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06-02-2005, 06:07 PM

Medical marijuana provides Oregon with badly needed cash

June 2, 2005

SALEM, Ore. -- Oregon lawmakers have discovered an unexpected source of revenue -- medical marijuana.

When Oregon began its medical marijuana program six years ago, officials didn't expect it to grow so fast. Now, there are more than 10,400 registered patients who have produced a surplus of $1.1 million.

Hungry to balance Oregon's lopsided budget, House legislators voted 49-10 last week to siphon $900,000 of that money to pay for other Human Services' needs. The bill now moves to the Senate.

Barry Kast, the agency's assistant director for health services, said the department was left with no choice after ''three years of cuts, cuts, cuts.''

But backers of medical marijuana say that the surplus should be poured back into the program, not Human Services.

''If any of this money came from the general fund, I'd agree that some of it should be transferred back. But the medical marijuana program never cost the taxpayer a dime,'' said Dr. Rick Bayer, a physician who was the chief petitioner of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, which passed in 1998.

AP
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So the state made almost a million dollars off their medical marijuana program? Heck, maybe more states will catch wind of this and realize it's time to legalize!!

pistillwhipped · 06-02-2005, 07:29 PM

We (OMMA patients) had a small group of medical patients at the capitol who were allowed to deliver a mock check to the "powers that be" with news crew in tow. There may be some video available somewhere.....I'll go look.

06-02-2005, 09:35 PM

Bout time some 1 figured out that med mj could prob solve the nathional budget problem !

06-03-2005, 04:09 AM

Now, what if 33 had passed...??

wikidcalibudgrl · 06-03-2005, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSkunkyDemon

Bout time some 1 figured out that med mj could prob solve the nathional budget problem !

Boy you aint kiddin huh Skunky! Shit we all been "generating revenue" b4 they knew it, or actually thought of counting the "profit" from it( wow!! $1.1 million from 10,400 OMMA patients) .... Shoot, we all buy lights, movers, nutes, parts,reflectives, dirt, ph this, TDS that, this , that & the all the others, all the while paying taxes on it all.. i bet they don't even count all that though,,

Well maybe it'll get out that it aint so bad after all huh? Go Oregon. (i was born there :wink: )
An i think it isn't totally a bad thing that they devirting that money to Human Services,,, Lord only knows how much humans need services

TheSpruceDeuce · 06-10-2005, 09:54 PM

it sucks that they "redirected" funds like that, but maybe next time they check there will be 20k patients and the surplus will grow to like 4 mill. fuck it, let them 'redirect' it and maybe it will gain some nat'l attention...maybe someone who knows more about it could drop a line to cnn or fox thru email and call some attention to it.

06-11-2005, 08:16 PM

and to make it worse not only did they redirect funds, but they have now STOPPED issueing med cards until futher notice, this statement came Monday after the high court ruling, just was funny that it was less then a week after they took the money.

TheSpruceDeuce · 06-11-2005, 10:38 PM

figures.

06-02-2005, 06:07 PM	#1
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Medical marijuana provides Oregon with badly needed cash Medical marijuana provides Oregon with badly needed cash June 2, 2005 SALEM, Ore. -- Oregon lawmakers have discovered an unexpected source of revenue -- medical marijuana. When Oregon began its medical marijuana program six years ago, officials didn't expect it to grow so fast. Now, there are more than 10,400 registered patients who have produced a surplus of $1.1 million. Hungry to balance Oregon's lopsided budget, House legislators voted 49-10 last week to siphon $900,000 of that money to pay for other Human Services' needs. The bill now moves to the Senate. Barry Kast, the agency's assistant director for health services, said the department was left with no choice after ''three years of cuts, cuts, cuts.'' But backers of medical marijuana say that the surplus should be poured back into the program, not Human Services. ''If any of this money came from the general fund, I'd agree that some of it should be transferred back. But the medical marijuana program never cost the taxpayer a dime,'' said Dr. Rick Bayer, a physician who was the chief petitioner of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, which passed in 1998. AP ------ So the state made almost a million dollars off their medical marijuana program? Heck, maybe more states will catch wind of this and realize it's time to legalize!!
	Quote

06-02-2005, 07:29 PM	#2
pistillwhipped Banned Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: In my happy place Posts: 501	We (OMMA patients) had a small group of medical patients at the capitol who were allowed to deliver a mock check to the "powers that be" with news crew in tow. There may be some video available somewhere.....I'll go look.
	Quote

06-02-2005, 09:35 PM	#3
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Bout time some 1 figured out that med mj could prob solve the nathional budget problem !
	Quote

06-03-2005, 04:09 AM	#4
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Now, what if 33 had passed...??
	Quote

06-10-2005, 09:54 PM	#6
TheSpruceDeuce Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 49	it sucks that they "redirected" funds like that, but maybe next time they check there will be 20k patients and the surplus will grow to like 4 mill. fuck it, let them 'redirect' it and maybe it will gain some nat'l attention...maybe someone who knows more about it could drop a line to cnn or fox thru email and call some attention to it.
	Quote

06-11-2005, 08:16 PM	#7
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	and to make it worse not only did they redirect funds, but they have now STOPPED issueing med cards until futher notice, this statement came Monday after the high court ruling, just was funny that it was less then a week after they took the money.
	Quote

06-11-2005, 10:38 PM	#8
TheSpruceDeuce Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 49	figures.
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