Although the efficacy and safety of marijuana for medical purpose remains a subject of debate, 23 states in the U.S. have so far approved the use of marijuana for treating illnesses such as AIDS, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis and terminal cancer.
For some patients suffering from serious health conditions and who do not respond well to conventional medicine, the legalization and availability of medical marijuana bring hope of an alternative but potentially better treatment. Access to this alternative treatment, however, may still be difficult for low income patients who struggle to make ends meet.
Lawmakers in Berkeley, California are apparently aware of this which is why the city council has passed a law that will provide free medical pot to very poor patients who cannot afford it. On Tuesday, July 8, the Berkeley City Council has unanimously approved a law that requires marijuana dispensaries in the city to give some of the medical pot to low income patients for free.
The purpose of the ordinance is to give all patients in Berkeley whose conditions can be helped or treated with medical marijuana equal access to the treatment. The law requires that starting August, dispensaries allot two percent of their products for patients whose income status qualifies them to receive free medical marijuana for the treatment of their medical condition.
The law, which aims to help poor patients reduce their medical costs, has likewise required that the quality of medical marijuana given to paying customers and those given to poor patients for free should be the same.
Patients who make less than half of the area's median income qualify for the low income status, which converts to an income of $32,000 per year for a one person-household and $46,000 annually for a family of four. The income will be primarily verified using federal income tax returns although other methods approved by the City Manager will also be used.
Low income individuals do not automatically qualify for the program. Only patients who are Berkeley residents and who have been prescribed medical marijuana by a competent health service provider can avail of the free medical marijuana.
"At least 2% (by weight) of the annual amount of Medical Cannabis provided by a Dispensary to all Members, shall be provided at no cost to very low-income Members who are Berkeley residents," the ordinance states." This amount shall be calculated every six months, based on the amount dispensed during the immediately preceding six months."
