Now a caregiver

Finally they arrived , just when I was starting to sweat that something had gone wrong . I paid my fees and made sure Id pass the background check before sending in the money but 3 weeks later I got my caregiver cards from our great state of Maine. For me this is a long hard fought journey from growing many many gorilla plots illegally (and getting busted) to growing my own meds to now growing for others. Its a journey I only hope Im ready to take but I am about to dive in full force. I started with 2 patients which allows me 12 plants for them and my own 6 from what I am told (if someone knows for sure on this by all means chime in) . I am allowed up to 5 patients but I really only have room for what I got now. I am planning to invest a lot in just a few months and will add more as I go. Maybe this is a mid life thing but I totally feel happier knowing that I can be proud of my work and share with others . I am hoping that this will become my work in the near future . So anyway I had to let this out of my head or it was gonna explode haha . But for now Im Growing my six flowering and a bunch of cuts that are just rooting . I have a lot of physical work to do for upgrades but Its an adventure im undertaking willingly .
peace
Mutt

Never knew any Dept. of Health or MMJ entity that comes by and counts your plants. As long as you don't have a barn full, who is going to know?

When I had MMJ license early on with particular state first adopting MMJ laws (2008), I grew more than recommended.

right on

right on

I don't pay attention to limits but try and stay under fed mandatory min when possible...yeehaw..I get 24 here in sd ...ha ha thats funny...I can have 48 and stay withing the city laws but fuck them;;I could be a caregiver for a bunch of people if I wanted...san diego has a market tho and its not a sale its a donation lol...freaking dispensaries and delivery services everywhere...my heart is in maine but my body prefers california

When you are a caregiver and your patients depend on you for their medicine and therefore by default their physical/mental well-being...you DO NOT go above your plant count and put their health at risk.

A true medical caregiver does not take such risks - only greedy capitalists on wall street take such liberties with others lives.

------------

When I was a caregiver, I found it made a lot of people really expectant and jealous. If people know you grow they expect you to be two things...lazy and rich...REGARDLESS of how many years they may have been shown differently about your character.

I learned very quickly to keep my patients only to people that were close to me and were willing to fill out essential paper work that defined the entire context (expectations and responsibilities) of the caregiver/patient relationship. A contract, a non-disclosure agreement, and an end-user license agreement.

This helps protect the caregiver and the patient in many ways. If the caregiver doesn't meet the amounts promised to provide they are liable, but in turn if a patient fails to honor their end, their is a means of ending service. (contract) If the patient is around the garden and learns any trade secrets, they are not allowing to discuss them. (NDA) If a patient is selling their medicine or engaging in activity that breaks the law and thus places a caregiver at risk, indirectly placing other patients at risk, as well the business reputation, there is a defined expectation of use. (EULA)


I know too many people who jump into the caregiver ring - which is essentially outing yourself as a grower not only to patients in need, but also law enforcement and criminals.

Congrats StinkyMutt - but it's a huge responsibility at the end of the day. Good luck on your journey!



dank.Frank

Congrats Stinky! Its one of the best feelings in the world to receive a smile from a patient who is in need. "Keep on keeping on, lifes a garden dig it" -JD-

Glad to see your doing well too its only going to get better from here.

JV

Being a caregiver to me means you are guaranteeing to provide for a patient. As sometimes "shit happens". having extra plants is a good idea.

Try to stay under 1000 and you will be good.

Congratulations!

Gonna have to go ahead and disagree completely with DF. Any man or women, or other who chooses to grow plants for their financial benefit should never be looked down upon or ridiculed in any sort of way, at least not solely for the fact they are growing more plants than the man says they can... The fact it's illegal and a patient might be left without is a bad side effect of prohibition, can't blame the grower. Imagine if people were restricted to their total tomato or Hops or even tobacco crop. That idea sounds crazy doesn't it?

Many people still have to grow completely illegally and don't have the privileges of medical or now legal grows.

I'm not looking down on commercial growers in any capacity...not at all. I never even addressed the matter of profit or costs.

I didn't say being a medical grower means it should be done for free.
I didn't address the aspect that his chosen patients may not even be terminal type cases.
I have nothing wrong with recreational consumption and using the medical frame work to get around laws, although, I think my definition of "medical use" is probably much more broad than would be implied without defining briefly.

If a house wife can be given a prescription for valium to alleviate the everyday stresses of life that have accumulated and that is called medicine, then I see zero reason why someone can not and should not be able to smoke a plant to feel better, as a means of valid medical treatment. From that perspective, nearly everyone is a medical user.

That aside, there is a certainly responsibility that comes with being a medical grower for patients that are truly in need, that if growing for the greater good, it is only right and proper to grow within the limited confines of the law, out of sincere concern for the well being of the individuals one has committed to.

That doesn't make the laws reasonable or just - but there is a TRUE NEED for people willing to grow for severe medical situations...which usually means near or at cost of production as that populace of society is typically financially destitute as it is. To return to someone a true quality of life and to watch a human being gain aspects of personal freedom they had once thought forever lost...simply by consuming a plant, is a unique perspective that every cannabis grower should experience at least once in their journey.

I suppose, it ultimately depends on what segment of the "industry" one intends to serve, as to how willing one should be to take inherent risks. I'd almost wonder though, what is the point of outing oneself to state records as being a grower, if you are going to default to a grow operation that still allows for the possibility of incarceration; would it not be better (meaning more safe) to stay 100% off the radar completely, and then, if ever caught, use an affirmative defense and attempt to have the law retroactively applied to your situation? Otherwise, why even register for medical if not going to honor the restraints. Just keep doing what your doing and stay out of state records associated with cannabis.

Anyway...irrelevant. I don't demonize for profit growing. It's one of the beauties of growing. Prohibition has created a gold tree. Nothing wrong with being a miner. It's an honest living.



dank.Frank

Staying legal

Staying legal

Yes I have to stay legal but I have good reasons . I was caught growing illegally about 3 yrs ago. I dont have the liberty of messing this up . But I understand what DF means as well . I was told by my doc that she could fill me with patients in need of a " consistent " caregiver . She said thats the biggest complaint she hears and its do to not having product too bad quality . And nope I never look down on someone making a living out of growing good weed . For now Im limiting myself to baby steps . Just got my new security cameras up last week . Have electrician coming tomorrow and then Home depot is gonna be my pal for some building supplies to subfloor and divide rooms up . I have CDD , LOg , and GG4 atm but have one potential person asking for a cbd strain so the search is on again.
peace guys

Med Tree Seeds for amazing cutting edge CBD lines. Check the San Diego's Finest threads here on IC.

A problem I ran into with patients is people letting your grow "their" plants (MI law) and then trying to change caregivers / drop you as their caregiver a few days before harvest and demanding their plants at the threat of involving LEO. Yeah...really.

Having a minimum 1 year contract length if they sign you as their caregiver helps avoid this and lets you know how serious the patient is about having a consistent supply of meds. It also allows you to make a proper business plan based on known plant numbers and estimated yield projections. A well designed contract protects the interests of both parties and ensures those hiding or masking ulterior motives for seeking your services are generally...weeded out... as potential clients.



dank.Frank

dank.frank said:

Med Tree Seeds for amazing cutting edge CBD lines. Check the San Diego's Finest threads here on IC.

A problem I ran into with patients is people letting your grow "their" plants (MI law) and then trying to change caregivers / drop you as their caregiver a few days before harvest and demanding their plants at the threat of involving LEO. Yeah...really.

Having a minimum 1 year contract length if they sign you as their caregiver helps avoid this and lets you know how serious the patient is about having a consistent supply of meds. It also allows you to make a proper business plan based on known plant numbers and estimated yield projections. A well designed contract protects the interests of both parties and ensures those hiding or masking ulterior motives for seeking your services are generally...weeded out... as potential clients.



dank.Frank

Click to expand...

That is fucked. I can't believe some people would do that.