For Immediate Release February 28, 2007

Contact: Shannan Velayas (916) 319-2013

Assemblyman Mark Leno Announces Major Fee Reduction for State MedicalMarijuana ID Card

Fee increase reduced to $66, down from $142 SACRAMENTO, CA-

On the heels of public outcries over a state plan toincrease the fee charged to patients for medical marijuanaidentification cards, Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) todayannounced that the Department of Health Services has agreed to reducethe fee increase to $66 for the state portion of the ID card fee, whichis down from the previously announced $142."

As county after county began to consider pulling out of the statemedical marijuana ID card program, it was clear to all involved that thefee increase at the $142 level would have ended the program. We simplycould not allow patients who depend on medical cannabis for pain andnausea relief to be put at risk of mistaken arrest or detainment by lawenforcement," said Assemblyman Leno. "I would like to thank Departmentof Health Services Director Sandra Shewry and her team for theirresponsiveness to our effort to keep the ID card program intact.Clearly, a crisis has been averted."

In late December, the California Department of Health Services, whichadministers the Medical Marijuana Identification Card (MMIC) program,announced that the state fee for the ID card would be increased from $13per year to $142 per year starting on March 1, 2007. Knowing that a$142 fee would destroy the program, Leno worked to negotiatealternatives. In mid February, Leno wrote a letter to Director SandraShewry urging a delay of the fee hike and later met with the Directorand her staff to explore possible solutions.

Today, the Department of Health Services announced that it has abandonedthe $142 fee increase which was slated to take effect March 1st. In itsplace, they plan to increase the fee from $13 to $66 a year effectiveApril 1st. The new fee for Medi-Cal patients will be $33. Beginning onWednesday evening Department staff began notifying counties that the$142 fee would not take effect on March 1st as announced in December. Awritten notice of 30 days is being sent out to counties.

"I would like to underscore that this saves the ID card program in theshort-term, but it is vital that all counties begin accepting cardapplications as soon as possible to ensure the financial viability ofthe program," said Leno.

The California Department of Health Services, which has issuedapproximately 10,000 medical marijuana ID cards since August 2005, hasbeen hampered by the failure or refusal of some of the state's mostpopulous counties including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino,Orange, and Sacramento to implement the program. Without theirparticipation, the program structured to accommodate 150,000 medicalcannabis patients with a $13 state application fee has been unable tocover its costs as required by state law.

Thus far, the ID card program has been implemented by 24 of the 58California counties. San Diego, San Bernardino, and Merced Countieshave filed lawsuits in state court against SB 420 instead ofimplementing the ID card program. However, in a December 6, 2006decision, Superior Court Judge William Nevitt, Jr. rejected the lawsuitsaying that the ID card program is not in conflict with federal law.San Diego County has appealed the decision.

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