Arizona Department of Health Services Approves 68 Percent of Medical Marijuana Applications on Day One
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| hempbeach.com |
Thursday was the first day for hopeful medical-marijuana patients to apply for their voter-mandated medicine, and spokeswoman Laura Oxley tells New Times that the Arizona Department of Health Services approved 44 out of the 65 applications processed by 3 p.m.
The department had 110 applications for medical pot by the end of the day, but officials don't yet know exactly how many of those were approved, Oxley says.
The ADHS has the ability to process 500 applications for medical marijuana every day, so you're running out of excuses if you're a marijuana smoker.
"Workers came in at 8 a.m. to 99 applications pending, which were cleared in 90 minutes," Oxley says. "They're champing at the bit to process those applications."
The most-approved ailment as of yet is chronic pain -- cited by 37 of the applicants through mid-afternoon Thursday.
Other cited conditions from day one include cancer, HIV, glaucoma, and seizures.
To apply for medical marijuana, patients need a written certification from a licensed Arizona physician; then they must fill out the electronic form at the ADHS website and wait for approval.
Check out our handy guide to Arizona's medical marijuana law here.
The department says the reasons varied as to why the 21 applications were denied Thursday, including not attaching a photo of themselves or not listing their medical condition -- but those people can still reapply.
Applications for marijuana dispensaries won't be accepted until June.
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