Medical Marijuana Registry Program Update

(as of May 31, 2013)

In the November 2000 general election, Coloradans passed Amendment 20, and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) was tasked with implementing and administering the Medical Marijuana Registry program.  In March of 2001, the State of Colorado Board of Health approved the Rules and Regulations pertaining to the administration of the program, and on June 1, 2001, the Registry began accepting and processing applications for registry identification cards.  

Statistics of the registry include:

·         220,637 new patient applications have been received to date since the registry began operating in June 2001.  The total number of patients who currently possess valid Registry ID cards is 105,886. 

·         Sixty-seven percent of approved applicants are male.

·         The average age of all patients is 42.  Currently forty-one patients are minors (under the age of 18).

·         Fifty-nine percent of patients reside in the Denver-metro area (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas & Jefferson counties), with the remainder of patients residing in counties throughout Colorado. 

·         Patients on the registry represent all the debilitating conditions covered under Amendment 20.  Severe pain accounts for 94 percent of all reported conditions; muscle spasms account for the second-most reported condition at 15 percent.  Note that percentages do not add up to 100 percent because some patients have more than one condition.          

·         Fifty-seven percent of patients have designated a primary care-giver (someone who has significant responsibility for managing the care of a patient with a debilitating medical condition) or a medical marijuana care center.

·         More than 800 different physicians have signed for current patients in Colorado.

·         The average processing time for applications during this month was 22 days.

Please see the attached tables for a complete listing of all statistical information.

As of October 27, 2008 all applications, renewals and changes to the registry must be submitted via mail and include a legible photo copy of the patient’s Colorado identification.  Faxes and emails are not accepted.

No general funds have been designated for this program.  The Colorado Constitution authorizes CDPHE to collect fees to cover the costs of administering the program.  Currently the fee is $35, and is evaluated annually by CDPHE.   The fee was lowered from $110 on June 1, 2007, and was again lowered from $90 on January 1, 2012.

Table I:  County Information

* Indicates fewer than three patients in the category

Table II:  Conditions

**Does not add to 100% as some patients report using medical marijuana for more than

    one debilitating medical condition.

Table III:  User Characteristics

** The overall average age of all patients is 42 years old.