Establishes legal protections for seriously ill patients who use marijuana under the
recommendation of their doctor. DPH has existing regulations to certify physicians'
recommendations.
Allows DPH-certified patients to possess and/or cultivate marijuana for medical
purposes. To prevent abuse, limits maximum amount of useable cannabis and plants allowed
for each patient. Any cultivation of marijuana must be within an indoor, locked location.
Allows DPH to qualify a single "care-taker" for each patient. This
"care-taker" can assist DPH-certified but disabled patients in obtaining or
cultivating limited amounts of marijuana for medical use.
Creates an identification card system to facilitate marijuana law enforcement and quick
determination of valid medical use.
Creates protection from penalty under state law for doctors participating in the process
of qualifying their patients for medical use.
Expands the list of valid medical conditions to include HIV/AIDS, wasting syndrome,
severe pain, severe nausea, seizures including those characteristic of epilepsy, or severe
and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis or
Crohn's disease and any other medical condition or its treatment approved by a patient's
doctor in the exercise of his or her professional judgment.
