Medical marijuana plan: good database, firm rules

Will Humble, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, discusses the process of developing rules for the medical marijuana system authorized by Proposition 203. (Cronkite News Service Photo by David Rookhuyzen)

By DAVID ROOKHUYZEN
Cronkite News Service

PHOENIX – Creating a computer infrastucture and developing firm, fair regulations are key to establishing a successful medical marijuana dispensary system in Arizona, the state’s top health official said Monday.

“If we make poor decisions now, people are going to be paying for it for a long time,” said Will Humble, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Under Proposition 203, which voters narrowly approved, Humble’s department is to establish and regulate a system that provides qualified patients access to marijuana.

Those who receive a doctor’s recommendation will be able to obtain up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana every two weeks from licensed dispensaries. If they live more than 25 miles from a dispensary, patients will be allowed to grow up to 12 marijuana plants.

Speaking at a news conference, Humble outlined his goals for the system.

They include a patient verification database that is accessible by law enforcement and dispensaries. Being able to track plants from cultivation onward is also a high priority, he said.

Humble estimates it will take $600,000 to $800,000 in staff time to set up the database, he said but costs will be covered eventually by application fees paid by dispensaries and patients.

“I don’t want the taxpayers of Arizona subsidizing this program in any way, shape or form,” he said.

Arizona is the 15th state to approve medical marijuana, and Humble said he has been in contact with health departments in other states to avoid any mistakes they made.

“I don’t want to learn those things first hand,” he said. “I don’t want to reinvent the wheel.”

Some issues facing the department include what qualification to set for the 124 potential dispensaries, whether patients can use marijuana in public and verifying doctor-patient relationships to limit abuse.

Under Proposition 203, the Department of Health Services has 120 days to set regulations, fees and application processes for patients, caregivers and dispensaries.

The public will have the opportunity to comment on first and second drafts of the regulations, Humble said.

The department should be ready to start accepting patient and dispensary applications on April 1, Humble said, but he expects it to take until summer 2011 to have the system running.

Timeline for regulations:
- November: Draft initial regulations based on research
- December: Publish first draft of regulations
- December/January: Receive informal public comments
- February: Publish final draft of regulations
- February/March: Public meetings on draft.
- March: Publish final set regulations.
- April: Accept initial applications.

POEM: My Little Doggie

MY LITTLE DOGGIE
By Bruce Wales
8-15-10

My little Doggie is upstairs in bed
Wincing and oozing from bruises and cuts
From thorns by their thousands that she ran through
To flee from the fus’llade of bullets that boomed
From the canyon we’d spied when looking to swim.

My little Doggie keeps licking her paws
Reddened and tender from merc’less terrain
Of splinters and shards of the rain-exposed rock
Endured up a mountainside - legs pounding down
Claws and pads sacrificed - must carry on.

My little Doggie will totter to stand
Muscles and tendons adren’linly stretched
From the ne’er-ending sprint up the vertical run
To climb, run and climb with crazed fear inside
Toward a valley somewhere to quiet her mind.

My little Doggie is haunted by dread
Of terrors and fears endured on the mount
In moonless blackness she shivered and shook
Each second- each second - clinging to life
Blindly awake through a forever night.

My little Doggie did not hear the man
From two campsites north with gun still in hand
When begged not to shoot in the campground again,
“Come morning, I’ll shoot in the canyon again.”
Half hour later he shot night time again!

My little Doggie was found earli’st morn
By me, disbelieving the eyes in my head
On top of the mountain, still never a bark
She circled the scrub slowly towards me, subdued.
We clung, cooed and cried, then, I carried her down.

My little Doggie was leashed in our camp
Unable to lie, she trembled, rump-tucked,
Whirling directions awaiting assault
While camping equipment was stowed in the car
T’scape from the terror that pervaded the place.

My little Doggie will carry deep fears-
A traumatized dog - each day of her years
My loathing’s as deep for the arrogant man
Who decides arbitrar’ly what to shoot, when,
His life, seems to me, less a creature of God, than
My little Doggie, a blameless good dog.

Medicare plans open enrollment begins Nov. 15

Beneficiaries encouraged to review coverage

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is encouraging all Medicare beneficiaries to take advantage of the annual Open Enrollment period to make sure they have the best coverage available to meet their health care needs in 2011.

The Medicare Open Enrollment Period this year begins on Nov. 15 and runs through Dec. 31. During the Open Enrollment period, current or newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries, including people with Original Medicare, can review current health and prescription drug coverage; compare health and drug plan options available in their area, and choose coverage that best meets their needs.

“There’s never been a better time for Medicare beneficiaries to check out their Medicare coverage,” said CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, M.D. “The new health care law provides additional benefits to people with Medicare, including lower prescription drug costs through a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs in the coverage gap, also referred to as the “donut hole,” wellness checkups, and no copayments for preventive care – a benefit that most Medicare Advantage plans also offer. By shopping for next year’s coverage now, people with Medicare may find even greater savings or better coverage than they are getting this year.”

“With better plan choices available for 2011, Medicare beneficiaries can think of Open Enrollment as their yearly coverage ‘check-up,’” Berwick said. “If they’ve had any changes in their health, Open Enrollment is the time to double-check coverage options and make good choices that meet individual needs.”

Resources for Medicare Beneficiaries
People with Medicare, their families and other trusted representatives can review and compare current plan coverage with new plan offerings, using many proven resources, including:

Visiting www.medicare.gov, where they can get a personalized comparison of costs and coverage of the plans available in their area. The popular Medicare Plan Finder and Medicare Options Compare tools have been enhanced for an efficient review of plan choices. Multilingual Open Enrollment information and counseling is available.

Calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for around-the-clock assistance to find out more about coverage options. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

Reviewing the 2011 Medicare & You handbook. It is also accessible at www.medicare gov and has been mailed to the homes of people with Medicare benefits.

Getting one-on-one counseling assistance from the local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Local SHIP contact information can be found:

At http://www.medicare.gov/contacts/organization-search-criteria.aspx or

On the back of the 2011 Medicare & You handbook or;

By calling Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY, 1-877-486-2048)

Through a listing of national stand-alone prescription drug plans and state specific fact sheets can be found at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/openenrollment.asp

Medicare beneficiaries who cannot meet the costs of prescription drugs may be eligible for additional resources. Based on eligibility for “extra help,” some people Medicare will pay no more than $2.50 for each generic drug and no more than $6.30 for each name brand drug. The program, called Medicare's Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition (NET) Program, can also help pay for premiums and other out-of-pocket costs.

There is no cost to apply for this extra help. Medicare beneficiaries, family members, trusted counselors or caregivers can apply online at www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778) to find out more.

Protecting Against Fraud and Identity Theft
The new health care law also provides better tools to help fight waste, fraud and abuse to help protect Medicare. CMS offers tips to help beneficiaries protect themselves against fraud and identity theft during the Open Enrollment period. Medicare recommends that people treat their Medicare number as they do their social security number and credit card information.

Beneficiaries should not give personal information to anyone arriving to their home uninvited or making unsolicited phone calls selling Medicare-related products or services. Beneficiaries who believe they are a victim of fraud or identity theft should contact 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY, 1-877-486-2048). More information is available at http://www.stopmedicarefraud.gov/.

More information is available at www.healthcare.gov, a new web portal from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Search and Rescue looking for overdue hiker

Operations are underway to locate a hiker missing for over a week.

On November 15, 2010, at approximately 2057 hours, Gila County Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting an overdue hiker. The hiker has not been heard from since Nov. 7 and frequents the Mazatzal Mountain Wilderness area. A Tonto Rim Search and Rescue coordinator was contacted, and they were able to locate the missing hiker’s vehicle at the Peeley Trailhead.

Search and rescue operations are currently underway. A Department of Public Safety Ranger helicopter is currently doing an aerial search of the area. Further information will be released as it becomes available.

Because this is an ongoing investigation, the overdue hiker’s name is presently not being released.

Local Democratic Club adjourns for the holidays

The Democratic Club of Northern Gila County will not be meeting during the months of November and December in order to spend holiday time with family and friends.

The regular meetings will once again be held beginning in January on the third Wednesday of each month at from 6:30 pm to about 8:30 pm at the Payson Public Library meeting room located at 328 North McLane Road.

For more information, call President Sylvia Freeman (468-1374) or Vice President Jerry Foster (978-4031).

New instructor offers kickboxing at GCC-Payson

GCC welcomes a new physical education teacher to the Payson campus.

Cassandra Stouder will be teaching Beginning Body Conditioning and Cardio Kickboxing during Spring semester.

You can register now for classes that begin Jan. 12. You may visit the campus at 201 N. Mud Springs Road, or go online at www.gilaccc.org

Basket weaver will address Payson Art League

Contributed photo

Bob Gleason will be presenting at the Payson Art Leagues November 16th monthly meeting. Gleason is a member of Basket Artisans of Arizona (BAA) group, the Pine Strawberry Arts & Crafts Guild and newest member of Down the Street Art Gallery. His baskets are a favorite for collectors as well as functional items for the home. Gleason has taught 2 local workshops. His easy going nature and friendly style adjusts well to varied student abilities.

Gleason states: “When I discovered weaving….or rather weaving found me….it began an expansive path of meditation and creativity. When I weave, the day’s problems, stresses and drama all disappear and the reed demands my here-and-now attention. I’m challenged, relaxed and freed.”

A few considerations Gleason uses for weaving:
Use of colors has no limits
Any “mistake” repeated more than three times is then called a “pattern”
Left-handed weavers (yes I’m left-handed) are better off designing their own baskets – its tough trying to read the right-handed basket patterns
Every basket is unique….just like us
Everything is temporary
Nothing is perfect….so relax
When all else fails, weave a basket…….Bob Gleason

http://www.bobsbasketcase.intuitwebsites.com/

Payson Art League meeting at Rim Country Health & Retirement Community, 807 W. Longhorn Road,. Social time and show & share session at 6 p.m.. Presentation at 7 p.m. The public is welcome.