Who's Applying for Medical Marijuana Cards in Arizona?

PHOENIX - For the first time, Arizona residents who think they qualify to receive medical marijuana had the chance to apply for a card Thursday.

Will Humble, Director of The Arizona Department of Health Services, said they began processing applications at 8 a.m. and by 8:30 a.m. completed the Department’s first qualified patient card.

“Our first applicant was a 60-year-old gentleman from Scottsdale living with Crohn’s disease,” he said.

Humble tells ABC15 their Vital Statistics staff provided the oversight for a team of 11 temporary workers in charge of processing the applications.

He said 20 department staff members have been trained in the event they experience a backlog and need to jump in and help with processing.

Humble also said the fees they collect from patients will pay the salaries for these temporary workers.

To register as a patient costs $150, as a caregiver it is $200 and dispensary agents will pay $500.

By 3 p.m. Thursday, the department began tallying the numbers.

This is the first-ever snapshot of who applied, with a breakdown of the first data set from the department.

Number processed: 65
Number approved: 44
Number Deficient: 21

Primary reasons why applications were deemed “deficient”: Problems with photos, no medical condition on physician certification, problems with physician certification, ID wrong

GENDER:
Male: 53 (82%)
Female: 12 (18%)

AGES:
< 18: None
18-30: 17 (29%)
31-40: 14 (24%)
41-50: 15 (25%)
51+: 13 (22%)

CONDITIONS:
Chronic Pain: 37 Applicants (57%)
Cancer: 3 Applicants
Spasms: 2 Applicants
Nausea: 3 Applicants
HIV: 1 Applicant
Cachexia: 1 Applicant
Seizures: 1 Applicant

Today I got my Dr. recommendation
and all the forms I need to submit in pdf format as required.
But when I goto the az mmj website and try to upload the files,
the upload choices only partially show as if there's something wrong with the webpage.
I tried it with both safari & foxfire with no luck.
I contacted customer support there, but they said I won't be contacted until at least monday.

I want to apply so bad. what exactly do I need? A recomendation from my primary doctor?
or do they have special 'MJ' doctors like in california?
are the dispensaries already up and running?

It has to be a DR. that has registered with the AZ Dept of Health services
before making a recomendation for you.
So in your terms, a "MJ doctor."
The dispensaries will take up to a year to get up and running with
medicine supplies etc.
So even if you get approved, the only way at this time to legally
obtain your medicine, is to grow it yourself.
I quickly got my approval after having some trouble with a glitch on their website.

I did some research on the .gov website they have up.
It seems to me there is a pretty limited number of conditions they
are willing to give cards for. How can I get approved without having
one of these serious conditions (i.e. cancer, glaucoma)

In some ways it's definitely tougher to get approved than California for example.
But if You have some sort of long-term health issue that causes you "chronic pain"
and your DR. approves it, then your chances are pretty good.
So in my opinion, the first and perhaps most important hurdle is to get a DR's approval.
The DR's who are certified to recommend mmj, are instructed on what conditions
are approved or not. I was afraid that my situation would not pass, but it did.
Even though it wasn't aids, cancer etc.

what was it, if you dont mind? or how "severe and chronic"? i can get an appointment through ahcess for free, but my doc is a joke...wouldnt change or up my pain med, it was that hydro/oxycodone, and it suxed anyways..she may think im a junkie, i've had a bad back for years. im underweight and its affected my life, but if they can say no....

StuffinPuffers said:

what was it, if you dont mind? or how "severe and chronic"? i can get an appointment through ahcess for free, but my doc is a joke...wouldnt change or up my pain med, it was that hydro/oxycodone, and it suxed anyways..she may think im a junkie, i've had a bad back for years. im underweight and its affected my life, but if they can say no....

Click to expand...

Again as I said previously, it has to be a certified mmj dr. so when you say that your doc is a joke and won't appove you.
That's irrelevant unless he/she is a az certified mmj doc.

I note that most of the clinics are offering "no 'script, no pay" guarantees. If you don't qualify, you don't pay for the visit. Bring your medical records; if you don't have them, they can get them, but it may cost you a little either way- not all doctor's offices are willing to give you copies for free anymore.

medicalgrowman said:

It has to be a DR. that has registered with the AZ Dept of Health services
before making a recomendation for you.
So in your terms, a "MJ doctor."
The dispensaries will take up to a year to get up and running with
medicine supplies etc.
So even if you get approved, the only way at this time to legally
obtain your medicine, is to grow it yourself.
I quickly got my approval after having some trouble with a glitch on their website.

Click to expand...

This must not be true... My friend (who is a Dr.) has never registered for anything fill out the paperwork and I got approved. You do not have to have any sort of registration The State want legitemate MD's to be prescribing not money grubbing MJDR's riding the profit wave.

Windsblow said:

This must not be true... My friend (who is a Dr.) has never registered for anything fill out the paperwork and I got approved. You do not have to have any sort of registration The State want legitemate MD's to be prescribing not money grubbing MJDR's riding the profit wave.

Click to expand...

if what you're saying is true, then I stand corrected.
The Dr. I got my approval from gave me the impression
he was specially registered with the state for this purpose.

medicalgrowman said:

if what you're saying is true, then I stand corrected.
The Dr. I got my approval from gave me the impression
he was specially registered with the state for this purpose.

Click to expand...

Those Dr's are just funneling I assume. I wasn't sure and niether was my friend, but he fill it out and bang! my wife got it. Sweet!

Windsblow said:

Those Dr's are just funneling I assume. I wasn't sure and niether was my friend, but he fill it out and bang! my wife got it. Sweet!

Click to expand...

What was the total amount for your Dr. to do your card. I am going to probably do my card later when I move to Pheonix and I don't have friends there.

The state charges $150. Typical Dr. charges for "mmj Dr's" is $150
To me $300 is a small price to pay compared to getting arrested, lawyers, fines, etc.

Windsblow said:

Those Dr's are just funneling I assume. I wasn't sure and niether was my friend, but he fill it out and bang! my wife got it. Sweet!

Click to expand...

Good to know!

What are the qualifications to become a caregiver? If a family member gets a card does that qualify you?

TheLastWood said:

What are the qualifications to become a caregiver? If a family member gets a card does that qualify you?

Click to expand...

There are many qualifications. First off your family member with their card needs to designate you as their caregiver. Once that is in process you need to apply for caregiving rights. Go to azdhs.gov if you want more info. Or just pm me I'm at work

Now where can I find a list of MJ Doctors to get approved?
Because there is no way my primary physician would prescribe that.

sioxnc said:

Now where can I find a list of MJ Doctors to get approved?
Because there is no way my primary physician would prescribe that.

Click to expand...

do a search on craigslist for mmj

I have clinical depression have been taking meds for over 6 years. You think that qualifies ?? I know its not listed as any of the illnesses you need to obtain a MMJ card.