Cannabis extracts were just ruled not protected under Arizona's medical marijuana act by a state appeals court. The rule stems from the case of Rodney Jones, a patient registered under the medical marijuana program, who was arrested back in 2013 for possession of hashish.
The Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (AMMA) was passed by voters in 2010 but does not protect cannabis extracts. Due to extracts not being protected, Jones was convicted and sentenced to 2.5 years in prison. Late last month, the Arizona Court of Appeals affirmed his conviction.
The judge on the case, Jon W Thompson, wrote:
"AMMA is silent as to hashish. Prior understanding of the pertinent words strongly indicates that AMMA in no way immunizes the possession or use of hashish. That AMMA immunizes medical use of a mixture or preparation of the marijuana plant does not immunize hashish."
Arizonians Concerned
Many people in Arizona's cannabis industry are concerned about the appeals court ruling. Many of the medical dispensaries around the state sell various products that contain hash oil and other extracts.
Medical cannabis in Arizona has had positive support from state legislators since legalized, but Kevin DeMenna, a dispensary industry lobbyist, told High Times that this ruling seems a "little bit out of step."
Some dispensary owners are a bit worried about the products that they currently carry in stores. Shop owners want to be able to give patients the medicine they need, in which a lot of them contain extracts.
Extracts Vs. Marijuana Flower
Without extracts, many will be forced to smoke marijuana, and a number of patients in the state don't want to do that.
Dr. Heather Moroso, the owner of Moroso Medical Center in Tuscon, told High Times:
"Our youngest patient was 8 months old. He was having about 40 seizures a day. Our oldest patient is 97. She came in just a couple months ago and said 'Well, I quit all my narcotics,' and she's down to two pieces of chocolate a day. She titrated off her morphine at 96 years old and switched down to two little pieces of chocolate a day. What's she supposed to do now? Take that away from her and have her titrate back on her morphine?"
Moroso believes extracts make it possible for patients to receive the medicinal benefits of cannabis, without the harmful effects of smoking.
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