The Dispensaries Are Coming! But Is Affordable Medicine On Its Way?

Online, October 26, 2010 (Newswire.com) - The recent changes in Maine's Medical Marijuana laws are about to come to fruition as State licensed dispensaries are about to open statewide this coming New Year. But does this mean that medical marijuana dispensaries are about to provide affordable medical marijuana? Not likely.
The State of Maine awarded 8 medical marijuana dispensaries in its first year, supposedly allocating one license per healthcare zone in the State of Maine. According to State officials and medical marijuana dispensary applications submitted in June, the dispensaries in Maine will be charging full market price averaging into the $400 per ounce range.
Patients must register with the State, provide their physician certification, and pay a fee in order to be allowed to buy medical marijuana from a dispensary. The dispensaries must provide to the State a monthly report about the patient's use, the total gross sales and other relevant information regarding the qualified patient's relationship with the dispensary. The dispensaries must form as a Non-Profit corporation, pay annual fees, and have their patient records available for audit in order to keep their licenses.
But not all patients are opting for that type of non-personal route.
"We really believe in making this a safe and confidential relationship and not one that is available for the public record." Said Derek Giusto, representative for the Compassionate Caregivers of Maine "While the dispensaries have to report a lot of sensitive information to the State, individual licensed Caregivers can provide a more confidential approach because they are not held to such standards."
Many patients are forgoing the dispensary route and opting for a Caregiver-Patient relationship, because of the one-on-one approach that ensures they are getting quality medical marijuana at affordable prices.
"Caregivers in the Compassionate Caregivers of Maine (CCM) network are offering prices closer to the $250 per ounce range because the majority of our clientele is on a fixed income and cannot be fairly charged full black market prices." said Giusto "A caregiver does not have the overhead that a dispensary will have and can price at a discount."

The Compassionate Caregivers of Maine are a Maine-based non-profit connecting qualified patients with State licensed caregivers to provide safe and affordable access. They have a web-site located at: www.MaineMedMarijuana.com