In the draft DPH marijuana regulations a “verified financial hardship” definition includes any individual on MassHealth, or Supplemental Security Income, or with an income not exceeding 133% of federal poverty level.
This group, with a willing doctor’s signature on a marijuana recommendation, and a note saying they cannot find their own way to a “Medical Marijuana Treatment Center” can get a registration to grow marijuana at home or have a “caregiver” grow it for them.
The standards for home cultivation have been developed by the marijuana industry’s “best practices”. Yes, that’s right. The marijuana industry is now setting the standards for the government for homegrown marijuana.
105 CMR 725.03: Hardship Cultivation Registration:
I) A registered qualifying patient cultivating marijuana pursuant to a hardship cultivation registration shall adhere to “industry best practices in the cultivation of marijuana plants” and storage of finished product, and any [unspecified] standards specified by the Department.
And the DPH “may” inspect the “cultivation site”, but they are not required to.
With thousands of potential low income homegrows, how will this drug distribution ever be adequately regulated. The law and the regulations have been written to create an unregulatable drug production a consumption scenario.
The hardship cultivation must be much more strictly defined so as to limit non-inspected grow sites.