After his expose of a pop-up clinic which prescribed him medical marijuana, State Representative Fred Deutsch and the Medical Marijuana Association are apparently in a war of words over his actions:
“Rep. Deutsch is clear that he does not have a qualifying medical condition — the fundamental requirement in 34-20G-1. Thus, his possession of a medical card appears to be in violation of the chapter,” CIASD President Deb Peters said in written remarks provided to The Dakota Scout.
Deutsch last week told this newspaper that as part of a fact-finding mission into what he characterizes as “pop-up clinics”, he received a medical marijuana ID card through DOH after being certified for the program by a nurse practitioner employed by MMJ Card Clinics.
I’ve got to pause the reporter Joe Sneve here – because it’s not what “he characterizes as pop-up clinics.” The pop-up clinic term comes from pop-up clinics own advertising, if you’d note that part which reads “Pop-up Clinic” in a screenshot from a post of mine this last December:
When they’re prescribing medical marijuana in hotel conference rooms and local lounges, I’m not sure how else you’d characterize them. Because it’s sure not a doctor’s office.
Getting back to the article, Representative Deutsch continued to fire back..
“I’m the whistleblower here. I’m pointing out the problems with the clinic, and they’re attacking me,” he said. “The clinic broke multiple laws, and I was completely forthcoming. Deb Peters doesn’t know what she’s talking.”
Deutsch said he will not voluntarily turn in his medical marijuana ID card…
Get your popcorn. I would wager that this story is not over.
This is what happened when California first opened its medical marijuana clinics many years ago. They became a haven for drug users who knew how to game the system. Fred did not game the system, he identified one of its inherent flaws. The state needs to place some severe restrictions on these clinics and DCI should have someone investigate them on a regular basis to assure compliance. If a medical professional gives a card to someone who does not qualify he/she should be subject to criminal penalties.
Completely agree with John on this! There have been states that realized what a scam Med MJ was with lax standards that they tightened them up severely including requiring the users and notice I say user must see two doctors. Plenty of opportunities. The word is out now and a number of South Dakotans will now go to these pop up clinics with mics and cameras and expose what a farce this program is.
Bring a friend and get 50%?
I don’t know how Deb Peters can sleep at night knowing she sold her soul to the highest bidder. Rep. Deutsch has something she’ll never understand. We call it integrity. Deb Peters represents everything that Americans hate about politics and politicians.
I suspect Deb sleeps just fine. Both Fred & Deb are representing their own organizations. They’re just on opposite sides of the issue.
The difference is that Rep. Deutsch represents his district and cares for fact and truth. He’s not paid by some lobbying organization. Ms. Peters is well-paid to advocate for marijuana and compromise her integrity.
LOL! Have you heard of SD Right to Life?
Lol – unpaid board menmebr for RTL.
A Dr. that can’t write a prescription for medication is is not qualified to judge anyone’s medication
What is fraud
dingbat deutch is about to get buried under an avalanche of legal minnesota pot, And jackley is just as delusional, this isn’t like colorado and the black hills. most of sd population is less than 100 miles away from mn. theres not 3 or 4 roads between states there are hundreds of roads into mn Good luck with policing that you drug warrior deadenders.
Drive to Minnesota? That requires too much effort and costs way too much when heavy chronic daily THC users will just go to their local black market dealer. The black Market will ALWAYS be CHEAPER and those users seek out the cheapest.
Can Deutsch just leave the GOP to us wanting a small government and form his own Peoples Puritanical Party?
Fuller explanation is found on last evening’s Dakota Scout Viewpoint page.
This entire subject is a nonstarter if anyone had a shred of knowledge and honesty about the situation.
First off, there’s no such thing as medicinal marijuana. We need to get that through our heads. There is simply marijuana you can buy with a Driver’s License 21+ and marijuana you can buy with a med card that anyone over the age of 21 can apply for unlimited times and get with a low fee. THAT is the ONLY difference between recreational and medicinal marijuana. Medicinal Marijuana stores and recreational marijuana stores all sell the exact same products. There isn’t one thing a medicinal store has access to that recreational does not and vise versa.
When you can quote your Doctor any ailment that pops into mind and get a med card, WHY then would they even care to dig around to find out if you’re a liar? If you’re applying for a card, it’s probably not your first time and if you think this is worth investigating, you’re probably on it right now.
But guess what else? No matter what ailment you do or don’t have doesn’t matter anyway because: DOCTORS AREN’T TAUGHT HOW TO PRESCRIBE MARIJUANA AND THERE IS NO CONSENSUS ON WHICH AILMENTS SHOULD BE TREATED VIA MARIJUANA. Yeah, I know it’s a shock, but imagine that the Doctors of tomorrow aren’t being trained to prescribe cocaine right now either.
But here’s one more consideration: No victim, No crime. To think nobody should be allowed to something that they, on an individual level, find helpful to them, is tyrannical. Just leave them alone, Republicans. If there’s anything Conservatives should focus on is being the party of leaving folks the hell alone.
Even if you were the superheroes you think you are and prevented every misdiagnosed medical marijuana patient (of which there are none if you believe in individual liberty, — of which there are also none because they DON’T KNOW how when or why to prescribe marijuana so anything could be treated with it.) then guess what? All you did was waste days upon weeks of your life and others’ just so a pothead had to drive 2 hours into another state to blow some tax dollars into a different state’s budget.
The vast abundance of ignorance on this topic is boundless. This comment is all that needs said and all that needs read on the matter, everything else is fluff and posturing.
This is why all you Donquixotic superheroes need to take a step back from the marijuana topic, clearly you’re all catching a contact high and not thinking straight.
“No victim, No crime” aka Libertarian Logic………….Fail!
This comment is good for a laugh and almost made me spit out my coffee. He or she actually makes a few decent points early on, but wraps it up by attacking Republicans as tyrannical, self-appointed superheroes, and then describes his own comment as “all that needs to be said and read on the matter.” Mike drop. Don’t anyone else dare to comment, as “everything else is fluff and posturing.” The comment reads like an arrogant comic book, written by someone high on skunk week and drunk on ego.
Marijuana is not a pain reliever. It’s analgesic effect comes from an ability to distract the user and take their attention away from the pain they are suffering from. People with MS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and similar diseases claim that Marijuana causes them to feel less debilitated, have more energy, and lessens their painful cramps and muscle spasms. I think as a substance it is relatively benign especially in older people and people suffering pain. I’m for less suffering in this world.
While I regularly disagree and chuckle at the over the top “reefer madness” points that Mr. Deutsch likes to hang his hat on, I am in the same boat as him on this point. I have no issue with medical marijuana. If someone has something wrong with them and marijuana will help it, as long as they’re not driving under the influence or harming others, I simply do not care. However, if we’re going to have a legitimate medical MJ system in place, it has to be done correctly. And having a nurse practitioner acting as an overpaid paper pusher handing out MJ prescriptions to people that blatantly don’t qualify is not doing it correctly. This seems to be more an issue for the state medical board than anything else. Doctors and nurse practitioners doing this need to be reprimanded or lose their license. Which likely will require some changes to the current laws. The same would be true if there were pop up “opioid clinics” where you could walk in with a stubbed toe and walk out with a script for Vicodin. Mr. Deutsch, we found some common ground here and I thank you for bringing this issue into the public spotlight.
Check out how many seniors are ending up in emergency rooms after using MJ. Quite a few along with heart attacks and strokes.
Got proof?
https://www.postbulletin.com/opinion/columns/dr-maria-poirier-proponents-of-cannabis-bill-propagate-myths
Reposted from my FB page:
You may have seen the news stories this week about me going to a marijuana pop-up clinic to see if people who don’t qualify for a card can get one. Details are below.
Since going public with the story, the marijuana industry has gone on the attack.
Today I received word my marijuana card will be revoked. I’m not surprised.
I don’t have the required bona-fide practitioner patient relationship with the nurse who certified me. She and I never met prior to our visit. Further, I don’t have a qualifying medical condition. I have pain from a car accident last year – but my pain is just mild and intermittent. The law requires the pain must be severe and debilitating.
What’s surprising is the nurse certified me anyway. She shouldn’t have.
In the end, revocation is proof that my practitioner (a gal who drives from Sioux Falls to Watertown to put on these clinics at the Holiday Inn) is handing out cards unlawfully.
What I want to know is how the DOH is going to fix the system so this doesn’t keep happening?
Remember Fred, when your spine is in line you’ll feel fine. But not as fine as you will feel after a few tokes.
Mr Deutsch SHOULD have his card revoked, as he admittedly received it under false pretenses. Mr. Deutsch ought to also study the law to determine what constitutes a “bona fide” patient-provider relationship. The first time a patient comes to see me as a provider, and walks through the door to meet with me, a bona fide patient provider relationship is established. It doesn’t matter what ailment the patient is seeing me for…ADHD, strep throat, chronic pain….a patient-provider relationship is established. It also doesn’t matter whether it’s a one-time visit, or if they return for many visits. In the eye of the law, they are still legally my patient. And as such, this relationship is then privileged, and by law, the provider is not allowed to testify about anything in that relationship. So without signing a release of information, it’s very much a one-sided story where the patient in question can make all sorts of inaccurate or false accusations without being held accountable by allowing the provider to provide their side of the story. And who is Mr Deutsch to determine whether someone else’s pain is debilitating or not? Pain is very much a subjective matter…what is debilitating for one person, may not be debilitating for someone else.
And for those stating that marijuana is a “gateway” drug…you couldn’t be further from the truth. Do you know what actually is the biggest gateway drug? ALCOHOL! It is also interesting to note that in the world of addiction risk reduction is the driving principal. Would I rather have someone smoke a joint, or stick a syringe full of methamphetamine or heroin in their arm? In that situation, marijuana will win every time. And finally, no one has ever died from using too much marijuana. People die from overdoses of methamphetamine, opioids (both those prescribed as well as those obtained illicitly) and alcohol every single day. Let’s move on from this discussion, and instead spend our energy & fiscal resources discussing things that DO matter, like lack of funding for educators, or lack of availability for mental health & addiction services.
In the cannabis community, the “P” word is considered by many to be like the “N” word to the black community.
Do you go around writing and saying the “N” word?
If so, then I would respect your consistency.
Mostly, the cannabis community wants to be left alone to build, create, have families, and work hard.
Yet, we’re under constant bombardment from half-baked, lame-brained, self-fulfilling pseudo-scientific medico-babble.
The stress of the pestering drives many of us to drink.
Like having an old bitter wife who nags.
“Yet, we’re under constant bombardment from half-baked, lame-brained, self-fulfilling pseudo-scientific medico-babble.”
Can you give us an update how the SD SoS office can be properly protected from 5G? Faraday cages or a special tin foil hat or helmet?
Maybe if you weren’t since an unhinged lunatic in other areas of your life, we’d listen. You are a god awful rep for marijuana legalization, and I support it. OUR best bet is you distancing yourself. People dont want your stink on their work.
we have a relative in our family who had a laminectomy over a year ago. She got a medical marijuana card in Michigan before surgery, when she was having back pain. .
She still has a medical marijuana card, still has not returned to work, loafs around the house, and doesn’t do anything except smoke weed. She’s too high to work.
These medical marijuana cards need expiration dates. That is all.