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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Victoria Jauregui Burns¹, Nadine Mason, MPA¹, Susan Mackintosh, DO, Michael Osur, MBA, Wendy Betancourt, MPH⁴, and Gina Fabricante¹. (1) HIV/AIDS Branch, Riverside County Department of Public Health, 6370 Magnolia, Suite 200, Riverside, CA 92506, 951-358-5307, vjauregu@co.riverside.ca.us, (2) Epidemiology and Program Evaluation Branch, Riverside County Department of Public Health, 4065 County Circle Drive, Riverside, CA 92503

In 1996, California voters passed the Compassionate Use Act which allowed for the medicinal use of marijuana and subsequent enactment of California Health and Safety Code Sections 11362.7-11362.83 and Code of Regulations Sections 39001-39009 which required California Department of Health Services (CADHS) to establish and maintain a statewide medical marijuana identification card and registry program for qualified patients and their caregivers. Each local health jurisdiction within California is responsible for implementing and managing the identification card program for its residents. This presentation will discuss the steps and challenges Riverside County Department of Public Health (RCDOPH) encountered in the establishment of the Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program (MMICP). RCDOPH organized and conducted meetings with advocates, the District Attorney's Office, County Counsel, Department of Social Services, law enforcement agencies, and the Riverside County Medical Association. RCDOPH received surprising support and recommendation for the MMICP from the Sheriff's Office. Challenges included US Supreme Court rulings on medical marijuana, physicians hesitant to prescribe it, and fear of prosecution by users. The Board of Supervisors established the MMICP based on recommendations from the County Counsel and RCDOPH. Riverside County received national media attention when it became the first jurisdiction in Southern California to establish a MMICP on December 1, 2005. Ongoing challenges include pending lawsuits from surrounding counties against the State of California for requiring the establishment of the program and the trepidation of potential card holders on information collected at registration with the fear that local and federal law enforcement can access it.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, the participant in this session will be able to

• Identify the steps taken to establish a medical marijuana identification card program (MMICP).
• Discuss barriers encountered during the establishment of the Riverside County MMICP.
• Describe ongoing challenges faced by clients of the Riverside County MMICP.

Keywords: Health Care Politics, Marijuana

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered