Title:
AZ: H.B. 2585 would endanger Arizona medical marijuana patient confidentiality
Message:
H.B.
2585, which would add confidential medical marijuana patient data to the controlled
substances prescription monitoring program, is moving ahead. While the sponsor
may have had good intentions, this bill directly contradicts Prop 203’s
confidentiality provisions, and we must oppose its passage.
Please call to urge your representative to vote “no”
on H.B. 2585. It has passed the House Committee of the Whole, and if it passes
its Third Reading vote, it will move on to the Senate.
Prop 203 clearly states that “data subject to this section
shall not be combined or linked with any other list or database,” yet this bill
would do exactly that. Current law provides that law enforcement and dispensary
agents can access a system to verify only a cardholder’s registry
identification card number, but cannot go on a “fishing expedition” to research
a specific individual. If H.B. 2585 passes, law enforcement, as well as
physicians, pharmacists, and even professional licensing boards, will be able to
“fish” for extensive information on any cardholder.
We should also watch H.B.
2541, which will likely make it easier for employers to fire medical
marijuana patients. You may also be interested to know that the final medical
marijuana rules will be published on
March 28, with full implementation to follow.
