Medical Cannabis Telephone FlashMob!
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“Having a medical marijuana program means little if the state makes it impossible for all but the wealthy to actually participate in it. The patients and caregivers affected by this proposal grow medical marijuana to ease their symptoms and to help others; they are not running a lucrative drug trade. The state should treat them just as they would any other patient using legal medication. Imagine charging sick patients prescribed codeine a special tax based on the street value of the medication if they illegally sold it. We fervently hope the Governor will take this troubling tax proposal off the table.” Steven Brown - Executive Director Rhode Island ACLU
“This is a draconian proposal based on fictional numbers that undermines the purpose of the medical marijuana program. It will wreak havoc on the lives and health of thousands of Rhode Islanders.” JoAnne Leppanen RIPAC
Members of the Rhode Island Medical Cannabis Community are supporting and promoting a massive call-in campaign to officials across the State of Rhode Island to firmly state that we will not tolerate the extreme, regressive taxation of a life-saving drug. In the spirit of civil disobedience and peaceful protest, we are asking Rhode Islanders to flood the switchboards of the Statehouse, House & Senate Leadership, as well as your local State Representatives and Senators.
Below, you will find a short script, a schedule, a list of phone numbers, and a link that will guide you to the contact information for your representatives in the General Assembly. We are asking that you stick to the schedule, so as to flood state switchboards and email servers to the point of SHUTTING THEM DOWN!
Below, you will find a short script, a schedule, a list of phone numbers, and a link that will guide you to the contact information for your representatives in the General Assembly. We are asking that you stick to the schedule, so as to flood state switchboards and email servers to the point of SHUTTING THEM DOWN!
This Phone Call Might Be Your Only Opportunity To "Vote" On The Taxation Of Medical Cannabis
Here's the windup:
On Monday, from 2- 4:00 pm, call House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello's office at (401) 222-2466
On Tuesday, from 2- 4:00 pm, call RI House Finance Chairman Raymond Gallison's office at (508) 677-4235
On Wednesday from 2-4:00 pm, Call Senate Finance Chairman Daniel DaPonte at (401) 276-5584
On Thursday & Friday from 2-4:00 pm., call members of the House Finance Committee. Their numbers are below.
On Monday, from 2- 4:00 pm, call House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello's office at (401) 222-2466
On Tuesday, from 2- 4:00 pm, call RI House Finance Chairman Raymond Gallison's office at (508) 677-4235
On Wednesday from 2-4:00 pm, Call Senate Finance Chairman Daniel DaPonte at (401) 276-5584
On Thursday & Friday from 2-4:00 pm., call members of the House Finance Committee. Their numbers are below.
Here's the pitch:
"Hello, my name is (your name), and I am a resident of (your city/town) and I am completely opposed to to the taxation of medical cannabis.
The safe, legal, & affordable availability of Medical Cannabis is a crucial element of both the health and quality of life of myself, and my family. Prescription drugs are not taxed. Nor should Medical Cannabis. This is a litmus test. Should you choose to vote for any legislation that enables the taxation of Medical Cannabis in Rhode Island, I will feel compelled not only to vote against you, but actively work against your re-election.
Thank you."
We ask that you make these calls every week until we, the people of Rhode Island, get a definitive, "No!" from our state's leaders on the taxation of medical cannabis ...
Please comment below, and SHARE THIS PAGE on your Facebook timeline and on Twitter. Get updates on Facebook, and www.CoalitionRadio.us
"Hello, my name is (your name), and I am a resident of (your city/town) and I am completely opposed to to the taxation of medical cannabis.
The safe, legal, & affordable availability of Medical Cannabis is a crucial element of both the health and quality of life of myself, and my family. Prescription drugs are not taxed. Nor should Medical Cannabis. This is a litmus test. Should you choose to vote for any legislation that enables the taxation of Medical Cannabis in Rhode Island, I will feel compelled not only to vote against you, but actively work against your re-election.
Thank you."
We ask that you make these calls every week until we, the people of Rhode Island, get a definitive, "No!" from our state's leaders on the taxation of medical cannabis ...
Please comment below, and SHARE THIS PAGE on your Facebook timeline and on Twitter. Get updates on Facebook, and www.CoalitionRadio.us
Call Your State Representative & State Senator! Not Sure Who They Are? Click Here: https://sos.ri.gov/vic/
Summary of Governor’s Medical Marijuana Proposal - JoAnne Leppanen RIPAC
Every Plant Must Have Tag
Every MMj plant in RI would be required to have a tag except for Compassion
Tags to be purchased annually from Department of Business Regulation (DBR) at
a price to be determined by DBR regulation. Revenues would go to the State
Treasury, not to administer MMP.
The Governor said that the prices per tag would be $150 for patients and $350
for caregivers. The fact that the Governor has announced the prices gives the
impression that DBR has already determined the prices. Ordinarily, there is a
public hearing prior to a regulation being issued. DBR can, but is not required to,
issue regulations with lower prices for low income patients and caregivers who
provide for low income patients.
Spokesperson for the administration claims that prices for tags are based on 2%
of the revenues produced by one plant which is 17,000 dollars.
Not clear where the 17,000 dollar figure came from but it is a grandiose fantasy.
We have yet to come across a 17,000 dollar plant. Plants grown by a patient for
their own medical use have no commercial value because the medicine is not
sold. Caregivers who are growing for their registered patients can be reimbursed
for expenses but not profit. Again, the medicine has no commercial value because
it cannot be sold for profit. Only cardholders who sell to the compassion centers
can legally profit from the sale of medical cannabis. These cardholders receive
wholesale, not retail prices from the compassion centers, who resell the cannabis.
These cardholders must pay income taxes on the sales to the compassion centers.
The compassion centers must charge a 7% sales tax when they sell the medicine
to patients in addition to the 4% tax they pay on monthly gross revenues.
Failure to purchase plant tags could result in revocation of MMj card and fines.
Patients Could Use Any and All Compassion Centers
A patient could purchase at any of the three compassion centers. No more
registering for compassion centers. Still restricted to 2.5 ounces every 15 days.
Data base will use patient MMj numbers to facilitate communication between
compassion centers to ensure that no patient buys more than 2.5 ounces every 15
days from compassion centers.
Patients may have up to 6 plants, including seedlings. Patients may have a
combination of mature plants and seedlings as long as the total does not exceed
six. This is a 75% reduction in the plant count.
Caregivers may still be registered for as many as five patients. They may have six
plants (a combination of mature plants and seedlings) per patient However,
they cannot exceed a total of 24 (mature and seedlings) plants. This also is a
drastic reduction in plant count depending on the number of patients. For
caregivers with one patient, it is a 75%reduction.
A patient who is also a caregiver must count him or herself as one of the patients.
Therefore, a patient who becomes a caregiver can have a maximum of 4 patients
and count themselves as the fifth. (Unclear if the patient who is his own caregiver
can have 2.5 ounces of dried usable)
Co-ops will have the same total plant counts but with no distinction between
mature plants and seedlings. Instead of 24 mature and 12 seedlings, a residential
co-op could have a total of 36 in any combination.
Instead of 48 mature and 24 seedlings, non-residential co-ops could have a total
72 plants in any combination.
Co-ops must have patients to correspond with plant numbers. A residential co-op
would have to provide for at least six patients to grow 36 plants. A non-residential
co-op would have to provide for at least 12 patients to grow 72 plants.
Limits on Dried Usable Medicine
No change. Patient is still limited to 2.5 ounces. Caregiver with one patient can
have 2.5 ounces. Caregiver with 2-5 patients may have 5 ounces.
Maximum of 24 plants in a dwelling unit or commercial unit except for co-ops and
“licensed cultivators”. Commercial unit is a building or room within commercial
building. A dwelling unit means the room or group of rooms within a dwelling
used or intended for use by one family or household, or by no more than three
unrelated individuals, for living, sleeping, cooking and eating.
All grows must be registered with DBR. A cardholder can grow in only one
Authorized Purchaser
Patient may designate “authorized purchaser” to purchase medicine at
compassion centers for them. Must be 21 and register with health department.
They may not grow or use patient’s medicine. Can only have one patient.
Background checks not required by proposed law but fees and other
requirements will be determined by Health Department.
Patient Options for Medicine
If a patient purchases tags to grow, then they cannot appoint a caregiver or
authorized purchaser. They can use the compassion centers but if they are too
sick or unable to get there, they will not have anyone to purchase on their behalf.
If a patient does not grow, then may appoint a caregiver or authorized purchaser
(cannot appoint both) and can use the compassion centers.
Flammable Chemical Extracts
Patients and caregivers prohibited from creating concentrates through flammable
solvents including, but not limited to, butane, hexane, and propane.
Massachusetts and Connecticut physicians could no longer certify patient
applications. RI physicians only.
Cultivators License
New category of grower to be licensed and regulated by DBR
DBR would issue regulations that determine qualifications, plant counts,
application process, fees, etc
Each plant must have tag to be purchased annually
Cultivator could not be a caregiver or participate in co-op
Could sell to compassion centers only – no direct sales to patients, caregivers or
authorized purchasers.
Caregivers, licensed cultivators, licensed compassion centers, and licensed
cooperative cultivations would be subject to “reasonable inspection” by the
DBR for the purposes of enforcing regulations and laws. DBR to determine
whether inspections include law enforcement.
Law enforcement shall have access to information about growers “only to the
extent necessary to verify information about medical marijuana tags, caregiver
cardholders, licensed cultivators, cooperative cultivations, and compassion center
cardholders.” If law enforcement asks the Health Dept. for information about a
patient, the Dept. will only verify patient’s MMj number, which is the current law.
Department of Business Regulation
Would register all grows, license and inspect. Will be issuing new fee schedules
for grows and tags. Fees for tags go to the state’s general fund. Other fees to go
to an account for administration of MMP.
Would license and regulate cultivators and compassion centers.
Issue a report by 1/1/17 evaluating effectiveness of compassion centers and make
recommendations as to need for additional centers
Health Department
Would still register patients. Would register authorized purchasers
Regulate labelling, testing and maintenance of compassion center products
Health department would expedite applications for Hospice patients
Compassion Centers
The current 4% tax would be reduced to 3% as of July 1, 2016
The gifting provision allows a patient or caregiver to GIVE medicine to another
cardholder as long as there is no consideration (nothing of value is asked for in
return) and the person receiving the gift does not go over their limit. The gifting
provision, which so many so income patients benefit from, would be eliminated.
New law would take effect 7/1/16. Patients and caregivers would have to comply
with new plant limits by 12/31/16.
To view the actual text of proposed law :
http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText16/HouseText16/H7454.pdf
Go to Article 14 on page 194
Please note that when you read the text, you will see many provisions crossed out
but if you keep reading, you will see that many are reinserted in a different section
