low income patients?

relic1981 · Jul 22, 2014

8hello all, i am curious too know if anyone is aware of any programs for low income patients in northern cali? im not looking for specifics just the hypothetical idea of sharing or donating medicine. i know alot of people share the fruits of their labor including myself, it is a joy to see my work help people.
i am a legit 215 patient with a myriad of conditions ranging from chronic back pain to intense anxiety. ive beeen growing for almost 15 years now and consider myself a green thumb. unfortunatly ive recently found myself in a tough position and am going to run out of my much needed medicine, for myself as well as a few seriously ill patient friends of mine, in about a month, which dosnt help the anticipatory anxiety i have. I wont be able to obtain more for us until this falls harvest. (i have a small outdoor grow going...its all 215 legal not a commercial grower myself, not to knock those that are.)
i have a baby on the way (due in December) and had to move to a more kid friendly place in town, also a bigger place with a bigger price tag... rent, not own.) i usually have a personal indoor grow going year round (enough for me , my fiance, and a few friends in need) but because of the move i had to break down and we are just now getting settled in. i kept all my mom plants and just took cuttings for a grow coming up as soon as they are vegged for about 3-4 weeks after rooting. (gg#4, strawberry cough, and space queen with 1 or 2 qrazy trains or pure tw) anyhow i will be out of medicine and money for a few months. this has got me thinking that their are a lot of other good folks who just cant afford quality medicine and i want to start a program that hooks up low income patients to people who can donate some medicine. is this a ridiculous idea? i really think it could work and i know some dispensaries do indeed help low income patients, none anywhere near me do but the idea is in place. now that im getting older my circle of friends has gotten smaller, thats life i guess but makes things tough sometimes.
my mission in life has always been to help people and my heart goes out to those who suffer needlessly. any ideas on how this would work best are much appreciated. the idea of asking people for donations makes me super anxious but i know their are people out there who are good at fundraising... and i know there are good people out there that would be willing to donate to a good cause as well as good folks in need. its just putting them together, thats the tricky part. thanks for letting me get my thoughts out feel free to pm me about anything. i want to be clear this thread is not about actually organizing such a program as i beleive thats against the rules, but discussing the idea. its a hypothetical question with some real facts to make the concept more clear. that said, i really am in this situation.

RoadRash · Jul 22, 2014

relic1981 said:
8hello all, i am curious too know if anyone is aware of any programs for low income patients in northern cali?

its just putting them together, thats the tricky part. thanks for letting me get my thoughts out feel free to pm me about anything. i want to be clear this thread is not about actually organizing such a program as i beleive thats against the rules, but discussing the idea. its a hypothetical question with some real facts to make the concept more clear. that said, i really am in this situation.

When I was a provider at the dispensary on Cleveland in Santa Rosa (Sonoma County), they had a program for low-income folks and I contributed to it.

In that case, it was smaller nugs, from the same batches as the medicine the dispensary purchased.

Anyway, it's a good idea. Usually when you grow, there is surplus.

epicorchard · Jul 22, 2014

PCC in Berkeley offers free meds once a month through there compassionate care program. At least one of their vendors gives them 10 plus lbs of smaler buds to give out every year...

relic1981 · Jul 22, 2014

interesting. sharing herb is not a new concept and is actually done quite often here in cali and im sure most other places. id love to start a program to link patients in need with people who want to share. im doing my best here in humboldt... we will see what happens with the idea and ill keep you informed. big problem here is that people just assume everyone has access to medicine. most people do but there is a good amount of people who slip through the cracks and its usually older people with serious illnesses.. that's who i want to help.

Corpsey · Jul 22, 2014

good karma collective in lake county used to do just this, i have donated a few ounces in the past with them. I know they changed ownership recently but im sure they are still doing this.

good luck, and hope the fall harvest is great for you.

relic1981 · Jul 25, 2014

im trying to get some of the local dispensaries to act as drop of locations. i think this will help make potentiasl donors feel more secure... in that they know its going to patients... thats the big hurdle im facing is how to solicit donors. i need to get someone who is good at marketing to help me with this. ive decided a sliding scale will have to be implemented to cover overhead expensives. my min goal is to get sick people the best medicine i can get them for as low of a cost as possible. easier said than done but i have alot of passion for this project so i am determined to make it a success. ive got people counting on me!

Abja Roots · Jul 25, 2014

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/07/11/dispensaries-required-to-give-away-free-pot-to-the-poor/

berkeleyside.comhttp://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/07/11/dispensaries-required-to-give-away-free-pot-to-the-poor/
Free pot for the poor: Berkeley council codifies what many cannabis dispensaries already doing
by Natalie OrensteinJuly 11, 2014 9:00 am

The Berkeley Patients Group has distributed free medical cannabis for years to low-income patients. A new law passed by the Berkeley City Council codifies this and requires dispensaries to give away 2% of its cannabis to the poor. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel

Berkeley’s medical marijuana dispensaries must provide 2% of their cannabis free of charge to very low-income residents under a law passed unanimously by the City Council earlier this month.

Individual patients who make under $32,000, or families that earn less than $46,000, qualify for the complimentary cannabis. The law further requires that the free marijuana “be the same quality on average as Medical Cannabis that is dispensed to other members.”

“We were happy with that,” said Charley Pappas, a member of the city’s Medical Cannabis Commission. “It gets the council and the mayor focusing on patients. There should be access to the best medicine and the poorest people shouldn’t be excluded.”

Following the decision, national media proclaimed, “Berkeley out-Berkeleys Berkeley” and declared the arrival of “weed welfare.” Many of the articles were long on hyperbole and short of the facts, since the new law may not force dispensaries to radically alter their business models. Many of them already give away free medical cannabis.

“It’s not an uncommon practice” to voluntarily provide free cannabis to needy patients, said Pappas, who used to own a dispensary in San Francisco.

Berkeley Patients Group (BPG) on San Pablo Avenue and Cannabis Buyers Club of Berkeley (CBCB) on Shattuck Avenue, two of the city’s three dispensaries, previously had programs that distributed free marijuana to low-income clients. Furthermore, the law only applies to Berkeley residents, who typically make up only 25% of a dispensary’s clientele.

“We do this on our own, so we certainly welcome the city mandating that all dispensaries create these sorts of programs,” said Sean Luse, chief operating officer of BPG.

Cannabis being inspected at Berkeley Patients Group. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel

Luse estimated that the dispensary, which has hosted a program for low-income patients since it opened in 1999, typically gives away 1% of its cannabis. He questioned whether the 2% requirement was appropriate.

“I do think there could be problems if we’re oversupplying demand and giving away more cannabis than is legitimately needed,” he said. “We’ll see how this plays out.”

The commission’s initial proposal asked dispensaries to give away 1% of their marijuana, but the council decided to double the amount, Pappas said.

The 2%, by weight, is determined by mandatory half-yearly calculations of the amount of marijuana distributed to all members.

In the same July 1 vote, the council approved a fourth dispensary for the city, three and a half years after residents voted on Measure T in support of the additional dispensary.

Pappas applauded the council’s approval of a fourth dispensary.

“They perpetuated the status quo for years when they put a moratorium on additional dispensaries,” he said. “It displays their attention, finally, to medical cannabis distribution in Berkeley. With another dispensary, [medical marijuana] will be cheaper, because there will be more competition.”

The Medical Cannabis Commission had recommended approval of up to six dispensaries in Berkeley, but the council decided to revisit the request next year.

At a previous council meeting on June 17, council members praised the commission’s work on recommending revisions to the cannabis ordinance.

“The work you’ve done here is thorough and honorable — but ongoing,” Councilman Max Anderson said.

Related:
Berkeley Council: Let’s add fourth dispensary (06.08.14)
Berkeley will again consider a 4th cannabis dispensary (06.03.14)
Berkeley delays decision on fourth dispensary (09.20.13)
Berkeley to consider 4th medical cannabis dispensary (09.17.13)
Berkeley delays fourth medical cannabis dispensary (06.13.13)

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relic1981 · Aug 1, 2014

nice article. so i have been talking to people across the state and they have been very helpful. its looking like this is gonna pop off here in humboldt soon. i as well as lots of other people already give away extra meds but this will help a lot more people up here. its just assumed that everyone has access to medicine up here and sadly thats not the case. i do what i can. im working with a lawer to cover all my bases and make sure its legit as can be. people have been donating their time to help on this project. it says a lot, most people want to help if they can. the one big problem im already having (we have started getting patients info and a list going of people in need so once i get the green light from my attorney i can help them) is people wanting to take advantage of it. my aim is to help sick, low income patients, not just anyone who wants to get stoned for free. so its tricky determining who needs it the most and weeding out people who want and not need. i want to help the people who need it the most...

relic1981 · Aug 1, 2014

has anyone worked with cal norml's sponsored attorneys? i have always been a norml supporter but they are really being helpful. i reccomend to anyone with ideas to run it by them before you act on it. they can site court cases and other super helpful info to help understand the laws more completely. do we have any ic members that are attorneys?

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