Michigan Department of Community Health
The Michigan Department of Community Health (DCH) is charged with administering the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act. These links will take you to relevant DCH resources & offices.
Medical Marihuana: Questions and Answers 
A FAQ page created by MI DCH about the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act. It reflects the state's bias and should be read with a grain of salt. While it is factual, it also puts a certain spin on the Act and can be misleading. This document fails to mention much more than it discloses. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need clarifications.
info@michiganmedicalmarijuana.org
About Medical Marijuana
FAQ about Medical Marijuana
What is medical marijuana?
Marijuana is the common name for a plant, Cannabis sativa. Cannabis has been used for millennia as a medicinal herb. The cannabis plant also yields a prized fiber--known as hemp--, is a prolific producer of nutritious, oil rich seeds and the hurds, or stem pith, is used to make paper. Both the U.S. dollar and the U.S. Constitution are printed on hemp hurd paper.
The earliest known references to the medicinal qualities of marijuana are found in a 4.800 year old Chinese pharmacopoeia. Cannabis was known and used during Biblical times. Every year between 1850 and 1900 cannabis was the #1, #2 or #3 most commonly prescribed drug in the U.S. The highly respected British medical journal, The Lancet, recently referred to marijuana as, “potentially the aspirin of the 21st century.”
What scientific and medical evidence supports medical marijuana?
The evidence, both anecdotal and clinical, for the efficacy of medical marijuana is overwhelming.
The Science of Medical Marijuana
Four U.S. Government Reports on Marijuana
Can I get addicted to Medical Marijuana?
In a word, No. Marijuana is not physically addictive. Addiction takes place in a different part of the brain than that activated by medical marijuana. There is no evidence whatsoever that medical marijuana is physically addictive. A small minority of users, less than 10%, may become psychologically dependent on marijuana. When they refrain from use these patients report psychological symptoms such as mild anxiety, irritability and insomnia. These symptoms are all transient and disappear within a matter of 2 or 3 days. For more on the subject of so called marijuana addiction, you may wish to read this informative article: Calling B.S. on the Idea of Marijuana Addiction
What diseases does medical marijuana cure?
Medical Marijuana doesn’t cure any diseases. Neither does aspirin, insulin or Viagra. Marijuana treats the symptoms of illnesses. There is some research that suggests there may be a component in marijuana that inhibits the growth of pre-cancerous cells. This is far from conclusive and marijuana should not be considered an effective cancer preventative.
What diseases does marijuana treat?
Medical Marijuana can be used to treat a broad spectrum of physical and psychic infirmities.
The Michigan Medical Marijuana Act establishes these qualifying conditions:
Cancer, glaucoma, HIV+, AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, Hepatitis C, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, agitation associated with Alzheimer’s disease, Crohn’s disease, Nail Patella Syndrome. Patients suffering cachexia or wasting syndromes, severe and chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures and severe muscle spasms are also eligible to receive recommendations for medical marijuana.
Do I have to smoke it?
No. Marijuana is most commonly ingested by smoking because it delivers the active ingredients into the blood stream the quickest with the smallest dose. But smoking is not the ideal method of ingestion.
Marijuana can be vaporized using a device that raises the temperature high enough to release the essential oils but not high enough to burn. The vapors produced are inhaled but no products of combustion such as carbon monoxide, benzene or tars and particulates.
Marijuana can be cooked into food and eaten or brewed into a tea. The essential ingredients can easily be isolated and then infused into a tincture to be daubed on the skin or incorporated into a suppository.
These alternative methods of ingesting cannabis avoid the risks commonly associated with smoked marijuana.
Vaporization explained
Vaporization is an effective way to deliver the therapeutic components of marijuana without the toxic by products of combustion. The vegetable material is placed in the vaporization device and heated to a temperature of 180° to 200° C (356° to 392° F). This causes the essential oils to volatilize, or evaporate, into a pure vapor which is then collected and inhaled. The resulting vapors contain no tars, hydro-carbons, benzene, carbon monoxide or other toxic pryolytic gases and combustion by products. Respiratory risks associated with smoked marijuana are eliminated.
A study examining the safety and efficacy of vaporization as a delivery system and published in the Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics may be read here: Cannabis Vaporizer Combines Efficient Delivery of THC with Effective Suppression of Pyrolytic Compounds.
For more information on vaporization and how to build or purchase a vaporizer, you may wish to visit some of these sites. These links connect to independent web sites over which we have no control or interest. We provide these links as a service only.
http://www.gotvape.com/
http://www.vaporizergiant.com/
http://www.happyvappy.com/home.html
I want to learn more about medical marijuana
Drug Policy Alliance: Medical Marijuana
FAQ Michigan medical marijuana Act
Is it legal?
The legitimate use of medical marijuana is protected by the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, a state law. The Act protects both patients and designated caregivers. Some Michigan cities also have ordinances protecting medical marijuana patients and caregivers.
The medical use of marijuana remains illegal under Federal law. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that conflicting state and federal laws may co-exist, that federal law does not nullify state law. Federal law continues to be enforced by federal officers. State and local law enforcement officers will continue to enforce state and local laws.
Almost all drug law enforcement is done at the state and local levels. The Federal government focuses on drug kingpins who operate across state lines. As a practical matter, other wise law abiding, legitimate medical marijuana patients in Michigan have little to fear in the way of arrest.
What are the limits and protections?
Each Qualifying Patient is allowed to possess up to 2.5 oz of usable plant material and may cultivate no more than 12 plants in a "locked, enclosed facility."
Patients may designate a Primary Caregiver to possess and cultivate medical marijuana on behalf of the patient with the same limits.
A Qualifying Patient and Primary Caregiver is not subject to criminal or civil sanction for protected use of medical marijuana.
Common sense prohibitions on using medical marijuana in public or driving under the influence of medical marijuana remain in force.
Where do I get medical marijuana?
The Michigan Medical Marijuana Act allows you either grow your own or designate someone to grow it for you. A qualifying patient is also protected from arrest & prosecution for purchasing medical marijuana from ANY willing vendor. It is the seller in that scenario who is in legal peril.
The Michigan Medical Marijuana Association is not a dispensary. We do not participate in any purchase, sale, transfer, free donations or "hook-ups." We recommend that you get in touch with a Local Caregiver Group to discuss whether or not Medical Marijuana is right for you.
We can not help you find seeds or starter plants. A Local Caregiver Group may be able to help you with this. Although we do not recommend it, marijuana seeds are also readily available on the internet from foreign vendors who will mail the seeds directly to you. Some people travel to Ontario, Canada and visit shops where it is legal to sell and sell marijuana seeds. This requires crossing back into the U.S. carrying marijuana seeds. Both of these strategies violate federal law. Be forewarned.
How do I find a doctor that will recommend marijuana?
You should start by talking to your own doctor. The Act requires that medical marijuana recommendations take place only in the context of a "bona-fide doctor/patient relationship." You may find the necessary forms in our Free Legal Form Bank. We will also be printing and distributing a series of brochures that will prepare patients with the information they need to discuss this issue with their doctors. It is assumed that after the dust settles a few brave doctors will quietly let it be known that they are willing to take new patients for medical marijuana assessments. We hope to be able to publish a list in good time.
I would like to grow medical marijuana.
If you are a Qualifying Patient or a Designated Caregiver, the Act protects you so long as you stay within the guidelines of no more than 12 plants per patient.
The Michigan Medical Marijuana Act also requires that medical marijuana must be grown in, "an enclosed, locked facility." .
The Patients Simple Guide to Growing Medical Marijuana
How do I become a Designated Caregiver?
A Qualifying Patient may designate a Caregiver to grow medical marijuana on behalf of the patient. We recommend that people interested in becoming caregivers join MMMA and become listed as a Local Caregiver Group.
I have a qualifying medical condition. Do I have to get a recommendation before I can use medical marijuana?
Probably not, but it’s still a good idea. The Michigan Medical Marijuana Act allows people charged with simple possession and/or cultivation of 12 or less marijuana plants to mount an “Affirmative Defense,” that the marijuana was intended for the use of a patient with a qualifying condition. This can be expensive and the outcome is far from guaranteed. The prudent thing to do is get the recommendation before using medical marijuana and become a Designated Caregiver before growing medical marijuana
What stops me from growing medical marijuana as a Qualified Patient or Designated Caregiver and then diverting it to the illicit market?
The Michigan Medical Marijuana Act includes enhanced penalties against anyone tempted to divert to the illicit market. Making false statement regarding the use and possession of medical marijuana is punishable by an additional $500 fine on top of any other penalty related to the use and possession. And diversion of medical marijuana to the illicit market is punishable by a $2,000 fine and 2 years imprisonment.