Homeless in Arizona

In New Mexico only 62 percent of medical marijuana patient applications within the required 30-day time frame.

The government tyrants at the Arizona Department of Health Services are also screwing Arizona medical marijuana patients over in the same way.

Because of that when we legalize marijuana in Arizona we can't expect the government to operate in good faith and obey the laws we pass.

And we must include severe penalties in our law to FORCE our government masters to obey the laws we pass.

Source

Medical cannabis cards in spotlight as NM industry grows

Aug 5, 2016, 2:50pm MDT

No one from the department was able to make the meeting.

The hearing is the most recent push, over the last several months, to get the program working at the speed it's supposed to.

According to the New Mexico Department of Health, there are about 27,000 active card holders in the state, with almost 1,500 new applications received in June. The department's website says the state's Medical Cannabis Program has 30 days to process an application, and an additional five days to process and issue registry cards. Applications can be for new patients, or patients renewing their cards. Renewals must be done annually.

A report produced by the Department of Health's Office of Policy and Accountability says that, during the third quarter of FY2016, the department only processed 62 percent of patient applications within the 30-day time frame. The department credited the low rate to an increase in applications, as the process to get approval for a card had become easier in November 2015.

In June, the Albuquerque Journal reporte d that the department was taking 45 to 50 days to process applications, and, in response to consumer complaints, State Auditor Tim Keller wrote a letter to the agency instructing it to clear the backlog of card requests as soon as possible or risk possible legal repercussions.

The New Mexico Attorney General's office was also looking into the backlog, the article states, but Kenny Vigil, a Health Department spokesman, said the organization was struggling with a large, unexpected influx of applications and had hired new employees to address the increased need.

Although its website says the Department of Health is allowed 30 days to process applications and card renewals, it asks applicants to submit renewal forms 60 days before their current card expires, just to be safe.

The Santa Fe Reporter has also focused on producers complaining about the slow pace of the department, as it must approve all dispensary and cultivation locations as well as yearly plant limits.

The state's medical cannabis program is growing, with more patients and producers getting in on the action. In the first quarter of 2016, cannabis producers reported $9.9 million in total receipts. Duke Rodriguez, CEO and president of Ultra Health, a regional cannabis producer, recently told Albuquerque Business First that second-quarter numbers should be in soon, and he expects total receipts for the industry to be higher than they were last quarter.

Marissa covers health care, technology and professional services.