FAQ: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:ABOUT THE UNION FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS (UMMP):  

1. What is the Union of Medical Marijuana Patients about?
2. How do I join the UMMP?
3. What are some of the new programs that the UMMP is working on?
4. I heard you sued the DEA. Is there any update on the case?

  PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OF THE UMMP:  

1. What is AgSite Secure™?
2. How will AgSite Secure™ benefit me as the owner/operator of collective/patient organization/association?
3. Can AgSite Secure™ help me as a patient?
4. How do I join up for AgSite Secure™?
5. What is Securi-Card™?

  LEGAL INFO:

1. Isn’t marijuana illegal?
2. What is the ICO?
3. What is the Compassionate Use Act/Proposition 215?
4. What is Senate Bill 420?
5. What other states have pro-medicinal marijuana legislation?

  PATIENT INFORMATION:  

1. Can I buy pot from you guys?
2. Where can I find a doctor’s office?
3. Can anyone get a medical marijuana card?
4. What’s the difference between collectives, patient organization, and associations?
5. Where can I find a collective/patient organization/association?
6. What if the police stop me and I have my medicinal marijuana on me?
7. I have a medical marijuana card and prescription. Can I smoke wherever I want?
8. Can I medicate while I’m driving or in my car even if I have my medical marijuana card?
9. Are there limitations to where I can medicate?  

PATIENT ORGANIZATIONS:  

1. I want to open a medical marijuana patient organization/association/collective in Los Angeles. What do I need to know?  

ACTIVISM:  

1. I would like to speak in front of LA City Council regarding medical marijuana. What should I know before going in?
2. I’d like to volunteer for the Union of Medical Marijuana Patients. What kind of qualifications must I have?

ABOUT THE UNION FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS (UMMP):  

1. What is the Union of Medical Marijuana Patients about?  

Union of Medical Marijuana Patients is a not-for-profit civil rights organization based in Los Angeles, California. Through aggressive legal and political action, education and counseling on compliance with state law, the Union is devoted to defending and asserting the rights of medical marijuana patients. With a philosophy of personal growth and responsibility, the Union supports patients, their member organizations, and the cause of freedom across our country.  

1. How do I help the UMMP?  

There are several ways you can help the Union of Medical Marijuana Patients. You can volunteer, donate, or join the Union.  Volunteering at the Union: As a volunteer, you can donate your time by helping the UMMP at our offices in Los Angeles. Our volunteers are the backbone of the Union and have helped with medical marijuana research, helping our legal team compile documents and information, going to City Council (on select days) to speak for the medical marijuana community, promotional literature distribution at events, educating the public about the Union, as well as general office duties.  For more information on how you can become a volunteer, you can contact the UMMP office at 213-626-2730.  Donate: If you do not have time to volunteer but would like to help the Union in other ways, you can feel free to donate to the Union. This non-tax deductible donation will go towards funding legal suits, promotional literature production, and educating the public about medical marijuana law reform. Please feel free to donate by clicking HERE.  

1. What are some of the new programs that the UMMP is working on?  

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   1. Currently, the UMMP is working on various programs with law enforcement, local governments, and the general public to help educate them on the benefits of medical marijuana and how they can positively affect their communities. The UMMP also works constructively with the medical marijuana community to comply with local and state laws.  

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   1. The UMMP is also working on implementing AgSite Secure™ and Securi-Card™ to help protect patient organizations and patients.  

1. I heard you sued the DEA. Is there any update on the case?  

Currently we are in mediation with the DEA and we’re working on a deal that is mutually beneficial to both parties.  PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OF THE UMMP:  

1. What is AgSite Secure™?  

AgSite Secure™ is a verification and legal protection service that verifies the amount of medical marijuana cultivated, transported and stored by legally qualified patients and their organizations with an unprecedented guarantee of full legal indemnification for any organization involved in litigation over verified sites.  AgSite Secure™ provides documentation and verification which shows that a cultivation site or patient organization is following the letter of the law.  

1. How will AgSite Secure™ benefit me as the owner/operator of collective/patient organization/association?  

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   1. The AgSite Secure™ comprehensive program offers full legal indemnity should your location be raided or harassed by law enforcement. It also provides up to date documentation designed to quickly resolve law enforcement encounters.  

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   1. All documents are guaranteed to be accurate and up to date and should there be any question of a location’s legitimacy, the U.M.M.P. provides a 24/7 toll free phone number to law enforcement for live verification of authorized legal aggregate limits to cultivate, possess, and transport medical marijuana per the Attorney-General’s guidelines.  

1. Can AgSite Secure™ help me as a patient?  

Yes, although indirectly. AgSite Secure™ helps patients by legally protecting their medicine which enables cultivators to provide medicine at lower costs. Individual patients would be better suited using Securi-Card™ (Release date TBA).  

1. How do I join AgSite Secure™?  

Feel free to set up an appointment with us. Contact the Union of Medical Marijuana Patients at 213-626-2730  

1. What is Securi-Card™? (Release date TBA)  

Securi-Card™ is an exclusive program developed by the UMMP that will give patients an identification card that they can show to law enforcement should it be necessary. It’s similar to AgSite Secure™ except that it’s a card for patients whereas AgSite Secure™ is for patient organizations.  LEGAL INFO:  

1. Isn’t marijuana illegal?  

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   1. In the state of California, it is legal to possess and consume marijuana strictly for medicinal purposes. With proper authorization and paperwork, it is also legal to grow medical marijuana for other patients. However, according to the Federal Government, the use, possession or distribution of marijuana is illegal.  

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   1. Federal law still categorizes marijuana as a Schedule I drug, with high potential for abuse and no proven medical value whatsoever.  Possession of over 1 kg of marijuana with no prior convictions carries a sentence of six to twelve months with a possibility of probation and alternative sentencing. Over 2.5 kg with no criminal record carries a sentence of at least six months in jail; with prior convictions, a sentence might be between two to three years in jail with no chance for probation. Ironically, the Federal Government also holds a patent for the medical efficacy of marijuana. How this will affect current medical marijuana legislation is still unknown.  

1. What is the ICO?  

The Medical Marijuana Interim Control Ordinance (ICO) is the City of Los Angeles’ temporary moratorium on new medical marijuana dispensaries. It became law on September 14, 2007 under Ordinance # 179027. Under the ICO, no new dispensaries are allowed to open in the City, and only previously existing dispensaries are allowed to operate. The previously existing dispensaries were required to register with the City Clerk before a deadline of 5 p.m. on November 13, 2007, by submitting copies of the dispensary’s City business tax registration certificate, State seller’s permit, business insurance, property lease, dispensary membership form and, if needed, County health permit. The ICO is intended to control the proliferation of dispensaries while the City develops permanent regulations for medical marijuana uses.  You can download the entire ICO HERE.  

1. What is the Compassionate Use Act/Proposition 215?  

The Compassionate Use Act (also called Proposition 215) allows patients with a valid doctor's recommendation, and the patient's designated Primary Caregivers, to possess and cultivate marijuana for the patients’ personal medical use, and has since been expanded to protect a growing system of collective and cooperative distribution through Senate Bill 420. To read the entire Compassionate Use Act/Proposition 215, please click HERE.  

1. What is Senate Bill 420?  

SB 420, which reflects a compromise between patients' advocates and law enforcement, includes controversial state guidelines regarding how much marijuana patients may grow and possess without being subject to arrest. It also requires counties to implement a voluntary patient identification card system and other provisions to protect patients and their caregivers from arrest. The guidelines allow patients up to 6 mature or 12 immature plants and up to one-half pound of dried, processed marijuana. Patient advocates had pushed for more liberal guidelines, such as those adopted by Sonoma County, which allow up to 99 plants in a 100-square-foot (9.3 m²) growing area plus 3 pounds of marijuana. (Ref: http://www.canorml.org/laws/sb420.html) The final guidelines were decided in a last-minute legislative deal by Attorney General Lockyer and Sen. Vasconcellos in order to get the bill passed.  To view the text from Senate Bill 420, please click HERE.  

1. What other states have pro-medicinal marijuana legislation?  

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   1. The only states so far with medical marijuana legislation are: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington  

PATIENT INFORMATION*:*The Union of Medical Marijuana Patients is not responsible for any unfortunate or illegal activity that might take place at any medical cannabis doctor’s office, medical cannabis dispensary, collective or co-operative. The links provided below are simply a directory and have no connection with the Union of Medical Marijuana Patients other than being a resource to patients.  

1. Can I buy pot from you guys?  

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   1. The Union of Medical Marijuana Patients is NOT a patient organization or collective nor are we a dealer of marijuana. The UMMP is an organization dedicated to outreach, education, activism and awareness of medicinal marijuana laws and policies for the well being of the patient.  

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   1. If you are a qualifying patient with a legal medical marijuana card, we can refer you to a patient organization that can help out. However, if you’re looking for marijuana for recreational purposes, we do not condone or support that activity.  

1. Where can I find a doctor’s office?  

Medical marijuana is an alternative therapy for people who have tried other medications and therapies that have not worked for them. It is not meant as a cure but simply as a way to provide relief for people who are suffering from ailments ranging from glaucoma, AIDS/HIV and cancer to social diseases like depression, anxiety, and bi-polar disorder.  Medical marijuana does not attack the root causes of these ailments but can provide significant relief for many symptoms. It is advisable that patients work with their physicians to explore other treatment options/restorative programs pertaining to their specific ailment(s).  To find a competent doctor in your area, please go to www.usenaturesmedicine.com or http://www.mccdirectory.org/ .  

1. Can anyone get a medical marijuana recommendation?  

No, you must go to a doctor who must evaluate your symptoms and ailments. If you do not meet the requirements and criteria, you will not be eligible for a medical marijuana recommendation. To find a competent doctor in your area, please go to www.usenaturesmedicine.com or http://www.mccdirectory.org/  

1. What’s the difference between medical cannabis collective, dispensary and co-operative?  

A collective is an organization that facilitates the collaborative efforts of patients and care giver members including the allocation of costs and revenues.  A dispensary engages in storefront over-the-counter transactions. Medical cannabis dispensaries are considered illegal in the state of California even when transactions are between patients and/or caregivers.  A co-operative is a form of corporation that conducts its business for the mutual benefit of its members. They are democratically controlled and not organized to make a profit for themselves or their members.  

1. Where can I find a collective/patient organization/association or doctor’s office? Is there a directory?  

Yes. You can go to: http://legalmarijuanadispensary.com, put in your zip code and it will show you all the dispensaries in your area. However, locations open and close all the time so please be sure to contact them to make sure they’re still open.  

1. What if the police stop me and I have my medicinal marijuana on me?  

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   1. You are only protected under the law if you have a valid doctor’s recommendation for medicinal marijuana. Make sure you have your doctor’s recommendation on your person anytime you’re in possession of medical marijuana. An oral recommendation is defensible in court; however a written recommendation is preferred.  

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   1. You should expect the officer(s) to want to verify the doctor’s recommendation to make sure it is legitimate. If the officer decides to verify your doctor’s recommendation, always make sure there is an easy way to legitimize your medication through your doctor’s office. Or you can contact a third-party verification like the Union for Medical Marijuana Patients. Legally, the officer is in his rights to detain you if he/she feels that the recommendation was obtained illegally.  

1. I currently have a medical marijuana recommendation. Can I smoke wherever I want?  

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   1. No. You must smoke in either designated medical marijuana areas (vapor lounges, etc) or in your private residence. National beaches and parks, such as Yosemite, Point Reyes, Sequoia National Park, Ocean Beach and the Channel Islands Beaches, etc. are all considered federal property, despite the fact that these areas are within the physical boundaries of the state of California.  

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   1. Federal properties are patrolled by government agents that can and will cite anyone for possession and use of marijuana.  This means that even if you are a valid California patient with an up-to-date recommendation from your doctor, law enforcement can confiscate your medicine, fine and/or arrest you.  

1. Can I medicate while I’m driving or in my car even if I have my medical marijuana card?  

1.  
   1. PATIENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO MEDICATE WHILE IN A MOVING VEHICLE  

Even with a valid medical marijuana recommendation, law enforcement officers are still able to cite patients for driving under the influence if they find evidence that the patient was medicating in the vehicle, or medicated recently enough that they were still feeling the effects.

If a law enforcement officer asks you when you last medicated, you do not have to answer.  It is up to the officer’s own judgment whether or not you were “under the influence” at the time of the incident.  Kindly inform the officer that you only have discussions about your medical history with your physician.

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   1. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issued a new policy on March 2, 2009 with regard to how it treats qualified medical marijuana patients. This policy change is the result of a lawsuit filed on November 19, 2008 by Americans for Safe Access (ASA).  The DMV Driver Safety Procedure Manual was revised to include reference to medical marijuana, stating that "use of medicinal marijuana approved by a physician should be handled in the same manner as any other prescription medication which may affect safe driving."  The manual states that the existence of medical marijuana use "does not, in itself, constitute grounds for a license withdrawal action."  However, the policy change does not alter the fact that you cannot medicate while in a moving vehicle, driver or passenger(s).  

1. Are there any limitations on where I can medicate?  

1.  
   1. In a private residence
   2. In designated smoking areas (at your own risk – law enforcement intervention is possible)
   3. In vapor lounges or vapor bars (at your own risk – lounge or bar must comply with local and state ordinances)  

PATIENT ORGANIZATIONS:  

1. I want to open a medical marijuana patient organization/association/collective in the city of Los Angeles. What do I need to know?  

Los Angeles City council is determining regulations for its citizens right now.  It is not recommended that anyone try to establish a retail location for their patient association at this time.  There are however other municipalities that may be more suitable for retail locations.ACTIVISM:  

1. I would like to speak in front of LA City Council regarding medical marijuana. What should I know before going in?  

Please feel free to read over the Speaking at City Council Rules and Speaking Points For LA City Council which is located HERE. The Union of Medical Marijuana Patients will also be leading groups of activists to LA City Hall to speak on behalf of medical marijuana every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday morning or during important topic debates. Please check our schedule of events for more information or contact the Union for more details. PLEASE DO NOT SHOW UP UNSOLICITED.  

1. I’d like to volunteer for the Union of Medical Marijuana Patients. What kind of qualifications must I have?  

The Union of Medical Marijuana Patients is always looking for dedicated volunteers to help in our mission of educating the masses about medical marijuana through awareness, compassion and activism. Feel free to call the UMMP offices at 213-626-2730 and we’ll give you information about volunteering.