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PR-1/3/2006: County Accepting Applications for Medical Marijuana ID Cards

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 3, 2006 San Mateo County Health Department Contact: Vital Statistics, (650) 573-2395 SAN MATEO COUNTY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA ID CARDS SAN MATEO, CA--The San Mateo County Health Department began accepting applications from patients for medical marijuana identification cards today. The Medical Marijuana Identification Card (MMIC) Program was designed to provide patients with an identification card that could be used as evidence that they had received a recommendation from their physician to use marijuana for medicinal purposes. The card can assist law enforcement officials in determining whether an individual using marijuana meets the requirements of the Compassionate Use Act, which states that with the recommendation of a physician, a seriously ill patient may obtain and use marijuana for personal medical purposes. To receive a card, applicants must reside in San Mateo County and provide the following current documentation with the application: A note, from a physician currently licensed and in good standing in the State of California, prescribing the use of medical marijuana for an existing health condition. Proof of identity. This can be a California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) driver's license or identification (ID) card or other government-issued photo ID card. Proof of residency which can be: Rent or mortgage receipt. Utility bill. California DMV motor vehicle registration. Applicants must apply in person to Public Health Vital Statistics located at 225 37th Avenue in San Mateo. Business hours are from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. On Thursday, hours are from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. There each applicant will be asked to: Pay a non-refundable $45 fee. Medi-Cal beneficiaries will receive a 50 percent reduction in the application fee. Have a photo taken. This photo will appear on the MMIC. After the application form and required documents have been submitted, the County has 30 days to approve or deny the application. Once approved, the application is sent to the California Department of Health Services (CDHS), and the state has five days to make the MMIC available. The County will notify the applicant when the card is ready, and the applicant must come to the Office of Vital Statistics to pick it up. The MMIC is valid for one year, and the program is confidential. MMIC forms and other information about the medical marijuana program can be found on the CDHS Web site at http://www.dhs.ca.gov/mmp. CDHS manages the state's Medical Marijuana Program (MMP). The CDHS MMP issues medical marijuana identification cards and operates the Internet system to verify the ID cards. ###