Here is further proof that once you set up legal, safe medicinal marijuana programs, citizens will in fact sign up!

In the past 16 days, almost 500 residents statewide have applied for Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Program.

According to the Michigan Department of Community Health, 483 people have applied for the program, however no cards have been issued thus far.

“(This) week we are going to issue our first set of licenses,” said MDCH Spokesman James McCurtis Jr. “And I don’t suspect we are going to have any problems.”

That’s almost 500 people in 16 days, standing up for their patient rights, and rights as any American should be afforded. The freedom to self medicate with a natural, safe, and effective form of organic medicine. Marijuana.

McCurtis said as of April 14, the number of applicants was 252, but there was a spike in applicants at the end of the week and the department has not run into any problems yet.

“We have all the information posted on the Web site telling people what to do, how to do it,” he said. “And basically if they follow those basic instructions then they shouldn’t have any problem either.”

According to MDCH’s Web site, michigan.gov/mmp, to register, all an applicant must do is complete the form and procedures on the MDCH’s Web site, have a physician certify them as a “qualifying patient” and pay an application fee of $100, or $25 if enrolled in a Medicaid health plan or receiving Supplemental Security Income.

Under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, a qualifying patient is “a person who has been diagnosed by a physician as having a debilitating medical condition.”

According to the act, MDCH has 15 days to verify the applicants’ information and if approved has five days to issue the identification card.

“I was expecting maybe we would hear some people receiving them today,” said attorney Matthew Abel on April 17, who is a criminal defense attorney for marijuana cases.

Abel said he spoke with a doctor who has written some recommendations for patients and MDCH had not contacted him to confirm his approval.

“They certainly have the right to contact the physicians, we thought they would be, but I don’t want to say anything negative,” the Central Michigan University alumnus said. “There’s no reason to expect they are dragging their feet, we just haven’t seen anything one way or the other.”

The problem is, as more and more states implement medical marijuana programs, it still leaves citizens in other states vulnerable for prosecution and/or jail time for using medical marijuana. We need a federal rescheduling of cannabis to protect all medical marijuana users in this country, not just a select few or those lucky enough to live in a state that can see past the War on Drugs.

We need a new way of thinking in this country in regards to medical marijuana. America accepts it, and welcomes it, it is time for law makers and police to step aside and allow patients access to this medicine. Medical grade cannabis.