Mike Cuthriell has navigated D.C. government regulations for
two-and-a-half years to open a medical marijuana dispensary and now only
needs a final inspection from the Department of Health before he can
officially open his Metropolitan Wellness Center. But the center won’t
be able to stay open unless the health department sanctions one more
thing: patients.
As of Thursday, 18 doctors had received
applications to allow them to recommend medical marijuana to qualified
patients, health department officials said. Forms that would allow
patients to apply for registration cards are supposed to be available by
mid-June, the agency said.
The status of the forms is a matter of dispute.
Mike
Liszewski, policy director of the D.C.-based nonprofit Americans for
Safe Access, which promotes safe and legal access to marijuana, said his
understanding was that the forms have not yet been created. But health
department spokeswoman Najma Roberts said the forms have been developed.
Even
if the health department does release patient forms later this month,
Mr. Cuthriell predicts that marijuana dispensaries may have to wait
additional weeks or months while patients complete a multi-step process
to request the form and apply for a registration card.
Mr.
Cuthriell said the financial effect of the delay is "a big question."
The Metropolitan Wellness Center at Eastern Market in Southeast and two
other dispensaries, the Takoma Wellness Center and Capital City Care,
both in Northwest, are paying for security systems, rent, staffing and
more so that if and when patients begin patronizing the dispensaries
they are ready to receive them.
A November 2010 fiscal impact
statement provided by the District’s chief financial officer estimated
that 800 patients would qualify and be registered to use medical
marijuana and that the number would increase 50 percent each year for
the first five years. Mr. Cuthriell and other dispensary owners used
this number to gauge the potential size of their market.
The
Metropolitan Wellness Center spends its time doing preparatory work,
"little things, but we’re not just sitting around," Vanessa West,
general manager, said.
"Because we haven’t had our final
inspection by DOH, we’re not exactly complaining yet," she said. "I’m
more disappointed because there are patients who have a qualifying
disease, but it’s taking forever for physicians to get recommendation
forms."
Asked
about the frustrations expressed as a result of the delays, Ms. Roberts
said three cultivation centers have been issued registrations and are
growing medical marijuana.
"It takes 90 days to grow the plant.
While the dispensaries are ready there is nothing to dispense until the
product is ready," Ms. Roberts said.
Patients eligible to use
medical marijuana include those with cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS and
conditions characterized by severe and persistent muscle spasms, such as
multiple sclerosis. Patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy or
patients using azidothymidine or protease inhibitors also qualify.
While
lobbying a section of the federal tax code that bars businesses selling
certain drugs
