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Lit_Match

What's The Standard Dosage for Pot?
Washington state allows a 60-day supply of medical marijuana. Now the Legislature wants to know how much that is. Any ideas?
09-22-07|Los Angeles Times|By Lynn Marshall

Patients using marijuana for ailments ranging from chronic back pain to cancer are allowed by Washington state law to possess a two-month supply of the drug. But medical marijuana doesn't come with a standard dose or even a standard method of taking the drug.

The 1998 law has never spelled out how much usable pot nor how many plants make up a 60-day supply.

Now the Legislature has demanded an answer to the question by July, and the state is holding hearings to ask experts and citizens for their opinions on how to determine a two-month supply.

"There is so much you will have to take into account," says Joanna McKee, founder of Seattle's Green Cross Patient Co-op. "What about people who eat it? How different is the amount they need from people who smoke it?"

McKee was one of many who spoke at a state health department public meeting this month in Seattle. More than 100 people attended, and about 45 people spoke. Another meeting in Spokane drew similar numbers.

Most people at the meetings were clearly medical marijuana advocates. So are most who have posted comments on a Washington Department of Health website, but a few have written to express dismay at any use of marijuana. "It is a waste of our time and resources to address this non-issue," reads one such comment.

But the issue is crucial for patients who use medical marijuana.

"What has ended up happening is that in each county, law enforcement effectively decides what constitutes a 60-day supply," says attorney Alison Holcomb, Marijuana Education Project director for the state ACLU. "And in some counties, that amount has been set at zero."

Of the 12 states that protect medical marijuana patients from state prosecution, Washington is the only one without clear guidelines on the amount a patient or designated caregiver is allowed to possess.

Those amounts are different in almost every other state. Oregon allows the largest supply -- 24 ounces or six mature plants -- and several states only allow patients to have one ounce of usable marijuana on hand. In California, state law sets a limit of 8 ounces or six mature plants, but cities and counties are free to establish higher guidelines.

Dr. Gregory T. Carter, a professor of rehabilitative medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine who studies the effects of marijuana in treating patients with ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, says that all of these codified limits may be too low.

"There are so many variables here. Even if you just look at smokers, you have to look not only at the quality of the pot, but also at the efficiency of the smoker," he says. "Some people are better smokers than others."

Carter and several colleagues studied the dose amounts used on a federal study of medical marijuana, which has been in progress for more than 30 years. Based on this, he says that a 60-day supply works out to nearly 4 1/2 pounds per patient -- far more than the amount allowed by any state.

And, he says, "that's probably a pretty conservative estimate."

Tom McBride, executive secretary of the Washington Assn. of Prosecuting Attorneys, welcomes the change in the law. "It doesn't make sense for a judge or prosecutor to have to determine how much a sick person needs -- that's a medical decision, and I've always felt it should be made by a doctor."

McBride says he isn't worried about a high limit shielding recreational pot dealers.

"Under Washington law," he says, "group growing and distribution isn't legal, and codifying a 60-day supply won't change that."

Many advocates hope the state will ultimately allow patient co-ops to grow and distribute medical pot, as is the case in some parts of California. But no one expects that to happen here any time soon.

Bruce Mirken is director of communications at the Marijuana Policy Project, a national nonprofit group that works for both medical and recreational marijuana policy reform. He worries that Washington's new definition will be set too low, but at the same time emphasizes that safe access remains the larger issue for all medical marijuana patients.

"It's going to remain a problem, as long as the federal government remains hostile to medical marijuana," he says.

That worry was reflected in many of the comments offered at the Seattle meeting.

Caroline Welch, 47, was one of the first to tell her story. Diagnosed with stage-three ovarian cancer earlier this summer, Welch attributes much of her ability to withstand her treatment to medical marijuana.

"There were people producing it for me before I knew I'd even need it," she says. "It would have taken me till next summer to cultivate the plants, get the knowledge base. There is no way that I could have done it."

McKee, of the Seattle patient co-op, said she had worked with thousands of medical marijuana patients over the years. "I have never seen anyone with a 60-day supply. I have seen people with a few ounces, a few plants," she said.

Public comments on the issue will be accepted until the end of the year, and in early 2008, the department of health will publish a proposed rule. The final rule must be in place by July, which is also the deadline for the health department to report back to the Legislature on the issue of safe access to medical marijuana.

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ALLDAYEVERYDAYNOTCARING

if i was terminally ill i'd want like 600 pounds as soon as i found out, then i'd smoke until i died

dinkydew1

Kudo`s go out to Seattle for it`s compassionate direction regarding cannabis and it`s medical uses.The future holds alot of hope for it`s users.

Pompo

These types of posts (second one I've come across) add nothing to the discussion of the topic. IMO, you make jest of MM users and their afflictions, not cool Constructive discussion is always appreciated !!!!

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kcbennie

Take it easy, man. I think the guy was just posting his opinion. I really don't think that any harm was intended

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"My friend said 'Man, the weather is really trippy' and I said 'The weather's not trippy. It's just the way that you perceive the weather that is in fact trippy.' And then I though to myself 'I should've just said 'Yeah.''"

- Mitch Hedburg

 

Pompo

I am taking it easy. As a matter of fact, I'm getting ready to kick back , watch a ball game and grub
The fact is, his comment has very little to do with the dosing of pot for MM patients. He simply made a crack about wanting 600lb of weed if he was terminal so he could smoke it till he died.

SirSmokaALot

I think it's very wrong for them to be actually discussing this such matter because the dosage of marijuana varies on how people's body react to it, how often you smoke, how much you smoke at once, and finally your tolerance level. I also know this for a fact that they have to make a individual system where it depends on how patient's body react to marijuana and patient's tolerance obviously. I consider marijuana to be the only drug that cannot have the system such as "one size fit all".

Edit: The tolerance is what affects how marijuana work the most because the higher your tolerance is, and that mean you're gonna need more of that stuff to get to that state of mind to numb whatever bothering that patient.

If any of you don't understand what I'm saying... please quote me and correct me =D so i can get better

reggie_the_dog

I do not think there should be ANY limit on how much cannabis adults can have. Sick or not we should be able to grow or buy as much as we want, a garage full if we so choose.

kcbennie

Man, me too. It's 10 am, my daughter's sleeping, and my buddy just hooked me up with 3 quarter bags of excellent mids. I'm vaped out of my mind for the first time since last Thursday. Here's to a great day. I hope you have one too.

Pompo

First off, if you didn't leave it laying around on the floor to get stepped on, you wouldn't have this problem

Which gives me just as much right to express my opinion as you.

That wasn't even closed to heated Believe me when I say, you'll know when I get heated And yes!!

You couldn't be more wrong. There are countless afflictions for which people are prescribed MM that are not terminal. That is what the whole debate about dosing of MM is about. You would know this if you took the issue seriously.

That isn't the mindset of those who take the subject seriously. There's plenty of forums for nonsense, fun and games. The news forums aren't one of them!!

Well, I guess you told me I can see you sitting there at your computer when you first seen my reply. Oh yeh, groan me will you Pompo, well I'll groan you back twice, take that. Now let's get back to the topic at hand, shall we