cannabinoid from you, or strain to treat an ailment but you hop in with legal advice all the time. I'm sure you have a great knowledge base but the subject is NOT in this thread. So...why?

 

[JeromeT]

JTR is one of the few strains that has potential to produce significant levels of THCV. THCV is responsible for the racing heart and trippy effects but it also has great medical value as well. I have read studies that say it can actually regulate people's blood sugar and help out people with diabetes.

I spent some time talking with the Iron Labs guys over the weekend, we will be special testing my JTR for THCV after harvest.

Unfortunately most people with diabetes also have heart problems. BUT what you are is doing is good. After you produce high THCV the racy heart thing can possibly be selectively bred out of it. I wish I had the facilities to breed and experiment like you do. Keep it up.

 

[JeromeT]

I've recently gotten into growing medical cannabis. I have a buddy that makes a pretty good amount of money having his caregiver card, w/ the max amount of patients he can have. So far I'm loving growing. It really is as addictive as I've heard people say it is. I'm wondering if anyone has been actually living off of the money you make from growing or if it's much harder than that.

It's a lot of work growing but the money I legally make from my grows is paying for my kid's tuition for his law degree. So there ya go.

 

[Huel Perkins]

Bob, you are not a caregiver, are you? You are also not a grower....are you? Also not a lawyer, correct? Yet here you are, giving opinions out like they are fact and golden rules to live legally by. Why do you start up on these threads? If you never showed up in them you wouldn't get bashed. You have medical advice to give, GREAT but you don't. I have never read about a recommendation for a cannabinoid from you, or strain to treat an ailment but you hop in with legal advice all the time. I'm sure you have a great knowledge base but the subject is NOT in this thread. So...why?

Real talk!

Unfortunately most people with diabetes also have heart problems. BUT what you are is doing is good. After you produce high THCV the racy heart thing can possibly be selectively bred out of it. I wish I had the facilities to breed and experiment like you do. Keep it up.

I'm not growing it for any specific conditions, these are just things I know about the strain and THCV. I could mix it 50/50 with my high CBD Cannatonic to attempt to make it a more relaxing strain though...

 

[VaporTrail]

I for one applaud you caregivers on here. When someone looks up the word compassion in the dictionary they should find your names. Since joining RIU and reading your posts in the Michigan section, and seeing what you are charging, compassion can be the only word to describe you all. In my eyes the meds you provide at the cost you are charging your crazy. You educate yourself on the strains that are good for your patients that takes a lot of time gotta be worth something. All the costs you have mentioned I didnt see educating yourself as a cost, time is money period. And No.1 reason the risk, should there not be a cost included to retain a lawyer for the just in case thing. God Bless You All it gives me hope that there are still good people in this world.

 

[somepotname]

I want to know what people are calling commercial grows. Does that mean 72 plants. That's not really commercial to me. What's a lot of money. 30,000/year. That's near the poverty line if that's your only income and you have a family. I know Bob you want to say you view it as a hobby, I can't tell if that's your personal or legal opinion. If it's a legal opinion I would say I agree that a DA who wants to limit mmj as much as possible may take you to court making that argument. Would I be willing to fight that interpretation of the mmma in court absolutely although I would prefer just to never go to court. If it's a personal opinion I am going to have to whole heartily disagree with you. If someone has near the higher end of the legal limit of plants that is full time work. Anyone who works a full time job should be able to support themselves. If somebody makes 30-50k/year does that mean they are getting rich off their patients. I wouldn't say so. Of course we know as well that if a caregiver filled their roster with five of your average using patients you shouldn't need 72 plants to provide a constant supply. If you filled your roster with 5 heavy using patients you may need all 72. Each caregiver and patient should work to find good fits for each other. To each his/her own. I wouldn't recommend anyone going outside the scope of the mmma that has already been clearly defined by the courts and tread lightly in areas that are still gray.

 

[ProfessorPotSnob]

Looking at the amount you can grow for 5 patients, I always saw caregiving as a paid hobby yielding at most a car payment or a mortgage/rent check. That is a great thing for Michigan. I don't know if patients would really appreciate it if they knew they were paying someone $80 an hour to grow cannabis for them. For 5 hours like that I would invest in a small grow room and pay myself the $80/hr to grow my meds. Big money comes from big grows, and the only way that works is with legal dispensaries to buy the overages. That system is not in place yet for many reasons. But if it does become available, it would be a good job and the state needs good jobs.


Dr. Bob

Regardless of the states 5 patient max rule and no P2P there will always be Caregivers uniting to work together while mutually gaining profit , networking will happen regardless with 5 patients as at least one will network themselves with other patients or caregivers if one is truly growing high grade medical marijuana and supplyig them with such at a reasonable donation ..

Taxes will be added at every level when hands are in place and transferring , regardless of terminology such as donation for services .. Our supply and demand chain is off balance in this state due to greed , all too often people are subjected to low grade medicine .. There are only so many that are truly producing the highest quality medicine possible and those people including myself will always be able to reap the rewards for what we sow .. We grow our medicine with care and devotion while maintaining quality all the way around ..

I think those of us dedicated like so deserve to be paid 80 dollars an hour for the rare skills that we hold , as anyone can grow weed but to provide for true high quality medicine for patients and other caregivers in need takes one hell of a skill level Dr.Bob and no offense you probably have only meet a few of us yourself .. The highest skilled caregiver growers tend to get the best of the best , as most trust in Karma and treat others fairly with intentions of helping restore others quality of life while treating illness and disease . Its not a game for me but I do make a damn fine living in the end with just 5 patients

 

[gladstoned]

[video=youtube;QxRgQY_45RE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxRgQY_45RE[/video]


...same ol song.

Back in the day, all a person needed was the balls to actually do it.
It was easier.
Today, you need to be good.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Bob, you are not a caregiver, are you? You are also not a grower....are you? Also not a lawyer, correct? Yet here you are, giving opinions out like they are fact and golden rules to live legally by. Why do you start up on these threads? If you never showed up in them you wouldn't get bashed. You have medical advice to give, GREAT but you don't. I have never read about a recommendation for a cannabinoid from you, or strain to treat an ailment but you hop in with legal advice all the time. I'm sure you have a great knowledge base but the subject is NOT in this thread. So...why?

No I am not a lawyer. But I've been involved in multiple section 8 defenses and am very involved with the legal aspect of the Act. As a professional I must have more than a passing knowledge of the laws regulating my profession.

I guess the easiest solution for you, if you don't want to gain anything from my experience, is to put me on ignore.

Dr. Bob

 

[Cory and trevor]

I'd like to get your advice on medicinal issues and dosages and cannabinoid type for specific ailments. I'm confrontational, obviously; but still interested in what (if anything) you have to say about the medical properties and treatment specifics of cannabis. I just can't seem to get any of that specific info out of you doctor. If there is none to gain from you then you're probably right about putting you on ignore but I keep hoping you're going to help out with some treatment information or something medicinal.

 

[PurpleBuz]

I'd like to get your advice on medicinal issues and dosages and cannabinoid type for specific ailments. I'm confrontational, obviously; but still interested in what (if anything) you have to say about the medical properties and treatment specifics of cannabis. I just can't seem to get any of that specific info out of you doctor. If there is none to gain from you then you're probably right about putting you on ignore but I keep hoping you're going to help out with some treatment information or something medicinal.

Thats because he really does not know Otherwise DocBob would be talking about why his patients benefit or do not benefit from his prescriptions. Right or Wrong as a doctor he is most concerned about his liabilities (working within the law without malpractice or other legal problems) than healing his patients. That may not be wholly his fault as we are in an extremely litigious society and a fair percentage of doctors enter medicine for the high $$ profesional career.

 

[gladstoned]

I hear tons of legal bullshit from him, but nothing else.
Much more of a lawyer, not a doctor.
Actually not even much of a lawyer, but more of a LEO cheerleader is how I would describe it.

 

[fattiemcnuggins]

The doc I went to this time seemed to be keeping real good track of what type of ailments the cannabis was helping with and to what degree.

 

[Dr. Bob]

I'd like to get your advice on medicinal issues and dosages and cannabinoid type for specific ailments. I'm confrontational, obviously; but still interested in what (if anything) you have to say about the medical properties and treatment specifics of cannabis. I just can't seem to get any of that specific info out of you doctor. If there is none to gain from you then you're probably right about putting you on ignore but I keep hoping you're going to help out with some treatment information or something medicinal.

Happy to. While I don't know all of the individual strains as you do, here are a few things I've noticed over the last few years. And by the way I have mentioned these many times.

Pain control. I tend to recommend indicas and medibles made from them. As a pain control doc as well, I tend to augment narcotic control with NSAID and cannabis, because it tends to decrease the dosage of narcotics needed.

Narcotic withdrawal. I've always considered this an excellent use of cannabis. The nausea, pain, inability to sleep and crawling out of the skin (along with in many cases underlying pain that got them on the narcs to begin with) is something I am actually working on for the new conditions board. Again Indicas, but it is very specific to the patient and their experience. Many come to me with a strain they have had success with in the past when I ask them about it.

Migraines, tends to not only help with the pain and nausea, but decrease the frequency of the attacks. This one here is a toss up in my experience, some seem to prefer indicas, other sativas.

Seizures, I've seen them stopped in mid seizure in front of me. Butter under the tongue is good for that.

Crohn's, been working with that for years, never seen healthier patients than the ones using medible indicas. Gain weigh, good skin color, just 'look healthy' with fewer attacks.

Glaucoma, indicas again. Not a substitute for drops, but certainly sets you up for good pressures and reduces the need to increase your meds.

Just a few notes here. As you can see, I do this for a reason, one it should be clear by now that Purple has no understanding of.

Cory you are still welcome to put me on ignore. You don't have to listen to my observations of the prosecutor mind set or the legal process.



Dr. Bob

 

[Dr. Bob]

Oh, sorry Cory. Dosages.

I can't really recommend a specific dosage. It depends on the potency and makeup of the strain, the method of use, tolerance of the patient etc.

I do recommend it the same way I do pain meds. It is like tuning a guitar, start low and increase until you get just there. Have a clear understanding of your pain control goal (how much is enough control- very personal)

Dr Bob

 

[Dr. Bob]

You hear patient safety bullshit from me. Now you have some medical.

I hear tons of legal bullshit from him, but nothing else.
Much more of a lawyer, not a doctor.
Actually not even much of a lawyer, but more of a LEO cheerleader is how I would describe it.

 

[gladstoned]

I think LEO cheerleader was closer.

 

[gladstoned]

Happy to. While I don't know all of the individual strains as you do, here are a few things I've noticed over the last few years. And by the way I have mentioned these many times.

Pain control. I tend to recommend indicas and medibles made from them. As a pain control doc as well, I tend to augment narcotic control with NSAID and cannabis, because it tends to decrease the dosage of narcotics needed.

Narcotic withdrawal. I've always considered this an excellent use of cannabis. The nausea, pain, inability to sleep and crawling out of the skin (along with in many cases underlying pain that got them on the narcs to begin with) is something I am actually working on for the new conditions board. Again Indicas, but it is very specific to the patient and their experience. Many come to me with a strain they have had success with in the past when I ask them about it.

Migraines, tends to not only help with the pain and nausea, but decrease the frequency of the attacks. This one here is a toss up in my experience, some seem to prefer indicas, other sativas.

Seizures, I've seen them stopped in mid seizure in front of me. Butter under the tongue is good for that.

Crohn's, been working with that for years, never seen healthier patients than the ones using medible indicas. Gain weigh, good skin color, just 'look healthy' with fewer attacks.

Glaucoma, indicas again. Not a substitute for drops, but certainly sets you up for good pressures and reduces the need to increase your meds.

Just a few notes here. As you can see, I do this for a reason, one it should be clear by now that Purple has no understanding of.

Cory you are still welcome to put me on ignore. You don't have to listen to my observations of the prosecutor mind set or the legal process.



Dr. Bob

Pleasant surprise to hear useful medical info coming from you. This is what most of the forum expected from you when you first came, but it just looked
like you were here to push your own agendas.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Pleasant surprise to hear useful medical info coming from you. This is what most of the forum expected from you when you first came, but it just looked
like you were here to push your own agendas.

My 'agenda' is patient safety and adequate information.

You should really ask yourself why folks attack knowledge and what their agenda is.

Dr. Bob