| 420 Medicated |
| The state of Michigan will soon have a snazzy new printer to keep up with demand for Medical Marihuana Program patient ID cards. More than 40,000 Michigan patients are still waiting for their state-issued cards. |
Demand for medical marijuana ID cards is so high in Michigan, the state has had to order a new, six-figure printer that will allow it to produce 4,000 cannabis cards a day.
The state is far behind in printing cards for patients authorized to use cannabis under the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act. So far behind, in fact, that 40,000 patients still don’t have cards, and have instead been given tamper-proof letters to prove they’re qualified to use the herb for medical purposes, according to Rae Ramsdell, who oversees the program, reports the Associated Press.
More than 131,000 Michiganders have been approved for medical marijuana since state voters approved its legalization in 2008. Thousands more serve as caregivers, who are allowed to grow cannabis for up to five patients each.
Ramsdell said the new printer should be ready by mid-March at a cost of “six figures.”
The state’s medical marijuana office started with three employees back in 2009, and now has eight full time workers and 15 temps. The office gets at least 600 pieces of mail a day, according to Ramsdell, including new applications and renewals.