Group urges cannabis businesses to offer free or low-cost products to seriously ill patients

The Michigan Cannabis Manufacturers Association is encouraging its members to provide free or low-cost cannabis products to patients with severe or terminal illnesses.

MCMA’s Board of Directors unanimously passed a resolution last week that asks member companies to create a program to ensure seriously ill patients have access to low- or no-cost cannabis products that are tested, labeled, tracked, and licensed.

MCMA represents cannabis businesses across the state.

“Just like any other form of medicine, patients with cancer and other severe or terminal illnesses deserve to know their cannabis has met the highest standards for testing, tracking, licensing and safety — and our members’ products do just that,” MCMA Executive Director Stephen Linder said in a news release. “Michigan’s patients rely on cannabis as medicine and deserve to know where their cannabis comes from and what’s in it. We encourage our member companies to assess the specific needs of these patients in their communities and help ensure they have access to safe, tested cannabis products.”
 

Here’s the resolution:
 

The Board of Directors of the Michigan Cannabis Manufacturers Association hereby resolves: The membership of the MCMA is committed to making sure that patients and children with chronic illnesses such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, autism, and many other chronic or terminal illnesses should have access to safe, tested and cost-effective medical cannabis products.

Therefore, be it resolved, that the Board of the Michigan Cannabis Manufacturers Association encourages each member to develop their own program to offer low-cost or free Medical Cannabis and Medical products and develop the criteria to do so and advertise their program independently to the public.

The Board of the MCMA is taking the Best Practice from the Regulated Pharmaceutical Industry to assist Americans in obtaining the medicine they need by offering these life-saving drugs at an affordable cost to the most vulnerable citizens.

The Board of the MCMA is proud to emulate this compassionate program and to provide Medical Cannabis products that are tested, safe and of the highest quality and purity to treat children and those with chronic or terminal illnesses.

MCMA has come under fire for supporting legislation that would license and regulate medical marijuana caregivers. Some opponents are calling for a boycott of MCMA’s members, saying the legislation is intended to monopolize the industry.