New changes to Michigan's Medical Marijuana Act are designed to ensure the drug is getting into the right hands.
Starting Monday, doctors must complete face-to-face medical evaluations of the patient before they are allowed to prescribe the plant. This includes a review of relevant medical records as well as an assessment of the patient's condition and medical history. What's more, doctors will be required to schedule follow-up appointments to evaluate the efficacy of treatment.
Rep. Phil Cavanagh, D-Redford Township, said this prevents "some out-of-state doctor from coming in, renting a hotel room, writing these things and then leaving town," according to the Associated Press (AP).
Furthermore, patients will have to prove that they live in Michigan, whether by through a state ID, driver's license, or voter's registration card.
The amendments also go on to address the issue of those who grow medical marijuana for patients, also known as caregivers. Under the changes, anyone who has been convicted of assault or a felony in the last 10 years will be barred from the business. In the past, only drug-related felonies kept a person from being a caregiver.
In some cases, this may mean that trusted relationships that have developed over the last four years between patients and caregivers will be forced to discontinue, Michael Kormon, a Michigan attorney who specializes in medical marijuana law, told the AP.
"For example," he said, "a husband who is a caregiver for his wife - but also has a felony charge - will no longer be able to grow medical marijuana for her."
On the other hand, medical marijuana cards will be good for two years going forward, instead of just one.
The new emphasis, Komorn said, isn't how long a person has had the card, but how legitimate it is.
"Now we are saying: 'What's behind that card? Where did you get certified? Who was your doctor?'"