The Arizona Department of Health Services issued its first annual report on the state of Arizona’s medical marijuana law.  The report is titled “Report to Arizona, Department of Health Services: First Annual Medical Marijuana Report A.R.S. §36-2809.”  Here are some statements made in the report:

During April 2011 to June 2012, ADHS received a total of 41,476 applications and approved approximately 98% of the applications (40,463). Out of the 40,463 approved applications, 33,060 (82%) were new applications and 3,689 (9%) were application for renewals. There were a total of 29,804 active cardholders, which included 28,977 qualifying patients and 827 caregivers.  Of the total qualifying patients, approximately 26% (n = 7,702) were female qualifying patients and of the total caregivers, 20% (n = 168) were female caregivers. During April 2011 to June 2012 slightly over 80% (n = 24,191) of the qualifying patients and caregivers (n = 701) were authorized to cultivate.

The majority of the qualifying patients (n = 22,357; 77%) had one debilitating medical condition with the remaining 23% reporting two or more conditions. Approximately 70% of the qualifying patients (n = 19,631) indicated “severe and chronic pain” as the only debilitating medical condition. Four-hundred seventy physicians provided certifications to 28,977 patients during this time period (a median value of two certifications per physician; however, 10 physicians certified 13,336 [~46%] of all patients).

From May 14 through May 25, 2012, ADHS accepted applications for non-profit medical marijuana dispensaries.

ADHS held a lottery on August 7, 2012, and a total of 98 registration certificates were allocated through this process.

During the time period for which the data have been analyzed provided in this report (April 14, 2011 through June 15, 2012), there were zero DA Registry Identification Cards issued.

Several lawsuits have been filed concerning the implementation of the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act. A scanned copy of the complaint for each lawsuit is available on the ADHS
website. As of the date of this Annual Report, the current lawsuits include:

  • Johanna Dispensaries v. ADHS: LC2012-000544
  • Charise Voss Arfa v. ADHS: CV2012-014816
  • Arizona Organix v. ADHS: CV2012-054733
  • White Mountain Health Center v. ADHS: CV2012-053585
  • Serenity v. ADHS: LC2011-000410
  • Elements v. ADHS: CV2011-011288
  • Compassion First v. Arizona: CV2011-011290
  • Sobol v. Arizona: CV2011-053246
  • Arizona v. 2811: CV2011-014508
  • Arizona v. USA: 11-01072

Medical Marijuana Fund Program Inception through FY 2012 4/14/2011 to 6/30/2012

Revenues:

Application fee for a Registry Card $5,525,277
Application fee for a Dispensary $2,420,000

Total Revenues $7,945,277

Expenditures:

Salaries, Wages and Benefits $570,972
Operating Expenditures $1,505,023
Capital Equipment Expenditures  $304,464

Total Expenditures $2,380,459

Fund Balance $5,564,818