Action Item: Madera County ID Card Program

Dear Medical Marijuana Supporter,

The Madera County Department of Public Health has
completed its plans to administer the statewide
medical marijuana ID card program. Unfortunately,
there is still a hold-up in making the voluntary ID
cards available to patients. At this point, the
county’s program is under review by the County
Executive Committee. Since there are many other items
under the committee’s consideration this month, it is
extremely important that we put pressure on them to
prioritize the ID card program.

Please take a few minutes today to contact the Madera
County Board Chairman, politely and briefly urging him
to support the medical marijuana ID card program in
Madera County and to submit it to the Board of
Supervisors as soon as possible:

*Supervisor Frank Bigelow, email:
fbigelow1 [at] madera-county.com or phone: (559) 675-7700

Please feel free to use the talking points listed at
the end of this message when addressing Supervisor
Bigelow. After your call or email, please contact me
with the information listed below to let me know what
kind of response you received and to find out more
information about meetings or events in your area.

Thank you for your support of this important program.
Once implemented, not only will it reduce patients’
risk, it will also further strengthen California’s
decade-old medical marijuana law.

Sincerely,

F. Aaron Smith
Safe Access Now
fa_smith [at] yahoo.com
Ph: (707) 291-0076
Fax: (866) 204-1341
http://www.safeacccessnow.com


WHY WE SUPPORT THE CALIFORNIA MEDICAL MARIJUANA ID
CARD PROGRAM:

* The ID card protects patients and caregivers from
lengthy detainment, arrest, seizure of property or
unnecessary court proceedings. While patients are not
required to participate in the ID card program, many
choose to because they cannot afford the personal risk
of wrongful prosecution that those without ID cards
face.

* The ID card program will greatly assist
law-enforcement in distinguishing patients with
legitimate medical marijuana recommendations from
those who are using false or counterfeit
documentation. The county-administered ID program
clarifies the current patchwork of patient
documentation and frees our law enforcement and
judicial system to focus on genuine criminal activity.

* Voters’ support of safe and legal access to medical
marijuana has only grown stronger since the passage of
the Compassionate Use Act (Prop. 215) in 1996.
According to an independent field poll conducted in
2004, 74% of Californians believe that patients should
not be arrested for using marijuana as medicine. The
statewide Medical Marijuana ID card program simply
provides additional protection to qualified patients
and further solidifies our state law and the will of
the voters.

* The county will not incur any additional costs by
implementing the ID card program because the county is
allowed to set its own fees to recoup the start-up and
operating costs. For example, the Oregon Medical
Marijuana Program, implemented in 1999, was able to
realize a $986,000 budget surplus after two years of
operation. This also allowed the state to
significantly reduce the fees imposed on patients.

* The county has a legal responsibility to the State
of California to implement the program.