SANTA CRUZ -- For medical marijuana patients, it might not be paranoia anymore -- they really could be out to get you.
Recent revelations that a federal grand jury subpoenaed Mendocino County medical marijuana records as part of an ongoing probe have placed the handling of potentially sensitive patient records under a spotlight, bringing long-standing concerns about leaving a paper trail in an uncertain legal environment to the forefront once again.
But anticipating just such a scenario, Santa Cruz County for years has purposely kept similar patient information in the dark. In fact, if federal prosecutors ever came knocking at the door of the county's Health Department, they're not going to find anything but empty file cabinets.
"We don't have anything on file to subpoena," said Laurie Lang, a county health spokeswoman.
Since the county began issuing official medical marijuana identification cards in 2005, more than 1,100 have been issued. That number includes 207 during the past fiscal year, a number that dropped sharply from 358 the prior year.
But the process here is very different from other counties, including Santa Clara County. While health officials here verify patient prescriptions and review applications, all the paperwork is handed back to the patient once the card is issued.
Lang said the county has never been hit with a federal subpoena, and any legal inquiries end quickly after the county lays out its absence
Recent revelations that a federal grand jury subpoenaed Mendocino County medical marijuana records as part of an ongoing probe have placed the handling of potentially sensitive patient records under a spotlight, bringing long-standing concerns about leaving a paper trail in an uncertain legal environment to the forefront once again.
But anticipating just such a scenario, Santa Cruz County for years has purposely kept similar patient information in the dark. In fact, if federal prosecutors ever came knocking at the door of the county's Health Department, they're not going to find anything but empty file cabinets.
"We don't have anything on file to subpoena," said Laurie Lang, a county health spokeswoman.
Since the county began issuing official medical marijuana identification cards in 2005, more than 1,100 have been issued. That number includes 207 during the past fiscal year, a number that dropped sharply from 358 the prior year.
But the process here is very different from other counties, including Santa Clara County. While health officials here verify patient prescriptions and review applications, all the paperwork is handed back to the patient once the card is issued.
Lang said the county has never been hit with a federal subpoena, and any legal inquiries end quickly after the county lays out its absence
