Change Pot Law, Oakland County Prosecutor Urges

[Hempcheff]

http://www.freep.com/article/20110325/NEWS06/103250342/0/SPORTS06/Change-pot-law-Oakland-County-prosecutor-urges?odyssey=nav|head

 

Michigan's medical marijuana law needs to be tweaked to make it easier to regulate and enforce, Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper told county commissioners Thursday.

 

Cooper said she has met with the county's state legislators and urged commission members to work together to help enact changes to the law that was passed by voters in 2008 by an overwhelming 63%-37% margin. Any changes would have to be passed by a two-thirds majority in the state House and Senate.

 

The law was aimed at helping those suffering chronic pain caused by severe illness like cancer and multiple sclerosis.

 

But Cooper said some people are using frivolous reasons for getting certificates that allow them to grow medical marijuana or to buy it from certified caregivers.

 

"Now we're seeing young people with hammertoes or dislocated shoulders getting certificates," she said. "And children under the age of 18 may obtain a medical marijuana card."

 

The state has received 111,451 applications for medical marijuana certificates and issued 63,869 cards. State officials said 27 people under the age of 18 have been issued medical marijuana cards.

 

Oakland County law enforcement officers have raided medical marijuana dispensaries in Waterford and Ferndale and continue to pursue charges against the owners. Cooper said that will continue because marijuana still is illegal under federal law.

 

While Cooper got a welcome reception at the meeting Thursday, Commissioner Craig Covey, D-Ferndale, said there should be much higher priorities for the prosecutor.

 

"I would like to see people be more open about cannabis use rather than reaching for the ... painkillers," he said.

[Honeyoil]

Michigan's medical marijuana law needs to be tweaked to make it easier to regulate and enforce, Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper told county commissioners Thursday.

 

Cooper said she has met with the county's state legislators and urged commission members to work together to help enact changes to the law that was passed by voters in 2008 by an overwhelming 63%-37% margin. Any changes would have to be passed by a two-thirds majority in the state House and Senate.

-snip

 

I thought that a 75% majority in the state House and Senate is required to change a voter initiative?

[+EdwardGlen]

fyi; This one dangerous women and not just to us

 

 

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110324/METRO02/10324Pontiac

 

 

Pontiac — The Oakland County prosecutor says she wants to end confusion surrounding the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, telling county commissioners at a board meeting Thursday that dispensaries of any kind are illegal in the state.

 

"It's black and white in the statute," Prosecutor Jessica Cooper told The Detroit News. "We're clarifying it in the courts and we're winning in the courts. The judges understand it, but we're losing in the public, because they keep thinking it's legalized and 'if I have a card, I can do anything I want.'"

 

The act, which passed in November 2008, has left dispensary operators and defense attorneys crying foul after narcotics enforcement officers began raiding cultivation operations in 2009. But Cooper said the law is very clear that only people with serious or debilitating illnesses, diagnosed by a Michigan-licensed doctor, are allowed to use the drug and only under certain conditions.

 

Each qualifying patient can have no more than one primary caregiver, who may maintain 12 or fewer plants or up to 2.5 ounces of harvested marijuana for no more than five designated patients.

 

Marijuana "pharmacies" are illegal in Michigan, Cooper said, since pharmacies and pharmacists must be licensed by the state, pharmacists must also obtain specialized education, and Schedule I substances, including marijuana, cannot be distributed at pharmacies under state and federal laws.

 

Still, Cooper acknowledged that there are issues with the law that need fixing, including the provision that allows parents to obtain patient cards for children 18 and under.

"Why are we spending millions and millions of dollars and thousands and thousands of hours trying to keep children away from what is the gateway drug, and that's marijuana?" Cooper asked.

 

Nearly 64,000 patient registrations have been issued by the Michigan Department of Community Health out of more than 111,000 original and renewal applications received since April 2009, Cooper said. Defense attorney Neil Rockind, who is representing clients accused of running illegal dispensaries in Waterford and Ferndale, disputed Cooper's assertion about the law.

 

"The law doesn't say dispensaries are illegal. It seems like that would be easy to include in the law if that were the intent of the individuals who drafted it," Rockind said. "The law doesn't say that caregivers and patients can't pool their resources to make marijuana more available to qualifying patients."

 

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110324/METRO02/103240467/Oakland-prosecutor--Marijuana-dispensaries-clearly-illegal#ixzz1HbyPyW6Y

[bobandtorey]

fyi; This one dangerous women and not just to us

 

 

http://www.detnews.c...02/10324Pontiac

 

 

Pontiac — The Oakland County prosecutor says she wants to end confusion surrounding the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, telling county commissioners at a board meeting Thursday that dispensaries of any kind are illegal in the state.

 

"It's black and white in the statute," Prosecutor Jessica Cooper told The Detroit News. "We're clarifying it in the courts and we're winning in the courts. The judges understand it, but we're losing in the public, because they keep thinking it's legalized and 'if I have a card, I can do anything I want.'"

 

The act, which passed in November 2008, has left dispensary operators and defense attorneys crying foul after narcotics enforcement officers began raiding cultivation operations in 2009. But Cooper said the law is very clear that only people with serious or debilitating illnesses, diagnosed by a Michigan-licensed doctor, are allowed to use the drug and only under certain conditions.

 

Each qualifying patient can have no more than one primary caregiver, who may maintain 12 or fewer plants or up to 2.5 ounces of harvested marijuana for no more than five designated patients.

 

Marijuana "pharmacies" are illegal in Michigan, Cooper said, since pharmacies and pharmacists must be licensed by the state, pharmacists must also obtain specialized education, and Schedule I substances, including marijuana, cannot be distributed at pharmacies under state and federal laws.

 

Still, Cooper acknowledged that there are issues with the law that need fixing, including the provision that allows parents to obtain patient cards for children 18 and under.

"Why are we spending millions and millions of dollars and thousands and thousands of hours trying to keep children away from what is the gateway drug, and that's marijuana?" Cooper asked.

 

Nearly 64,000 patient registrations have been issued by the Michigan Department of Community Health out of more than 111,000 original and renewal applications received since April 2009, Cooper said. Defense attorney Neil Rockind, who is representing clients accused of running illegal dispensaries in Waterford and Ferndale, disputed Cooper's assertion about the law.

 

"The law doesn't say dispensaries are illegal. It seems like that would be easy to include in the law if that were the intent of the individuals who drafted it," Rockind said. "The law doesn't say that caregivers and patients can't pool their resources to make marijuana more available to qualifying patients."

 

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/a...l#ixzz1HbyPyW6Y

 

thanks for the link Ed

she is worryied about her job

[solabeirtan]

Michigan's medical marijuana law needs to be tweaked to make it easier to regulate and enforce, Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper told county commissioners Thursday.

 

Cooper said she has met with the county's state legislators and urged commission members to work together to help enact changes to the law that was passed by voters in 2008 by an overwhelming 63%-37% margin. Any changes would have to be passed by a two-thirds majority in the state House and Senate.

 

The state has received 111,451 applications for medical marijuana certificates and issued 63,869 cards. State officials said 27 people under the age of 18 have been issued medical marijuana cards.

Just happened to have this available, from the MDCH cuurent 3/11/11

 

• 111,451 original and renewal applications received since April 6, 2009.
• 63,735 patient registrations issued.
• The number of caregivers will be posted as soon as an accurate number can be obtained.
• 12,090 applications denied -- most due to incomplete application or missing documentation.

How did she get the Under 18 Stat ? Seems like this should be confidential Information.

 

my math:

____111,451 - 12,090 = 99,361 All Registrations, P&C New or Renewall.

------------------ patients - 63,735

Caregivers or renewalls ? 35,626

 

Wow check this out, If you take the correct figure of 63,735 and add 27 you get 63,896.

___________________________________ Then you look at her eroneuos figure of 63,869. wtf ?

where did she get the 27 figure? Did she just pulled it out of her a..... then maybe she should put it back !

 

....apparently, She's a firm believer in Cooking the books, though not very convincing.

[jimbojinx]

Comissioner Craig Covey of Ferndale looks to be wearing a white hat !!!! Can anyone tell us more about him ?

[Royal Smoke]

Just happened to have this available, from the MDCH cuurent 3/11/11

 

• 111,451 original and renewal applications received since April 6, 2009.
• 63,735 patient registrations issued.
• The number of caregivers will be posted as soon as an accurate number can be obtained.
• 12,090 applications denied -- most due to incomplete application or missing documentation.

How did she get the Under 18 Stat ? Seems like this should be confidential Information.

 

my math: 111,451 - 12,090 = 99,361 All Registrations, P&C New or Renewall.

--------------- patients - 63,735

Caregivers or renewalls ? 35,626

 

You're omitting the fact that most likely those 12,090 applications that were denied were later approved after the corrections were made.

 

Just thought I'd point that out.

[Darkmatter]

State officials said 27 people under the age of 18 have been issued medical marijuana cards.

 

I would wager that those kids were terminal. It pains me to think that someone such as this could take medicine away from dying children. Because that's most likely the case. Most parents would never sing off on such as thing were it not. What would she have them take Morphine instead?

 

The climate for us is dangerous in Oakland county. When I received my certification I contacted a trusted defense lawyer friend (who is good people) and made sure my back was covered in case the hammer of oppresion falls on me. I would urge many of you to do so as well.

[solabeirtan]

You're omitting the fact that most likely those 12,090 applications that were denied were later approved after the corrections were made.

 

Just thought I'd point that out.

 

Heh, heh good work ! Hope you're wrong, and its more like 63,735 patients then the 12, 090. After they make their corrections we should have 75,825 Patients. Reminds me mine expires May 1, this year. Time to see the Doc again, already. We should be able to break 100,000 patients this year, maybe ...