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County's red tape ties up medical marijuana cards
02.24.07|San Luis Obispo Tribune|By Sarah Arnquist

The San Luis Obispo Department of Public Health will temporarily stop issuing medical marijuana identification cards beginning Wednesday until the county works out details of a state fee increase of almost an elevenfold increase.

State law requires the ID program be cost neutral. To cover program costs, the state plans to raise annual card fees to $142 from $13 beginning March 1.

The county also charges a $65 annual fee, bringing the total cost of the card to $207. People with Medi-Cal benefits will pay $103.50 for the card.

Until the Board of Supervisors approves the fee increase, the county must stop issuing the cards, said county Health Officer Greg Thomas.

A 2003 state law requires counties to issue cards to qualified medical marijuana patients and their primary caregivers. Their names then go into an online registry that law enforcement officers can use to verify an ID card’s validity.

In December, San Luis Obispo County became the 21st in California to issue the identification cards. Neighboring Santa Barbara and Kern counties already do.

Since the county began issuing the identification cards in mid-December, 26 people have applied for and received cards.

To qualify for a card, a person must live in San Luis Obispo County and have written documentation from a physician stating they have a serious medical condition and that medical use of marijuana is appropriate and recommended.

The county’s ID program limits the amount of marijuana a person can have at one time to 8 ounces, six mature plants or 12 immature plants.

San Luis Obispo County currently has one marijuana dispensary operating in Morro Bay.

Fine out more.

Information on the County of San Luis Obispo’s Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program is available at www.slocounty.ca.gov/health/publichealth. People can also call 781-4811 to get an application. Starting March 1, the cards will cost $103.50 for people with Medi-Cal benefits and $207 for everyone else.