Four Apply for Marijuana under New Nevada Law

Published November 1, 2001

Four people formally applied for cards allowing the possession of marijuana during the first week of Nevada’s medical marijuana law.

“Two of them are OK and I’m processing them,” said Cecile Crofoot, administrator of the program for the state Department of Agriculture. “The other two, I have to send back for errors.”

She couldn’t release any details on the two approved applications other than to say the paperwork was correct, a doctor’s letter was included, and the doctor in each case was a licensed Nevada physician.

The law allowing people with chronic or debilitating medical conditions to use medical marijuana protects the identities of both the applicant and doctor from the public. The law took effect October 1.

“Now it’s a matter of getting the right papers to (the Department of Motor Vehicles) and the applicant,” Crofoot told the Nevada Appeal.

“You do the doctor check to make sure they’re licensed and you have the criminal check to make sure they (applicants) don’t have any drug convictions.” A certified letter then goes out telling the applicant he/she can legally use marijuana in Nevada, she said. The letter serves as a valid permit for up to 30 days until the applicant gets a card from DMV.

Crofoot said she mailed out 355 applications in the two weeks since the agriculture department began accepting requests—201 in the first week. She said she expects to receive more applications later in October.

Most of those making the requests for applications seemed legitimate, she added. The program requires a letter from a doctor stating marijuana could help with symptoms of their illness.

Under the new state law, medical marijuana is allowed for all cancer and glaucoma cases, and conditions causing chronic pain. The law protects people from state prosecution only for use or possession of less than an ounce, or seven live plants. The law doesn’t protect those with a card from federal prosecution.

Earlier this year, Nevada became the ninth state to legalize medical marijuana.


Reprinted with permission from the Las Vegas Sun.