Arizona Medical Marijuana Dispensary Rules
In November 2010, the people of Arizona passed Prop 203, legalizing Medical Marijuana. This is the 3rd time marijuana’s medicinal usage has actually passed in AZ. It really is appearing as if the 3rd time may be the charm, however, because the Arizona Department of Health Services is placing Regulations into place at the end of March 2011 for Dispensaries and Patient ID cards.
Do you know the rules for Arizona Medical Marijuana Dispensaries? Applications for obtaining a medical marijuana dispensary are increasingly being accepted starting in-may 2011. The AZ Department of Health Services plans to allocate these dispensary certificates based on an analysis of Community Health Analysis Areas.
These Community Health Analysis Areas were created in 2005 to align with growing rural and urban areas. In highly cities, a CHAA contains 100,000 people. In a rural CHAA the population is about 10,000 people. Each county in Arizona will have a minumum of one dispensary. If only one complete application is received for a dispensary for just about any particular CHAA, then it’s approved. If any CHAA has multiple completed applications, a random selection process will occur.
To open dispensary near me , the applicants must pass a background check, be over 21, and have been Arizona residents for the past 3 years. Each dispensary must employ or contract with a medical director. The medical director cannot provide written certifications for marijuana and must definitely provide training to the staff alongside providing educational materials/information to qualifying patients and caregivers.
For the whole state of Arizona, 124 licenses will undoubtedly be given out. It seems there may be near 5,000 applications for those licenses. A minumum of one will be provided for each Arizona county. Hawaii want to track the inventory from seed to cultivation to dispensary to patient. Which will hopefully minimize marijuana from being siphoned in to the world of drug dealers.
Each Arizona dispensary will undoubtedly be required to cultivate and grow their own marijuana. Initially the Rules stated 100%, however the latest states 70% so dispensaries can purchase 30% from approved growers, patients, caregivers, or other dispensaries. The 70% being grown must be on-site in an enclosed area and you will see specific provisions regarding the security in place at the dispensary.
Dispensaries should be non-profit entities. This means profits can’t be distributed to the owners, basically the salaries which are set. At this stage, it appears Arizona will be specifically limiting the salaries which can be received.
Qualifying patients with an Arizona Medical Marijuana Registry ID card may purchase around 2.5 ounces of marijuana every fourteen days from a certified, licensed dispensary. If there is no dispensary open within 25 miles of the patient, that patient can grow her or his own marijuana. Patients will not be permitted to consume marijuana at the dispensary. Arizona Dispensaries will be able to sell edible food products infused with marijuana as long as the dispensaries comply with specific preparation regulations plus they are labeled to show the precise marijuana content.
You will see set costs for the initial registration of a dispensary ($5000), renewals ($1000), and a price for changing the location of a dispensary ($2500). The aim of the Arizona Dept of Health Services is for dispensaries to supply information and marijuana. Educational materials will need to be provided for patients about drug interactions, safe usage, and information regarding substance abuse programs.