Marijuana dispensaries can open throughout Arizona as soon as this summer, according to Arizona Department Health Services Director Will Humble.
Humble, who writes an informative and entertaining blog, posted today that DHS is working to finalize a rule package and zoning map. After the rules are posted, the state has 45 days to review applications that are pending. Humble gives a "qualified yes" to the possibility of dispensaries opening as soon as the summer, and gives a goal to approve 125 by mid-June.
The state's case against the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act all but collapsed entirely last week, when a judge ruled that some of the state's requirements were "onerous" and had nothing to do with enforcing the Act or obeying state laws.
DHS wants to make sure that dispensaries are close to rural patients, and has been mapping where approved medical marijuana cardholders live. Since the Act allows patients who live more than 25 miles from a dispensary to grow their own personal supply, I would imagine that has some bearing on this, too.
So who are these patients? Here are some statistics:
- 17,852 approved. Only 8 patient applications were denied.
- 14, 985 have asked for permission to grow their own supplies.
- 74.5% are male
- Almost 24% are between ages 18 and 30. 23% are between 40 and 50. Only 15 are under age 18.
- 87% have listed chronic pain as one of their medical conditions. Almost 14.5% report suffering from muscle spasms and more than 12% report nausea. Patients also reported diagnoses of cancer, HIV, hepatitis, Crohn's Disease, glaucoma, sclerosis, seizures, and cachexia (wasting).
This last bullet should relieve those who worry that medical marijuana patients are just potheads looking for an easy score. These are some very, very sick people. They are not Cheech & Chong but people who deserve our compassion.
A friend worried to me that a nearby vacant lot has a dispensary application pending. I responded that this might get more police patrols around here. I'm no teetotaler but the noise from a nearby bar at the 2 am closing time can be really annoying on those cool spring nights when I want to sleep with the window open.
Plus, the possibility of drunks getting behind the wheel is at least as much of a threat as a sick person smoking pot.
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