I went to the doc today

[maineharvest]

So I went to my docs today to talk with him about medical marijuana and try to get him to write me a recomendation for use. He was all about it and was more educated on the topic than I had thought. He had recentlyattended a public med marijuana seminar put on by one of our local MJ docs named Dr Sulak. He said he agrees a lot with what he heard and really liked Dr Sulak as a person and as a doctor. Buttttttt.................................................. he fears the feds and will not get involved until things change. He said his stance could change in the future if he didnt have to worry about having a target put on his back and fear that the feds would pull his liscence. He said that he believes mj has a lot of different good qualities and it can help a lot of different people but that still doesnt affect what the feds think. He brought up how the opiate problem in Maine really bothers him and said that it does no good because people in pain just get hooked on these narcotics and end up becoming addicts and its just not a good situation. So I think he was kinda commending me on not going the opiate or pharmacutical route and doing some good old fashion home grown marijuana.

So going to see him was plan A to get legal and now Ive got to go to plan B. Now I have to come up with a spare $300 to get an appointment to see Dr Sulak.

 

[Rosebud]

Best 300 you'll spend for some peace of mind. The doctors are scared. Others are brave.

 

[FA$TCA$H]

best of luck

 

[tcbud]

I agree, peace of mind is well worth $300. And the opportunity to speak to your own doctor about it openly is priceless. Many docs don't want to talk at all.

Good luck to you. The mental relief you will get with that recommendation is gonna be wonderful.

 

[NorCalHal]

Damn Feds...scaring folks again. It is not your fault Maine, it is your doctors fault for not getting informed and blowin' smoke up your pants. Irritates me to no end.

There has not been ONE doctor that has had thier license revoked for RECOMMENDING MMJ.
Recomendation is the key word here. Not Prescription.

This was brought up in 97' in Cali and some doctors took the case to Federal court and went up against Barry McCaffrey, who was the us drug czar at the time.
All in all it went down like this, A FEDERAL judge ruled that a Doctor cannot lose his/her license for recommending MMJ, but they can lose it for PRESCRIBING it. It is perfectly legal for a doctor to discuss and rec herb to thier patients.

hXXp://www.drugpolicy.org/docUploads/SJ_Order.pdf

You can read it for yourself or reference it to your doctor.

Don't be scared man, be informed.

 

[maineharvest]

Thanks Norcal but he made it perfectly clear that he was not about to be any kind of pioneer in this and once it became federally legal he had no prob helping me out but until then he wants nothing to do with it. He said that he has been approached by many patients and that Im not the first to come to him. He is afraid that once he approves one person that thousands will flock to his practice and he will be identified by the feds. And that has happened with the few that will write a recomendation.

Now I need to go check out that link Norcal.

 

[maineharvest]

Oh man its too late to read that after I had to go through the trouble of figuring out how to work with a pdf file.

 

[Rosebud]

You better smoke something after all that work.

 

[mainechowder]

Good Luck MH,

I was signed up to go to that Seminar that Sulak conducted but ended up with the flu so I was not able to attend. The patient that I am going to be helping out went to that and got an appointment 3 days later with Dr. Sulak. 2 weeks later she had her recommendation. I have heard nothing but great things about him. Here's a link to his lecture at that seminar.

hxxp://www.integr8health.com/video-medical-marijuana-health-benefits.php

I really hope that you get in. I know first hand that the biggest obstacle is the $300. His office asks for the money up front, just to make an appointment.

Keep us posted,

MC

 

[NorCalHal]

He is afraid that once he approves one person that thousands will flock to his practice and he will be identified by the feds. And that has happened with the few that will write a recomendation.

Your Doctor is correct, he would be slammed with folks, as I have seen this time and again, and that is how alot of the MMJ docs started. All of the MMJ docs I have dealt with had a regular practice and started writing recs for folks. That sooned turned into lines of new patients wanting recs.
Some docs beleive in the cause and closed thier regular practice and do nothing but MMJ recs, and yet some others still hold thier regular practice and do recs too.
But, all in all, he shouldn't worry about the feds taking his license.

 

[Mainebud]

Dr Sulak is the man! Just saw him last month.

 

[ShOrTbUs]

Thanks Norcal but he made it perfectly clear that he was not about to be any kind of pioneer in this and once it became federally legal he had no prob helping me out but until then he wants nothing to do with it. He said that he has been approached by many patients and that Im not the first to come to him. He is afraid that once he approves one person that thousands will flock to his practice and he will be identified by the feds. And that has happened with the few that will write a recomendation.

Now I need to go check out that link Norcal.

Your Doctor is correct, he would be slammed with folks, as I have seen this time and again, and that is how alot of the MMJ docs started. All of the MMJ docs I have dealt with had a regular practice and started writing recs for folks. That sooned turned into lines of new patients wanting recs.
Some docs beleive in the cause and closed thier regular practice and do nothing but MMJ recs, and yet some others still hold thier regular practice and do recs too.
But, all in all, he shouldn't worry about the feds taking his license.

wouldn't a relatively easy fix for this problem be, the doc can have an attorney draw up non-disclosure agreements for the patients that he recommends for mmj

 

[Mainebud]

Dr.s are in the same position the dispensaries are in. It is illegal on a federal level. Even though the state has made mmj legal the Feds will eventually make a point and arrest someone like they always do. And honestly, as much as I believe in the benefits of mmj, if I were a dr I doubt I would risk my entire career and my families well being. The dr.s who specialize in this are banking big but they better save some of that money for legal expenses. The state law is pretty clear about dr.s not prescribing it only recommending it. They can't even recommend a dispensary.

The real unfortunate part of this law is that it was written by politicians without consulting Dr.s in regards to what would qualify as a condition. So some of the dr.s are dancing around the fire helping the patient fit the mold. Now although I agree with this because I think the dr should do the recommending not the politicians, it's a slippery slope. A dr.s career is a life's work and I hate to see them under threat of fed action. I've been there and you don't win. Federal government has a 95% conviction rate. So kudos to the ones who are willing to stand up and fight for our movement!

Be safe my friends!

 

[skullcandy]

300.00 sounds expencive for a doc visit i pay hafe that for my doc, an mj licence is the way to go It has giving me access to my different types of meds Can't always afford them which is why I grow but when I can it makes things thant much more enjoyable .

 

[juniorgrower]

I can't imagine why the feds would go after a doc that recommends MMJ but not after the docs that hand out pain pills like they are candy. Maine has a serious opiate problem, that's what they need to be dealing with.

 

[niteshft]

I have a Maine doc and he was all for it. There are so many docs recommending MMJ that it would kill the health field and people would suffer without thier care....there is no way the government is going to go after the doctors. Besides, all they are doing here is following State Law by signing a government document.

It's a shame your doc is so perinoid.

 

[trillions of atoms]

I hope you get it figured out and can go legal my brother....some us still live in fear!!