MECCCA

How to Become a Member of the Collective:

You must first obtain a written “Recommendation” for the use of Marijuana from a licensed California Physician.

We suggest you talk with your current physician regarding this issue. They are the provider most familiar with you, your health and your medical history. Bring to their attention the condition(s) you believe Marijuana may help you with, let them know if you are already treating the condition(s) with marijuana or if you wish to try Marijuana as an alternative therapy.  Explain that you wish to stay “legal”, which in the State of California means that to legally posses and consume Marijuana, you MUST HAVE A PHPYSICIANS RECOMMENDATION.

Most Physicians are comfortable making this recommendation for their patients, when there has been a clear medical indication that Marijuana is known to help with a specific disorder, symptom, etc.

Most of the information available to Physicians is anecdotal, meaning there are few if any in depth medical studies on the subject, and so the information comes from a variety of other sources, such as other patients, and alternative medical publications. Bear in mind that few studies have been done because it has been illegal for researches to work with Marijuana at a federal level. At the same time, the Veterans Administrations has just passed policy that allows their own doctors to now make these recommendations.

If your physician is unwilling to make the recommendation, we suggest that you visit the websites of CALNORML to find a physician that might be more willing to accommodate this request. ($??)

We personally recommend Dr. William Courtney, in Caspar, CA: (45 minutes north of Anchor Bay). Dr Courtney is a well-known specialist the area of Medical Marijuana.  He has sat on the Mendocino Medical Marijuana Advisory Board, and is a sought after lecturer on the subject. We believe he will be able to give you the best guidance in this area of alternative care. Should you ever encounter any legal entanglements connected to your recommended medical use of marijuana, his (hopefully un-needed) legal testimony will be invaluable. ($200)

Recommendations for the use of Medical Marijuana are valid for up to one year from the date of the recommendation. You will need to update your recommendation on a yearly basis, no matter the physician.

When you have a valid recommendation and Legal CA Photo ID or proof of residence in CA, (which can be a CA ID Card or Drivers License or a combination of any CA or US Government photo ID along with one of the following: current auto registration in CA with a CA address, a utility bill with a CA address – in your name, or a current residential lease for property in CA with your name.) you are now able to join the Mendocino Coast Compassionate Care Collective.

When you bring your documents we will first NEED TO VERIFY that the recommending physician is currently licensed in CA, and then we NEED TO VERIFY the actual recommendation. We will attempt to do this in the most expeditious way possible, either by fax, phone or internet. Please understand that depending on the physician, this process can take anywhere from 5 minutes to a few days. You will not be admitted to the collective until this process is complete.

Once complete you will be issued a membership number, which you should bring with you anytime you visit the collective. If you wish to visit and do not have the number, you must have a valid government photo ID at the time of each visit.

PRIVACY AND SAFETY:

M.E.C.C.C.A will strive to provide the best privacy of your records possible and wants you to feel that your personal information is well secured.  Once you are verified and your paperwork is complete, we create an electronic file of it, then depending on your wishes, return the paper copy to you or shred it.

The electronic record is sent “off premises” at the end of each work day, so that in the event of any security breach, NOBODY HAS ACESS TO YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION.

Our in house computer systems are designed to handle an immediate close down with encryption.

We will retain a paper copy of your physicians recommendation,  but your name and any personal information will be redacted (blacked out)

FAQ’s

Q: Do I need  to get “the”  California Medical Marijuana Card?  

A: NO

Q: Will my name or personal information be on or available to any government agency?  A: NO, not without a court order, and to date there has not been any request for a subpoena of  patient records that ANY COURT has upheld.

Q: Can I participate in the collective if my recommendation has expired? 

A: NO, not unill you bring us a new recommendation.

Q: Which strain of Marijuana should I use to help with ________________________?  

A: All strains are different, and affect different people in varying ways. Our volunteers strive to work closely with the collective members to help them find and fine tune the optimal strains for their unique situations.

Q: I am uncomfortable smoking, is there another way to consume Marijuana?  

A: Yes; there are a variety of ways absorb the benefits, including edible products, oils and tinctures. The drawback on ingesting vs smoking, is the amount of extra time that ingesting needs, to have effect. Because of the extra time needed, the “dose” is also difficult to regulate for some people. We recommend you try using a “Vaporizer”,  this unique tool heats the marijuana bud to the point of actual vaporization which is then inhaled.  This “vapor” produces none of the usual unpleasant side effects of smoking, eg: choking cough, irritated throat. The flavor of the product does come through, and the effect generally only takes marginally longer than if you were “smoking”. A KINDER GENTLER way of inhaling.

Q: I dont feel safe or comfortable consuming marijuana at home and certainly not in public, is there a way for me to use my medication at the dispensary?

A: Yes. As a member of the national organization, Americans for Safe Access, we do allow consumption of medication on premises, but remember, it is ILLEGAL to have consumed marijuana and operate a vehicle, please have a designated driver with you.

Q: I have excess Marijuana, will you buy it?  

A: We do NOT BUY

Q: Is there a fee to join the collective?   

A: No. Some seminars do incur a fee.

Q: WHAT “IS” M.E.C.C.C.A.?  

A: MECCCA is a unique collective offering consulting servies to the local community. Come talk to us and learn about issues such as  "The Law & You", "Clean Green Certification", "Medical Issues and Current Research", "A Bright Future with Legalization", "Safe Storage of Medication".