[act-ma] Two Demonstrations against the State Government and the Wellness Connection

[Roger Leisner]

Maine Medical Marijuana patients demonstrated against the Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services in Augusta on April 5, 2013.  Wellness Connection equals Lung Infection should have read the headlines in Maine newspapers this past weekend.  Thanks to courageous whistle blowers on the inside, Maine Medical Marijuana patients found out that the Wellness Connection's four dispensaries were selling marijuana that was moldy and sprayed with life threatening pesticides, plus the Wellness Connection had provided the names of all their consumers to the Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services of the Maine Department of Health Human Services in violation of HIPAA laws concerning patient confidentiality.  It was a whistle blower, not the State, that revealed what the Wellness Connection was doing behind closed doors.  The State has failed to protect Maine Medical Marijuana patients, and the
 Wellness Connection has violated patient privacy.  Maine Medical Marijuana patients demanded that the State regulators do their job:  pull the product, protect patient privacy and respect the rights of patients and employees.  Former Wellness Connection patients were present and interviewed by the media.

The Wellness Connection sells a moldy and pesticide contaminated product at a price of $15.00 to $19.00 per gram and has violated patient privacy.  In addition, the Wellness Connection has ignored the rights of their employees and has refused to recognize their union.  Maine Medical Marijuana patients demonstrated outside the Wellness Connection retail outlet in Hallowell on April 5, 2013, and demanded that the Wellness Connection pull their contaminated product, protect their patient's privacy and recognize the rights of employees to form a union.  In addition to former Wellness Connection patients and the media, Maine Green Cross members, Don Christen of Maine Vocals and Wellness Connection employees advocating for union recognition were in attendance. 

Photos can be found at
http://the-maine-paparazzi.smugmug.com/
go to this gallery:  Maine Medical Marijuana

Check out the following articles:

http://freepressonline.com/main.asp?SectionID=52&SubSectionID=78&ArticleID=25161


http://www.examiner.com/article/workers-unionize-at-maine-s-largest-medical-marijuana-dispensary

http://www.kjonline.com/news/Protesters-blast-Maines-largest-pot-dispensary-in-Hallowell-protest-Friday.html


Roger Leisner
The Maine Paparazzi
Radio Free
 Maine
P.O. Box 2705
Augusta, Maine 04338
207-242-0643
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