Today was Opening Day for the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act. We rolled out our brand-new website at 8 a.m. today and began processing applications for Qualifying Patient and Designated Caregiver Registry Identification Cards. The system went live at 8:00 a.m. and we completed our first qualified patient card at about 8:30. Our first applicant was a 60 year-old gentleman from Scottsdale living with Crohn’s Disease.
Our on-line application system is available 24/7/365, so that patients can apply anytime of the day or night on any day of the week. We’re only accepting applications through our on-line system to minimize administrative costs. The fact that we’re open for business 24/7/365 also means that we need to be prepared to scale up and process more applications in a hurry if necessary, which is why we trained an additional 20 ADHS staff this week so that they can step in during a pinch if we start getting a backlog. We want to be ready to scale up in order to provide prompt customer service and because the Initiative requires that we process the cards quickly or we can’t collect the fee.
Applicants should have everything ready before they begin entering data on our on-line application website. Folks will need to have already downloaded several things to their hard-drive before they begin entering data, including their completed: an electronic copy of their photo id; a current digital photograph; an electronic copy of their physician’s certification form; an electronic copy of their attestation; and if applicable documentation of participation in the SNAP program (a.k.a. food stamps) if they want to qualify for the 50% discount. Applicants will also need Visa or Mastercard for payment.
I’m incredibly proud of the agency-wide teamwork that went into developing this program. It’s truly been an agency wide effort and many of you have put in long hard hours in order to make this a success. Thank you!
The whole process for the patient application is very well thought out and put together with one minor complaint. The uploading of a photo is very tricky and I spent 2 hours trying to get it to work. The problem is the requirement for 600 dpi and the 2″ by 2″ exact size which is very hard to do with most programs that people use. Unless you’re a graphic artist this is going to be very frustrating for everyone. Your system has to be more forgiving with the photo upload or else put together a tutorial to help people with this.
Michelle-
Thank you for your input, it is very helpful. Our IT department is aware of this and they are working to fix it as we speak..also, there is another issue, we hear that people are being timed out when trying to fill out the apps..IT is aware of this problem as well, and they are currently working to fix it. If you come across any other issues, please let us know..it is very helpful to us! Thank you again for your input!!
Will, These are the two exact problem I am talking online with, to your IT live Help…any ETA when will be fixed?
Ubi,
These problems have been taken care of.
The first two hours it kept telling me to submit all documents, when I was! Now nearly two hours of it timing out before I can even have it tell me it needs said mystery Documents…(yes photo proper format and .jpg, everything else PDF(which requires a $450 program to generate!)
3 hours of missed work to try and get this done=$75
4 hours of beta testing your application form since you couldn’t be bothered= priceless…
I’ve been saving my complete forms since about 8:20AM; please tell me this is first come first served like it should be, and that will earn my place in line?! I should be patient #000001, or maybe #000010 on the outside!
Extremely frustrating!
David S-
I am sorry for your frustration, as with any program there were a few snags on the first day of roll out. These problems have been taken care of by our IT department.
Dear Mr. Humble – when I reviewed the Medical Marijuana Program Qualifying Patient Checklist, in particular the request for the Arizona Driver’s License AND requirement of * Birth Certificate verifying U.S. Citizenship, * U.S. Certificate of Naturalization, * U.S. Certificate of Citizenship, I was in total disbelief… Is it possible that someone inadverdantly left out the “OR copy of PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN card”? I am not a U.S. Citizen but I am permanent resident alien here in the USA. I am legally allowed to live and work and pay taxes here in the USA, receive social security benefits and apply for all sorts of licensing and benefits. The Medical Marijuana Program Qualifying Patient Checklist should make provisions for proof of Permanent Resident Alien status. Don’t tell me that permanent resident aliens will be discriminated against and not be allowed to qualify!
Jacques-
Please refer to the law, section 202(F)(2)(a). Also, our rules are based on the written law, please consult your local representative for questions/concerns.
Thank you.
I had the very same issue and contact them. There is no “or”, the reading is “issued before” 1996, you then need two pieces of Identification. As the top line in this section says “issued after 1996” you only need your current Drivers License.
Very poorly written as I think most of this is. Right off the back it’s overwhelming.
Best of Luck
How does one go about making an electronic copy of their physician’s certification form; an electronic copy of their attestation? Is this something the doctor will give me in electronic form or do I have to go and get it scanned?
Dominick,
If you do not have a scanner I would suggest taking it to a copy place, have them scan it for you and put it on a disc.
How frustrating!!! Not everybody knows how to”download files”, pda format, and mega pixels. A simple form that could be mailed should be available. At least you were honest in your comment,”the initiative requires that we process the cards quickly or we can’t collect the fee”. Is collecting the fee the main focus? I am not computer savy, surely, many others going this process feel the same frustration. where are the people without knowledge and equipment to complete the application suppose to go.
It took a while to file the application. I was shut down a few times, The best way is to apply for a passport photo and that will work and come out acceptable. As with any new program the first days of start up have some glitches. I suggest to keep at it and have all the forms ready and revue all before submitting and then the next steps go smooth
Took a bit of work. First I dscanned all into the computor and put them in Documents with an PDF file attached to each. I had gone to Walgreens and got a passport photo which came out great. Next after the form which took a little work at each question it was easy to attack and then you can revue and then move on to the next question. Go. slow and inspect all entries then move on give all payment info and send. You will get a conformation of OK and now wait for it in the mail. GOOD LUCK
Just wanting to know if the email i got saying that my app was approved means tht i will get a card
Yes, if the email said you have been approved, you will get your temporary card in the mail.
Guys, Guys, Guys ! ! ! You’re going about this all wrong!
First off you only need your “current Drivers License”, cause I don’t know anyone who’s was “issued before 1996″, which is the only reason you need the 2 pieces of ID requested at the bottom of this section.
Next: go to Kinkos for everything else.
Buy a USB card if you don’t have one. Tell then to scan everything onto the USB card in .pdf format. While there be sure to have them take a passport photo and put this on the same card in .jpg format.
Take your ck off list and show them the requirements. Tell then to use the 1200×1200 (rather 600) and to shoot it at 600dpi and also show them this needs to be 2″x2” just to “be sure” it’s all correct!
All this at Kinkos was less then $10 bucks!
That is if you have your own USB card.
I think it’s too bad the they couldn’t have included this suggestion at the top of the ck off list, rather then give us all nightmares as to “how am I gonna accomplish this”
Also if you don’t have a computer, simply take the USB card with all the needed info now download on to it to the Public Library and ask them to show you or have them do it for you, when you get to that section of the online application, just how to upload the photos to the Medical Marijuana website.
This should solve everyone’s headaches!
Take all and Good Luck
Went to Kinkos to have doc’s scanned onto USB card in .pdf format and found when I got home they had put all the pages of info onto “just one .pdf file”
So I now have to go back to Kinkos and ask them to make separate .pdf files for each doc.
As I obviously have not filed yet, which is correct ?
Hi there, me again in regard to this Kinkos all on one pdf or individual .
The answer is: everything must be on SEPARATE .pdf files, so don’t let Kinkos do to you, what they did to me.
Good Luck!
Dear Office of the Director,
Please, can you answer a question for me regarding cultivation of medical marijuana.
QUESTION: At this time, a qualifying patient will be allowed to cultivate up to 12 plants
if the qualifying patient lives more than 25 miles away from a dispensary.
What happens when a dispensary does locate within 25 miles of the qualifying patient.
Will the qualifying patient be “forced” into purchasing medical marijuana from the
dispensary? Can the qualifying patient still cultivate his/her own medical marijuana?
It makes sense to allow for personal cultivation of medical marijuana as an option
for the qualifying patient, rather than being forced into purchasing (at very high costs)
from a dispensary…
I appreciate a reply, please.
Thank you,
Carlos A.
The law passed by voters said card holders can grown if they live more than 25 miles from dispensary. Once a dispensary opens, we’ll have to see if we have the staff to redistribute cards to those within 25 miles or wait until the cardholders renew.
We didnt get a chance to vote for the 25 mile law Mr. Humble. The 25 mile law was added after Prop 203 was voted in by the people. Its not like we had a list to choose from saying 25 miles is fair to drive to get my prescription filled. As you have already seen with the compassion clubs in Phx, the prices are not fair for meds.
Jeremiah-
It was in the initiative language that the voters approved.
I agree Carlos this is wrong, and hopefully patients will help change the law in the future so we can grow for ourselves if we choose to. We are not forced to buy fruit from the store, we can grow that if we like. I do not see any difference.
I’ve been approved, but does anyone now when the temp card will arrive? has anyone recieved theirs?
The temporary cards are sent in U.S. Mail the next business morning – after they were approved.
Are they shipped from in Az? If so how many days should I give it?
Cards are sent in U.S. Mail from Phoenix.
Eddie, mine was approved the 19th and I received it today, the 22nd.
So how many days should it taketo arrive? I’m a Phoenix resident
Eddie,
It depends on how many requests we have, and how fast we can turn them out.
What is the law and/or policy on medical marijuana use while on probation? I have searched all over the web for an answer as well as spoken with several lawyers and no one has an answer…
Larry,
This is not our jurisdiction.. you will have to speak to your probation officer.
i think you guys are doing a great job with the paperwork at the az dept of health.And you are right to say it takes a little while to fix the glitches
Roberto,
Thank you!
I received a temporary card with an expiration date of 6/1/11. When will I get the permanent card with the real expiration date? Why is the bogus date on the card to begin with?
Scott,
We are aware of the issue and are currently working on a solution..we hope to have it taken care of soon.
Mr. Humble,
Does the new law affect employers or schools? E.g., if a student in a nursing program tests positive for marijuana and has a valid medical marijuana card, does this law invalidate school policy? Or, if an employee tests positive, would company policy still apply?
i’m a califorina MM card holder .i was pulled over on april 17th in parker az. cop found a gram of weed in my car. i had my recomdation and la county card to show the officer he told me the law is not in effect yet.i told him april 14th was the launch date but he said nope….went to court they said the same thing. what’s going on is prop 203 law ??? where does it say 203 is a law i need info for my defence
Bruce,
You may want to contact an attorney.