OMMP - The Gold Standard of Government Programs

The Gold Standard of Government Programs
How a Decade of Experience and Data Has Proven the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program to be a Success Russ Belville – National Outreach Coordinator – NORML

OMMP – The Gold Standard of Government Programs

INCREASE IN MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM PARTICIPATION INDICATES HEALTH CARE NEED, NOT “ABUSE”

Oregon Medical Marijuana Act
Passed
Voter Power commissioned poll on Dec 2008

as Measure 67 in 1998 with 56% support, enjoys 63% support now.

Self-sufficient

program has contributed nearly one million dollars to health and human services. Oregon statute used as model in Michigan (which just passed medical marijuana in every county) and most other medical marijuana states.

Medical Marijuana Patients Registered in Oregon

How many patients are 20,842?
 Cancer
(705 patients)

 17,726  4,727

new cases annually

DHS Oregon State Cancer Registry average 2002-2007

 HIV/AIDS
(410 patients)

living with HIV/AIDS; +200 new cases annually
DHS Public Health Division – HIV/AIDS Program

 Alzheimer’s
(<50 patients)

 76,000  6,500  7,000

estimated cases

 Multiple  Cerebral

Sclerosis Palsy

Trust for America’s Health, Gov. Lowell Weicker, Jr., President

(5,683 patients, all spastic disorders)

estimated cases estimated cases

Multiple Sclerosis Society of Portland, Oregon, Inc.

(5,683 patients, all spastic disorders)

United Cerebral Palsy of Oregon & SW Washington

Qualifying Condition

Oregonians who could qualify to use medical marijuana

How many patients are 20,842?
 Glaucoma
(341 patients)

 27,731  31,853  50,860

estimated cases estimated cases estimated cases

Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF (0.74% prevalence nationally * Oregon Population)

 Epilepsy
(505 patients, all seizure disorders)

US Centers for Disease Control (0.85% prevalence)

 Chronic

Nausea Pain

(3,417 patients, all nausea conditions)

National Institutes of Health (prevalence of: GERD 3%, Irritable Bowel 1.84%, Inflammatory Bowel 0.2%, Crohn’s Disease 0.18%)

 Chronic

 409,222

estimated cases

(18,348 patients)

US Centers for Disease Control (26% of US adults report pain lasting >24hrs in month, with 42% experiencing pain >1 year)

Qualifying Condition

Oregonians who could qualify to use medical marijuana

How many patients are 20,842?
~631,619

potential medical users 20,842 registered medical users Currently 3.3% are patients Patients represent only ½% of Oregon’s 3,747,455 population.

OMMP – The Gold Standard of Government Programs

FEW DOCTORS SIGNING FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARDS INDICATES HEALTH CARE NEED, NOT “FRAUD”

Physician Concerns
2,847

physicians (MD or DO) have signed for medical marijuana patient cards
Oregon Medical Marijuana Program Oregon Medical Board

11,634 3

physicians in Oregon

out of 4 doctors won’t sign!

◦ Don’t believe science on medical use ◦ Lose job because of employer’s policy ◦ Afraid of federal laws against it
Patients

must turn to clinics for help

Physician Concerns (OSP)
“10

physicians signed for 76% of cards!” Half of all applications are renewals
Oregon Medical Marijuana Program – 10,863 new applications, 10,678 renewal applications

Over

ten year program, one OMMA patient can equal ten applications Signing doctor is often the second doctor to verify condition when primary care physician won’t sign for medical marijuana cards

Physician Concerns
Only

1 in 4 doctors will sign for cards Only 1 in 30 qualifying patients will apply Oregon Law is clear about qualifying conditions Most patients have seen two doctors to verify and re-verify condition annually Clinic doctors helping many patients whose doctors can’t sign for marijuana cards shows health care need

OMMP – The Gold Standard of Government Programs

MARIJUANA GROW SITE STATISTICS INDICATE COMMUNITY SHARING WITH PATIENTS, NOT “CRIME”

Law Enforcement’s “Massive Grows”
Pictures

of massive outdoor plants meant to imply overproduction and criminal diversion Large outdoor grows are producing just one harvest per year
Expert testimony of Chris Conrad, court-certified marijuana horticulture expert, California Superior Court

3

out of 4 medical marijuana grows are small indoor single-patient grow sites
DHS OMMP Statistics as of March 20, 2009

An All

average indoor plant produces 4-6 oz, not 18-24 oz as claimed
Expert testimony of Chris Conrad, court-certified marijuana horticulture expert, California Superior Court

marijuana grows are subject to failures from mites, molds, mildew, thefts, and poor gardening
Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible - By Jorge Cervantes

OMMA Grow Site Statistics
 15,016  Half
DHS OMMP figures as of March 20, 2009

unique grow sites

(8,032) are growing for self and others  1/3rd (5,723) are not patients, just growers  99.1% (14,879) of all registered grow sites care for four or fewer patients  96% of all patients (19,911) cared for by 1-4 person grow sites.

OMMA Grow Site Statistics
However,

OMMP requires a patient to list a grow site address… even if the patient is not actually growing marijuana! Unknown, but large percentage of 1 patient grow sites are paperwork-only and those patients must acquire medicine elsewhere.

Excess is shared with patients
 Half

(10,775) of all patients don’t grow for self  DHS has about 2,000 new applicants at any time  Crop failures mean getting medicine from others  Non-profit orgs can verify hundreds of pounds of medicine shared freely every year to needy patients

Marijuana Growing Violations
 Over

last five years, Oregon has averaged 336 outdoor and 195 indoor grow busts per year

Drug Enforcement Administration's Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program, by State 2003-2007

 Search

of Oregon State Police for +marijuana +medical +arrest for 2008 nets only 91 hits
Oregon State Police News Releases for 2008

 If

even 20% of busts are medical, that accounts for less than 1% of all grow sites.

OMMP – The Gold Standard of Government Programs

OREGON OSHA STATISTICS INDICATE THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM HASN’T AFFECTED WORKPLACE SAFETY

Oregon OSHA Stats 19992007
Non-Fatal

Department of Consumer & Business Services, 2007 Oregon Occupational Injury and Illness S

Injuries and Illness resulting in no workday loss = down 32% Non-Fatal Injuries and Illness resulting in workday loss = down 34% Workplace Fatalities = down 20% Patients Registered in OMMP = average up 40% per year over last five years Business leaders cannot cite one incidence of off-duty medical marijuana use causing workplace safety violation.

Oregon Workplace Stats 1999-2007

Oregon Workplace Stats 1999-2007

Oregon Workplace Stats 1999-2007

Oregon Workplace Stats 1999-2007

Oregon Workplace Stats 1985-2007
Business

leaders don’t accept that medical marijuana does not affect workplace safety Dan Harmon of Hoffman Construction claims:
Bureau of National Affairs, Occupational Health & Safety Newsletter, April 2009

◦ Accidents trending downward for years ◦ Since medical marijuana, trend has “flattened out dramatically”. ◦ Downward trend is now “at a near stall”.
Oregon

OSHA statistics from 1985 – 2007 show steady or increased decline in accidents

Oregon Workplace Stats 1985-2007

Oregon Workplace Stats 1985-2007

Employer Concerns
  

Medical Marijuana makes more dangerous workplaces Medical marijuana leads to productivity losses Employers can’t terminate unsafe medical marijuana patients Federal contracts require drug-free workplaces No way to test on-the-job impairment of patients

  

OSHA Safety Statistics are the lowest ever recorded Oregon’s GDP grew more than US average Employers can terminate for cause any unsafe employee regardless of medications …but those contracts do not specify urine screening Portland Police Bureau used PMI FIT impairment testing

 

 

Associated Industries’ “Half-Empty” Glass

Medical Marijuana’s “Half-Full” Glass

Impairment Testing
PMI

made this portable impairment testing device that tracks eye movement. Tested by Addiction Research Center, National Institutes of Health; Walter Reed Army Institute of Research; U.S. Navy; NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse); and Portland Police Bureau.

So how does it work?

Impairment Testing
30

second test. Non-invasive. Instant results. Accurately detects impairment, regardless of cause Cannot be faked or gamed by employees. Inexpensive.

Impairment Testing 

100% of employers who used impairment testing considered their experience successful 82% of employers found that impairment testing improved safety. 90% of employees accepted impairment testing. 87% of employers found impairment testing superior to urine testing.

OMMP – The Gold Standard of Government Programs

MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN OREGON HASN’T INCREASED ADULT NONMEDICAL USE OR TEEN USE OF MARIJUANA

US Government Figures on Oregon
National Survey on Drug Use & Health, University of Michigan, 1999-2006

Adult

non-medical use of marijuana has remained steady since 2002, despite average 46% increase in patients Oregon’s non-medical use rate exceeds national average, with 354,000 adult annual users, or 12¼% of adult population (about 1 in 8)
National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, Oregon State Data for 2006 and US Census 2007 Estimates

However,

Oregon’s use rate has declined vs. national average since 2002 Fewer teens are using marijuana since OMMA went into effect

Oregon Marijuana Use Rates 1999-2006

Oregon Marijuana Use Rates 1999-2006

Oregon Marijuana Use Rates 1999-2006

Teen Marijuana Use 19982007

Teen Marijuana Use 19982007

OMMP – The Gold Standard of Government Programs

CLAIMS OF “ABUSE” IN OREGON MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM PALE COMPARED TO OTHER STATE PROGRAMS

Oregon State Programs “Abuse”
 91

medical marijuana growing arrests found out of 15,016 grow sites in 2008 = 0.7% abuse rate
Oregon State Police News Releases for 2008

 Large

share of grow violations are minor issues of compliance (violated 12” rule, paperwork issues, etc.)
Attorney Lee Berger, Attorney Brian Michaels, from cases argued before Oregon courts National Survey on Drug Use & Health, University of Michigan, 1999-2006

 2006  2006  2007

Oregon Total Alcohol Use: 1,682,000; under age 18: 55,000 = 3.2% abuse rate Oregon Total Tobacco Use: 834,000; under age 18: 42,000 = 5% abuse rate

National Survey on Drug Use & Health, University of Michigan, 1999-2006

study of Oregon State Food Stamps & TANF improper payments = 11% abuse rate
Second Error Rate Pilot Report – US Office of Family Assistance Administration for Children and Families, 2007

Example: Douglas County, 2006
 “Douglas

County's drug task force arrested 25 people with medical marijuana cards in 2006.”
The Oregonian, “A Smokescreen for Criminals”, 10/21/2007

 That’s

2.6% of patient cards only (no figures for caregiver or grower cards)
OMMP Statistics as of 1/1/2007

 “They

seized 281 plants.”  That’s only 1.2% of plants allowed for 948 patients.  “They seized 1,647 lbs. of dried cannabis.”  At four harvests per year, that’s only 29% of cannabis allowed.



market marijuana”  OMMA “attracts criminal growers”  24 ounces is “too much medical marijuana”  Outdoor plants are “trees producing 1-2 lbs. of pot”

Law Enforcement Concerns Grow sites “divert to black




Children around medical marijuana plants and grow sites

20,000 Oregonians are now off the black market  15,000 growers are no longer criminals  Up to 11 tons of marijuana worth $67 million off black market  Outdoor grows are few and produce in one annual harvest what four annual indoor harvests would produce  All medicines should be kept away from children, but plants aren’t usable medicine.

Law Enforcement’s “Half-Empty” Glass

Medical Marijuana’s “Half-Full” Glass

Oregon DUII Stats 1998-2006

 Self funded program – no cost  Contributed over $1 million to
Oregon Bills – 2007 SB 581 Section 25;

for a decade! Oregon State General Fund

 Canada

has 10x Oregon’s population, yet only 1/10th the registered patients, even with a federal dispensary system.
Phillippe Lucas – Vancouver Island Compassion Society, based on figures from Health Canada.

 Model for nearly all medical marijuana states  Registry fraud is very rare exception  Patient numbers indicate health care needs  Few doctors signing for cards indicates patients in need  Grow site numbers indicate compliance  Large plant and possession limits help keep patients in

compliance and off black market.  No negative consequences after a decade!

The Oregon Medical Marijuana Program The Gold Standard of Government Programs

Full Presentation and Data Links at http://ornorml.org/data Oregon NORML – Madeline Martinez – Executive Director