AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine State Housing Authority has decided it will not provide rental assistance to anyone who uses, possesses or cultivates medical marijuana in apartments that are paid for in part through the federal Section 8 program.
“We did this out of deference to federal law,” Deborah Turcotte, spokeswoman for MaineHousing, told the Bangor Daily News.
To be clear, MaineHousing’s decision does not affect a person’s status as a medical marijuana user or grower in Maine. It also doesn’t mean that registered users or growers of medical marijuana are immediately booted from the Section 8 program; it just means they are not allowed to do it in an apartment that receives federal subsidies, Turcotte said.
“It’s their choice,” she said. “They can go use it at a family member or friend’s house, as long as the family and friend’s houses or homes are not federally subsidized by Section 8.”
The agency became aware of the issue about three months ago, when during a series of Section 8 housing inspections — related to alleged mismanagement of the program — it became clear a handful of program participants also were medical marijuana growers or users, which revealed a complex situation where state and federal law does not agree.
In Maine, medical marijuana is legal to use and grow for certain people. Federal law, however, still considers marijuana, medical or not, an illegal controlled substance.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which oversees the federal Section 8 program, does not allow public housing authorities, such as MaineHousing, to admit a medical marijuana user into the program, according to a statement from MaineHousing. But the federal agency did allow state agencies to set their own policy to address current Section 8 voucher holders who are certified to use medical marijuana, Turcotte said.
MaineHousing’s board thought long and hard about the decision, she said. They read over state and federal law, and heard from landlords and tenants. But in the end, because of the federal government’s strict guidelines when it comes to controlled substances, “the board decided to apply that to medical marijuana, as well,” Turcotte said.
If the board had made the opposite decision, it would have put additional burden on MaineHousing’s inspectors, who are responsible for annually inspecting the approximately 3,900 Section 8 housing units in the state. They are trained to inspect homes for housing-related issues, not on how to tell a medical marijuana plant from an illegal plant. There are several federal and state laws that affect marijuana and medical marijuana use, Turcotte said, “but we are not trained on those ourselves. We administer housing programs.”
Turcotte said that there are currently fewer than 10 residents that MaineHousing knows of who are not in compliance with its new policy. Those residents have been notified and will be given time to comply, Turcotte said.
“If they’re unable to comply, we’re required to terminate their housing assistance,” she said.
This is one of the ridiculous things that happens when government agencies can’t get on the same page. The feds need to back off on the marijuana thing and we need to start thinking about decriminalizing.
Decriminalization is a funny concept. Making it basically legal to own, but illegal to sell, grow or buy. Wonder where it came from? Its already decriminalized on the state level. Possession of less than X amount (not going to go look, but maybe an ounce) is not criminal. Stupid concept. Either legalize it completely (for adults and make it regulated), or don’t. No other option.
It is time the federal Government stops being the puppet for the Pharmaceutical companies and allows States to make their own decisions.
This is the right call. If taxpayers have to foot the bill for housing these people they don’t need to be high for the rest of their life. I think the federal government should withhold all federal funds for EVERY program until the state complies with federal drug laws. Once everyone is high and unemployed, then what? Has anyone thought about that yet?
I’m with you Director. Given that federal law trumps state law and that the feds are largely staying out of the medical marijuana issue for now, the decision not to offer federally subsidized housing to marijuana users is the best route. The feds can choose to enforce the federal law at any point or simply pull the plug on potentially all federal housing aid to a state for allowing the use or cultivation of illegal substances in subsidised housing. Rather than risk this, the state has made the most logical move.
Your reply doesn’t follow.
The Feds, as I understand it, have left this up to the states without regard to HUD funding or Medicaid funding.
On the other hand, the Housing Authority’s interest is in keeping individual vouchers within the city or town where a recipient currently resides.
If a recipient leaves or moves out of state, a portion of the funding and the voucher follows them, unless they violate some rule or condition that results in disqualification from the program.
Maine Housing hasn’t taken the position that ‘marijuana users’ can’t participate in Section 8. They’ve just said it can’t be used on the premises.
Sadly, it sounds like Maine Housing is going to follow the federal line and refuse Section 8 to applicants who are medical cannabis patients too. It’s buried smack in the middle of the article:
“The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which oversees the federal Section 8 program, does not allow public housing authorities, such as MaineHousing, to admit a medical marijuana user into the program, according to a statement from MaineHousing.”
I
was referring to the last sentence of this statement. Frankly, I don’t
think this position makes much sense. Why make medical marijuana legal
in Maine, require that patients register, through DHHS, and carry cards,
only to deny benefits to the ones that can benefit most? I bet it’s
less expensive, and more effective, than the potentially addictive
prescription drugs commonly prescribed.
The object of every exercise in Medicine is to ‘feel better’, isn’t it?
“…To be clear, MaineHousing’s decision does not affect a person’s
status as a medical marijuana user or grower in Maine. It also doesn’t
mean that registered users or growers of medical marijuana are
immediately booted from the Section 8 program; it just means they are
not allowed to do it in an apartment that receives federal subsidies,
Turcotte said.
“It’s their choice,” she said. “They can go use it at a family member
or friend’s house, as long as the family and friend’s houses or homes
are not federally subsidized by Section 8.”…
The article is about ‘medical marijuana’ – meaning ‘these people’, otherwise referred to as ‘patients’ have been prescribed cannabis suffer from at least one of several possible medical conditions that have been shown to be alleviated by its use.
It’s not surprising that some people who are legitimately disabled and cannot work might have to live in Section 8 housing and are not using it recreationally nor remaining ‘high all the time’.
It’s clear to me you haven’t really thought about this very much. Perhaps you should seek out some cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, for instance.
Maybe we should take a poll. Number of people using it for cancer and the number of people using it for chronic big toe pain… If the state limited it to people with terminal illnesses I’d be all for it. But as it stands now, every Tom Dick and Harry that needs a fix can stub their toe and get the state to allow them pot for life. Yeah, sounds fair to me.
So please provide proof of this. A MM patient must meet with a doctor and provide evidence of an illness or injury that is not completely treated by modern pharmaceuticals. They must provide their medical records that prove this condition has been ongoing. They must have one of the qualifying conditions, have a physical and then be under care of the recommending doctor.
Your remarks are not based on reality, but on stereotypes and misinformation.
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2012/08/24/news/down-east/calais-va-clinics-opioid-history-is-on-law-enforcement-radar-in-washington-county/
There are numerous articles about doctors over-prescribing medications, selling prescriptions, and abusing the entire system. Think they aren’t already abusing MM? Like I said before, for a terminal illness I’m all for it. Joe Blow needing to feel comfortable for a planters wart? No
This article is only talking about VA clinics over prescribing opiate based painkillers such as oxycodone and hydrocodone. Not one word of MM is mentioned, therefore you did not provide any proof as TrueNative asked.
Your argument is flawed to say the least.
MM helps with seizures, muscle spasms in people with MS and other spinal cord injuries. It helps with fibromyalgia, IBS, overactive bladder, Glaucoma, chronic pain from injury or illness, Crones disease, nausea, vomiting, appetite, ADHD, PTSD, arthritis, sleep disorders, Parkinson’s, Alzheimers, etc.
Please provide evidence to back up your claim that recommending doctors are making the recommendation to treat planter’s warts.
Edited
Eh, just not worth it.
Perhaps we should take a poll and find out how VERY uninformed YOU are. The state dosent pay for M.M. Never has never will,and like my grandfather was fond of saying ” If you dont know what youre talking about…..shut the hell up ! “
I misspoke. I apologize. I have edited my previous remark.
Good man for editing and apologizing.
I do know of one person who gets their MM for emphysema. That makes absolutely no sense to me. He even brags about it. In that case, the “doctor” should have his head examined.
Don’t know where you get your info but you couldn’t be more wrong. It is not that easy to get a prescription for MM, unless of course maybe all the folks you know go to an unethical doctor somewhere.
With reference to ‘big toe pain’. Sounds like the gout to me. Have you ever suffered from the gout? It is extremely painful and would respond well to medical marijuana.
You can take a poll if you like, however, educating yourself a smidge would make you appear more informed and less biased. If you understood that we’re not talking about a ‘stubbed toe’ in most cases, I don’t think you would so readily stand by what you just stated, here, Todd Akin style. I hope not, anyway.
Cancer is survivable, but one’s chances of recovery are enhanced if you can eat well and nourish your body, despite the nausea most people experience.
I have to wonder. Have you ever met anybody with primary or secondary progressive MS, early ALS, or even Chrohn’s disease? I’m guessing not.
http://www.mmcmonline.org/patients/qualifying-conditions.html
Qualifying Conditions
Debilitating Medical Conditions for Maine
Medical Marijuana Patients to qualify for a Maine Marijuana Patient
ID(From the Legislature Statute regarding Maine Medical Marijuana
policy)
3.1 List of debilitating medical conditions. Patients with at least
one of the following debilitating medical conditions may submit an
application for a registry identification card for the medical use of
marijuana:
3.1.1 Disease or medical condition or its treatment.
3.1.1.1 Cancer;
3.1.1.2 Glaucoma;
3.1.1.3 Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV);
3.1.1.4 Acquired immune deficiency syndrome;
3.1.1.5 Hepatitis C;
3.1.1.6 Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis;
3.1.1.7 Crohn’s disease;
3.1.1.8 Agitation of Alzheimer’s disease; or
3.1.1.9 Nail-patella syndrome.
3.1.2 Intractable pain. A chronic or debilitating disease or medical
condition or its treatment that produces intractable pain. For the
purposes of these rules, intractable pain means pain that has not
responded to ordinary medical or surgical measures for more than 6
months.
3.1.3 Symptoms. A chronic or debilitating disease or medical
condition or its treatment that produces one or more of the following
symptoms:
3.1.3.1 Cachexia or wasting syndrome;
3.1.3.2 Severe nausea;
3.1.3.3 Seizures including but not limited to those characteristic of epilepsy; or
3.1.3.4 Severe and persistent muscle spasms including but not limited to those characteristic of multiple sclerosis; or
3.1.4 Other. Any other medical condition or its treatment that is
approved by the commissioner, pursuant to Section 3.2 of these rules.
Yeah, cancer patients suffering in pain, vomiting daily, suffering seizures and strokes should not be able to find the relief that medical marijuana brings.
Most people who have terminal or life altering illnesses or injuries can’t work, are the poorest of the poorest, and are just trying to get through each day.You have NO idea what you are talking about. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Many people battling cancer do NOT use medical marijuana; they would rather be in control. Too many people are using medical marijuana and pay the money to get the prescription for it. And, I am not ashamed to say that medical marijuana use is the biggest hoax perpetuated by those who want to buy it cheaper and don’t want to be responsible. Do not bother to write back to me—my mother succumbed to liver cancer after successfully battling stomach cancer. She made every single one of her days count and did not spend them high on anything. Your hearts and flowers statement tells me you don’t know what you are talking about at all.
You have NO idea what you are talking about. Many people don’t use medical marijuana because of the stereotypes and misinformation perpetuated by people like you who are uneducated on this topic. Your comments lack fact/truth.
Most cancer patients who battle cancer who choose to use medical marijuana to lessen their suffering don’t lose control. They don’t get high. They use it as medicine to relieve their suffering. This is like saying that all cancer patients who use pharmaceutical pain killers get high and lose control (which actually happens more than with the natural medical plant cannabis). It’s like saying all cancer patients who use pain medical are druggies.
My husband fought cancer nonstop for 10 1/2 years. He was not a pot head. He did not lose control. He suffered daily nausea and vomiting every single day for the last 2 1/2 years of his life. He tried every nausea medication available and not one of them worked. They made him extremely tired so all he wanted to do is sleep. These pharmaceuticals didn’t work and made him lose control over his life. Two inhalations of marijuana stopped his vomiting, allowed him to eat and to stay awake and alert.
Every single day of my husband’s battle with cancer counted. He touched the lives of thousands of people across this country. He was an outspoken advocate for medical marijuana. He participated in cancer support groups, talked about cancer in public settings, fielded calls from all over the country. He was known as an inspirational, spiritual person who was looked up to and admired by everyone that he met.
He did not spend his time being high. He spend his time being comfortable so that pain, nausea, vomiting, seizures, strokes, blindness, muscle spasms didn’t control his life because he found a successful combination of medical marijuana and other prescribed pharmaceuticals.
You are the one who has no idea what they are talking about. Stop disrespecting the sick and injured Mainers who have a better quality of life because of this valuable God-given natural plant.
You disrespect everyone with your outlandish defense of medical marijuana. God gives us arsenic too—but you wouldn’t want too much of that would you. Be logical when presenting arguments. Never tell me that I did not deal with facts when that is obviously your problem. I gave my example—a mother who dealt with her cancer which took her life without relying on heavy duty pharmaceuticals nor the use of cannabis. The problem with some people is in their own spirit and inability to deal with problems. You see only one thing one way. If you want marijuana, then take it. But, I will tell you that I would never want anyone operating on me after smoking a joint. Nor would I want people behind the wheel after smoking pot. You can now say anything you want, but do not bother to tell me what THE FACTS ACCORDING TO YOU. I have had a lot of experience that tells me differently.
God gives us arsenic ?
Who’s advocating for someone operating on you, after smoking weed ?
Your mother has what to do with this issue ?
What experience do you have with pot ?
I don’t get any of your points.
Please do some research about medical marijuana. You may learn quite a bit about the uses and abuses of this plant. I’m not arguing against you, just asking you to educate yourself. If you do choose to learn more, I hope you will use reputable sources for your research.
I understand that you are 100% against the use of medical marijuana and can respect that. I’m not trying to change your mind, just asking you to learn about what you are talking about so you can come into a debate like this armed with true scientific information.
MyName, I have done research in the use of various drugs, including medical marijuana. Too many who can’t “cope” have become users of medical marijuana in California. Without thinking of the consequences a lot of people have been lost in the haze of enjoying their pot. Some learn too little too late and miss the opportunities that education/work/career/family would add to their lives. For some it is almost a joke that they can get their drugs claiming a back injury which seems to be the illness of choice. Trust me, I do my homework.
If Mainers believe that the use of medical marijuana is the way to go, then let them. But, never for one moment believe that it is the best choice.
There are thousands of medical marijuana patients who live full and productive lives once their suffering is under control. You are confusing “pot heads” with legitimate medical marijuana patients.
So you think powerful, life altering pharmaceuticals are the best choice?
Where did you see in any of my posts that I supported big pharma? Read carefully. My opinion is based on facts presented in journal articles and statistics which may not be something you can access. As I said before, to herald the use of something in nature simply because it exists is wrong. Some plants are poison—just as too little knowledge is a dangerous thing. You truly believe that your opinion is the only opinion. Accept that some people don’t buy into your arguments.
I witnessed its miraculous healing/suffering relieving properties. I have met hundreds of patients whose suffering has been diminished. I have also read many journal articles and statistics. I prefer to look at studies and reviews done in other countries. Many of the studies done in this country are bias.
The majority of Mainers do buy this argument. The law has been based. Get over yourself.
You read many journals and statistics? Well, didn’t you know, silly Marijuana user, that you don’t have access to the same material gambler does? Despite your obviously experience based opinion, gambler’s done homework and research and has got some serious access to some serious information that is obviously correct and just so far beyond your comprehension ability (considering your stoned out, out of control and in a haze). Natural medicine, or medicine at all is just unacceptable and a sign of weakness. Natural medicine, plants, as they were used for thousands of years prior to the discovery of plant alkaloids in 1804, is an abomination unto the human race.
Swallow the pills, they are good for you. Love, the people making them.
I am now turning off the Sarcasm. Where do they build people like this guy? Man, it boggles my mind how utterly dull some people are.
I am a medical marijuana patient. I also take legal prescription pain killers. I took a month off from using medical marijuana and found that I was taking more prescription pain killers than I was comfortable with in order to get the pain to a manageable level. I don’t know if I’m the norm or not but I do know without something to help me cope with pain that I would not be able to work. I don’t believe in smoking marijuana on the job or before starting work even though it is legal for me to do so.
I truly believe medical marijuana, like prescription pain pills, is not a fix all for everybody and should be considered by doctors on individual cases.
If I could give it all up tomorrow and still live a productive life, believe me, I would.
Like yourself, I don’t believe marijuana should be prescribed for every little ache and pain any more than I believe powerful narcotics should. As for myself, I have had back problems since childhood and as I get older the old injuries are starting to take over my life. My problems are not limited to my back though. I have degenerative arthritis in 3 places on my spine and in my wrist. I also have joint pain that runs in our family, and at times every little movement I make is a new experience in pain. Every time the weather changes I hurt and I’ll joke saying, at least my left ankle is pain free, but the rest of me is worn out. It’s no fun being so limited in my job and the activities I used to take for granted. I know my productive days are becoming more and more limited, but I will keep working and doing what I can for as long as I can. I could stop working tomorrow and get disability but so long as I am able to get myself to work on time and still be productive, I will.
I hope I am not judged too harshly by the medicine I take that works for me. At least I am doing it legally and not buying pills and pot on the street to take for pleasure.
Gambler, you make a great number of excellent points in your posts, and as with any drugs, there is always the chance for abuse, but to lump everyone into one category as to how they cope with pain from a disease just simply is not fair. Unless you have suffered from many of these diseases, we have absolutely no idea what these poor souls deal with day to day.
Her claims are far from outlandish! Your mothers choice not to use anything for pain control was just that, her choice. That certainly does not mean that the ones who decide to use it, and it improves their quality of life, even if for a short time, are wrong.
I would have to guess that you’re not overly educated on the subject but you certainly do have a strong opinion based on MM and it’s merits, or lack thereof, as far as you’re concerned.
I don’t believe a word that you say. You disrespect cancer patients.
You are the one who will only see things YOUR way. You have no desire to become informed but choose to remain ignorant.
You have no experience on this subject. Your words are foolishness.
You are not worth the time it takes to reply again.
Knock knock. Who’s there? No-one.
I smoked a ton of pot in a past life. I also drove. Never crashed once, nor had a speeding ticket, nor failed to stop for a sign or use my blinker or switch my beams when passing other motorists at night. I have Major Depression, PTSD, Panic Attack Disorder as well as a host of other things as well as rather serious physical aliments due to decades of abusing myself. Marijuana helped me deal with the vast emptiness that is my life. Helped me with the daily struggle that is eating, or feeling the desire to do anything. As someone who has experience with marijuana and who is a bit smarter than a doorknob, I will also tell you that you are completely wrong. About everything. You talk about research and experience as if it is the same thing. You clearly have no experience and thus no real knowledge. I dont care what false information you have been spoon fed your entire life, you are wrong.
My grandfather also died of cancer and refused everything. He died bitter, sick and in pain after months of suffering. Pain is the price of pride, in the end. Maybe if he’d just have taken a couple hits, he’d have lasted a bit longer and been happier and comfortable those last few months, rather then wither to nothingness. I’m sorry dying comfortable is such an issue for you. I hope you have a great time falling apart slowly without anything to sooth your pain before you rot for eternity, tough guy. Let me know how that goes.
I think you’ll find that you are in fact the person here who has no clue, as I have seen only conjecture and rhetoric from you. Post one source. One. You don’t want to hear facts according to people? More like you cant hear the facts, because you are so full of your own turd its coming out your ears.
Go away and look up the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Try to let it sink in and then go watch a documentary called The Union.
I have to agree with you. My cousin battles Crohn’s disease and is likely only a year away from no longer being with us. He uses medicinal marajauna so that he can spend his final days with his two young children and enjoy his final time on this earth without so much pain that he is hooked to a drip in bed and in a comatose state. I cannot see the problem with that. I refuse to believe that everyone that uses medicinal marajauna is abusing it, even if some of them do.
thank you. Fighting the hippy movement has returned…
===
You obviously have little experience with the problems with the use of pot. Its great medicinal value is a joke and in too many cases an excuse to abuse it.
Gambler…STFU!!!! You are a despicable, ill informed troll who’s opinions have no place in an educated discourse involving safe and natural medicines vs. dangerous and synthetic ones. Crawl back under your bridge and let the grown ups talk please.
You are what your comment proves you are. If you believe name-calling is educated discourse, then it is you who should get out of the gutter in which you dwell and get an education. I pity people like you who have no idea how to write intelligently never mind think intelligently. Not in any of my posts did I condone the indiscriminate use of any drug from the field or big pharma. It is you who are so engrossed in killing pain with meds, not me. If you are any indication of a “grown-up” this country is in big trouble. Now get out there and go back to school and stop with the nastiness—your opinion is not necessarily the most important–unless you are stuck in the toddler stage of maturation and have not yet become aware of others.
“If you believe name-calling is educated discourse, then it is you who should get out of the gutter in which you dwell and get an education.”
Too good, really, too good. Let me try.
“Insults are the mark of ignorance. You are dumb.”
Did I do it right?
AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and at the same time yours and our taxdollars are used to protect opium and marijuana fields in afganistan , courtesy of the u.s. federal government.
So are we to assume that you volunteer to be the one knocking on each home’s door to make sure they are in compliance? That would be one heck of a way to get shot…honestly.
The feds need to stay out of Maine.
Since such programs as Social Security, HEAP, Food Stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, etc., are also federally funded, then are recipients of ALL such programs to be eventually targeted as well?
It’s long past due time for the “masses” of the American people to learn WHO and WHY the “marijuana” prohibition was created in the first place – because hemp fiber, food (seed), fuel & essential oils, etc., not to mention the hundreds of (as yet primarily unexplored – due to Corporate Fascism), cannabinoids and other alkaloids – created by nature – are VERY deeply threatening to corporate pharmaceutical chemical, petroleum and plastics industries. THEY are who created the prohibition campaign here in our (former?) “Republic” – “OF the People, FOR the People and BY the People” (a VERY special and UNIQUE manifestation) – fondly and lovingly – known as “America”.
These are the same corporate THUGS who created the Federal Reserve banking cartel, the IRS and all those illegal, un-constitutional (undeclared) wars, THUS: genocide, going on ever since World War 2.
There are books and even some video documentaries around that explore this -history- (not “theory”), yet like the horses we can lead to water, but “can’t make them drink” … it’s the PEOPLE who must CHOOSE to “learn” – instead of keeping their faces stuck onto their (mind-control) programming boxes – their TeeVees.
Aren’t the (corporate) shackles and chains getting heavy ENOUGH for people to take notice … YET?
Wake up, people.
Interesting old quote that bears significant relevance – of course the quoted one was KILLED – (like Jesus of Nazareth) – for telling the TRUTH:
“If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there’d *BE peace.”~ John Lennon
… but quite clearly something ELSE going on …
AS implemented by “the powers that *BE”: servants of, Luciferian, human slavery.
P.S. don’t forget to VOTE (“The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them.” ~ Karl Marx)
yes the amount of fraud is amazing yet people refuse to WakeUp!
Any politician – even down to the “select” man /person level – who will not participate in the education around and pursuit of Monetary Reform – is not worth the paper their election ballot is printed on … because THIS is an issue that underlies nearly everything else in our world
… and it seems that hardly anyone is paying sufficient attention to this …
Instead they are kept Occupied ELSEWHERE – Consider those two particular corporate puppet-monkey …CLONES … who are currently “debating” The Game Show of America (the presidential “election”)
-Abolish the FED … RETURN to U.S. Treasury-issued interest-free money … the REAL “Greenbacks”. End the debt-slavery which has been deliberately created by this (World Class Criminal) corporate banking cartel – which is holding America in shackles & blindfolds and operating the global genocide-for-money operations (like hijacking all the near-east countries because they produce OIL and because they prefer to use honest money instead of Dollars – out of distrust over the way they have been -historically- treated by the Western corporate thugs.
But remember, Presidents Lincoln, Garfield and Kennedy ALL mandated the use of honest money (Greenbacks) and ALL of them were KILLED (followed by -other- elaborate excuses – and cover-ups, like – deliberately created – Wars and Depressions).
… but probably it won’t matter – just keep watching TeeVee Game Shows and TeeVee NEWS…
(same stuff, different lighting and music). Take note, historically:
“It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have BEEN fooled.” ~ Mark Twain
P.S. don’t forget to send your children off to go around the world killing our brother & sister humans (and THEIR children) for these corporate slave-masters – as if it’s our “duty” (in the guise of Nationalism – really: human trauma-based Slavery) to serve these rotten thugs and their (historically-DEMONSTRATED) agendas.
“You cannot promote peace by [perpetually] preparing for war.” ~ Albert Einstein
All brilliant. Good stuff. Finally someone who has it right. Was rather happy to see the Marx quote, as well. A thousands hails to you, brother/sister in arms.
Hey, Barry Soetoro, remember your days in the Choom Gang? Fix this.
“If the board had made the opposite decision, it would have put additional burden on MaineHousing’s inspectors, who are responsible for annually inspecting the approximately 3,900 Section 8 housing units in the state. They are trained to inspect homes for housing-related issues, not on how to tell a medical marijuana plant from an illegal plant. ”
So other illegal plants are OK ? Ahhhhh, got it. Makes SO much sense !
It’s way easy to tell if it is legal or not because the tennant could just show you his card which says he can possess and raise. Section 8 in Maine: mind yer own business.
Shame on you.
i would rather have a marijuana user next door than an abusive, volatile alcoholic, drug dealer, child molester, child killer, animal abuser, domestic violence perpetrator, thief, peeping tom, etc…i have experienced all of these types and been told by those in control and authority, “there is nothing we can do, it is a civil matter”.
Section 8 is for housing not medication control. What’s next, are they going to try to forbid families with kids on aderall from being able to live there, or those folks on “controlled substances/medication”? Is a medical history gonna be required to determine and forbid women who have had abortions from residing in section 8 housing? (don’t start a pro-choice/anti abortion debate here because there are a few that are deemed medically necessary) and no, I don’t believe that abortion is ok. What about same sex partners? I would say keep it simple. List in the housing agreement that folks that have medical marijuana be required to notify the housing department and that information needs to be available when or if the housing inspector questions the agency when or if they see pot or pot plants in the home. Inspectors are not substance abuse control experts and they are not physicians and should not be perceived to be such. They already have enough to do to inspect the unit for the benefit of both the tenant and the owner. This way, if other folks in a housing complex or unit, and/or the inspector, do become aware of pot use/growing, they can report the matter to the agency which can then notify the police if that tenant is not listed as a medical marijuana tenant. Now that’s pretty simple isn’t it? If I were a medical marijuana patient, I’d be suing for discrimination due to medical needs. A medical need is determined by a physician based on a particular patient and is treated by that physician according to the state law.
It’s medicine and these folks are being discriminated against.
the feds need to address this issue with medical marijuana it is legal in so many states now
I was referring to the last sentence of this statement. Frankly, I don’t think this position makes much sense. Why make medical marijuana legal in Maine, require that patients register, through DHHS, and carry cards, only to deny benefits to the ones that can benefit most? I bet it’s less expensive, and more effective, than the potentially addictive prescription drugs commonly prescribed.
The object of every exercise in Medicine is to ‘feel better’, isn’t it?
“…To be clear, MaineHousing’s decision does not affect a person’s
status as a medical marijuana user or grower in Maine. It also doesn’t
mean that registered users or growers of medical marijuana are
immediately booted from the Section 8 program; it just means they are
not allowed to do it in an apartment that receives federal subsidies,
Turcotte said.
“It’s their choice,” she said. “They can go use it at a family member
or friend’s house, as long as the family and friend’s houses or homes
are not federally subsidized by Section 8.”…
For those of you who think MM is only given to the really ill in Maine, watch this:
Sorry, the auto link will not show up on here….. but worth typing into watch
MSH can go ahead and say they will no longer rent to Section 8 but what are they going to do? Start their very own task force to enforce it? I highly doubt it. They can do no more than any other landlord which is to put it in their leases and then do yearly checks or even monthly checks on the housing. Other than that they do not have the law behind them so the story is kind of rediculous and is only being used to try and take the heat off of them for all of the disgusting ratholes that they have had come out in the news as of late.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXe75TZYjJs
If you believe Marijuana is useless, you need to watch this. If you still believe it to be useless, you are a very sad person.