By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services via Arizona Daily Star
An attorney is asking the Court of Appeals to force health officials to slash what they charge medical marijuana users for the state-issued permit needed to buy the drug.
The $150 that patients must pay annually is illegally high, attorney Sean Berberian said Monday. He said it is far more than the Arizona Department of Health Services needs to administer the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, which allows people with certain medical conditions to use the drug. The 2010 voter-approved law makes it clear the agency cannot simply bank the proceeds, he said.
“Our state program was created for the purpose of providing Arizona qualifying patients with legal access to safe medicine, but unfortunately the fee has been cost prohibitive to many. Lowering that fee would provide more qualifying patients with the opportunity to utilize medical marijuana to treat various debilitating conditions, as an adjunct or alternative treatment.”
