I have yet to see a big problem with folks getting taken advantage of, but I think it wise to go into a caregiver/patient relationship with eyes wide open. I’d wager that most caregivers truly want to help. Those who are pretending to be caregivers for the wrong reasons should be easy to spot. Here’s a list of tips and ideas to help keep patients, and their hard earned money, safe in their search for a caregiver.
- Find someone local – everything else becomes easier. This is especially true for those who don’t have reliable transportation.
- Get to know your potential caregiver. Your intuition and judge of character will help a lot. “Why do you want to be a caregiver?” is a very important question/answer. Trust your ‘gut.’
- Be wary of per ounce prices in excess of $200 – it just doesn’t cost that much to grow.
- Be wary of large upfront costs – if you decide to be a carpenter and buy tools of the trade, do you charge the first couple customers for all your tools? No, that’s not how that works.
- Any extra fees above and beyond the cost per ounce should be discussed up front – there should be no surprises.
- If a caregiver has yet to grow a legal crop, pass until they have.
- A caregiver should be able to thoroughly justify their costs. If they can’t then they don’t fully understand the costs. This could lead to surprises.
- A caregiver should be willing to show you (in a private setting) an example of the medicine. NOTE: Free samples are not a thing and is probably illegal, but there is nothing illegal about being able to inspect the product.
- A caregiver should be willing to help you find the cultivarA cultivated variety, often mistakenly called a 'strain.' More that best suits your needs.
- A caregiver should be able to explain their entire cultivation process to you and the best caregivers will allow you an occasional supervised visit to the growing space. You need to ensure that your medicine is grown in good conditions free of contaminants. This includes sprays used to manage pests.
- Discretion should be an expectation for both of you. A caregiver should never divulge who their patients are – this is protected information! Likewise, a patient should never reveal who their caregiver is and, for goodness sake, NEVER reveal where the grow is located.
If you feel you’ve found someone who can help you with your needs, follow this easy process for arranging/registering the relationship with the state.
Do you have any additions or suggestions for this list? Please leave it in the comments.
Happy Harvests!
— The Lit Farmer —