Michigan Doctor Accused Of Medical Marijuana Fraud

[Zerocool]

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A doctor accused of conspiring to sell medical marijuana certificates from a clinic in the back of a Warren appliance store has had her license suspended by the state.

 

Lois Butler-Jackson is the first physician to have a medical license suspended in connection with Michigan's medical marijuana law, the Detroit Free Press reported Wednesday.

 

Attorney General Bill Schuette and state Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Director Steven Hilfinger announced the 50-year-old Detroit resident's suspension a day earlier, saying she violated the public health code. She has not been charged with a crime.

 

Butler-Jackson worked as a home care physician for Sentinel Wound Care Associates P.C. in Macomb County's Clinton Township.

 

Schuette and Hilfinger said an undercover investigation by Clinton Township police found Brian Deloose sold hundreds of medical marijuana registration packets with physician certificates pre-signed by Butler-Jackson for $250 each at the Safe Access Clinic. Butler-Jackson didn't conduct formal examinations or review any medical records for most of patients she certified, and she received $100 from Deloose for each new registration packet and $50 for each renewal packet sold at the appliance store, the state officials said.

 

Deloose, 33, has not been charged with a crime. He told the Free Press there was "no truth" to the claims made by the state.

 

A message seeking comment from Butler-Jackson was left by The Associated Press on Wednesday.

 

State officials say Butler-Jackson made between $20,000 and $30,000 from the packet sales.

 

"Michigan citizens deserve the highest standard of care from their physicians, and that is why we are taking this action today," Schuette said in a statement. "We simply will not stand for the criminal use of a law that was meant to help a narrow group of seriously ill individuals."

 

The state will hold a hearing in 10 days to determine whether Butler-Jackson's license will be permanently suspended, The Detroit News reported.

[+ProPlayer420]

Been Charged now

 

A Macomb County doctor and another man were charged Thursday with several felonies in connection with a scheme to provide medical marijuana for profit.

 

Dr. Lois Butler-Jackson, 50, and Brian Deloose, 33, were charged jointly by the Michigan Attorney General and the Macomb County prosecutor. Both are accused of participating in a scheme to sell medical marijuana registration packets to prospective patients. Both of the accused are expected to surrender to authorities.

 

“This law was intended to help a narrow group of seriously ill individuals, but criminals are exploiting it for illegal activity that puts everyone’s safety at risk,” Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said in a news release announcing the arrests.

 

Butler-Jackson faces charges of placing misleading or inaccurate information into medical records, a 5-year felony; and conspiracy to commit a legal act in an illegal manner, an offense punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.

 

State authorities previously suspended the medical license of Butler-Jackson in connection with the investigation of the case. A separate civil action regarding that issue is pending.

 

Deloose faces the same two charges filed against the physician plus two others: delivery of marijuana and possession with intent to deliver marijuana.

 

The arrests came after an undercover investigation of many months by the Clinton Township Police. According to authorities, Butler-Jackson pre-signed falsified medical marijuana physician certification forms that Deloose later sold from his Warren appliance store, also advertised as the “Safe Access Clinic.”

 

Authorities accuse of Deloose of selling hundreds of medical marijuana registration packets, including the pre-signed certificates, to prospective patients for $250 each. Deloose paid Butler-Jackson a percentage on each packet sold.

 

“This is the abuse we anticipated with this statute; certification mills churning out rubber-stamp certifications for recreational weed,” Smith said. “We won’t tolerate it.”

[CedarSpringsCG]

Now, if they have proof of this and there is truth behind it, I accept their closing down of a certification mill. I don't think THIS law allows for recreational use. And that's what they should be doing. Go after the illegal mills, sales to the black market etc, and leave the REAL CG's and PT's alone...

[DeathByStoning]

This was reported on this website months ago before it was news. I don't know how someone could be so stupid as to do that.

[Kevin]

All in the name of the almighty dollar. Educated people should know better. Now they will have to pay.

[tooldini]

This kind of stuff sucks and hopefully won't mess everything up for the law. I am sure things will change soon with this crap goin on. I am sure there are alot of scams like this out there. There is someone on craigslist in my area selling some kinda medical marijuana card for 25.00, does not even look like the real deal.

[Dr. Bob]

I suspect this will not be the first set of charges. There is a mill in N. Michigan doing the same thing, and they are next.

 

The best part of this is the attitude of the people in here. This type of behavior, if proven to be the case, hurts us all. As for the postings on this board, it is my hope that not only was it posted, but that it was a member that turned them in. It shows the general public that those of us in the medical marijuana community are in it for the right reasons. That we are grateful for the trust the people of Michigan gave us and that while we are medicating to ease suffering, we will not tolerate those that view it as a joke or a means to a quick buck at the expense of sick patients.

 

Dr. Bob

[MORE COWBELL]

MMM PATIENTS DRUG THRU THE MUD AGAIN BECAUSE OF GREED!

 

somethings got to change or they will take our law away

[peanutbutter]

I suspect this will not be the first set of charges. There is a mill in N. Michigan doing the same thing, and they are next.

 

The best part of this is the attitude of the people in here. This type of behavior, if proven to be the case, hurts us all. As for the postings on this board, it is my hope that not only was it posted, but that it was a member that turned them in. It shows the general public that those of us in the medical marijuana community are in it for the right reasons. That we are grateful for the trust the people of Michigan gave us and that while we are medicating to ease suffering, we will not tolerate those that view it as a joke or a means to a quick buck at the expense of sick patients.

 

Dr. Bob

 

Is it possible that your operation be determined illegal in the future? Yes. Likely? Only time will tell.

 

I hope that if it becomes your turn there is no one here that applauds the authorities in your case. Frankly, from what I've seen, there would probably be a quick twenty posts against you also.

 

I'm sure there were many people that were helped by these folks.

 

No records is a very real problem. A person that has managed to treat a medical condition with mmj for years may have little or no medical paper trail. For those, the "mills" serve a very valuable service.

 

Do "mills" fit within the framework of the law? Sadly no. I say sadly because of the pain that people will now have to endure.

[Dr. Bob]

Is it possible that your operation be determined illegal in the future? Yes. Likely? Only time will tell.

 

I hope that if it becomes your turn there is no one here that applauds the authorities in your case. Frankly, from what I've seen, there would probably be a quick twenty posts against you also.

 

I'm sure there were many people that were helped by these folks.

 

No records is a very real problem. A person that has managed to treat a medical condition with mmj for years may have little or no medical paper trail. For those, the "mills" serve a very valuable service.

 

Do "mills" fit within the framework of the law? Sadly no. I say sadly because of the pain that people will now have to endure.

 

No record mills are bad enough, this is a case of 'presigned' certifications sold to a 'broker' who passed them out for cash. It is disgusting.

 

As for me, I review and retain the records of EVERY patient I see, I follow them up, I answer their questions and yes, I refuse to certify the few that make it through the screening process to me that are not qualified. I feel for the patients with no records. But if going to a chiropractor or physician to have problems documented so the Act is protected is what it takes, that is a sacrifice that is well worth the effort.

 

If I cannot defend a patient against a hostile prosecutor and keep them out of jail with RECORDS and JUDGEMENT, I do not certify them. Sadly many are put at risk of prosecution because of a few with low standards and high greed. This was a preventable black eye for the entire community.

 

Dr. Bob

 

PS, I saw 3 patients today in Saginaw that came in without records last week. They all came back with records. I certified them and gave them a $25 discount for their trouble coming back again. They weren't told to bring the records the first time and though they just needed to show up, as ads in the paper for 'no record/no problem' clinics lead them to believe they weren't needed.

[Dr. Bob]

MMM PATIENTS DRUG THRU THE MUD AGAIN BECAUSE OF GREED!

 

somethings got to change or they will take our law away

 

the patients were not attacked, it was the ones that were making a mockery of the law (the physician and the broker). they existed because there was a demand for their services by patients that didn't know the difference or didn't care.

 

Dr. Bob

[DeathByStoning]

Is it possible that your operation be determined illegal in the future? Yes. Likely? Only time will tell.

 

I hope that if it becomes your turn there is no one here that applauds the authorities in your case. Frankly, from what I've seen, there would probably be a quick twenty posts against you also.

 

I'm sure there were many people that were helped by these folks.

 

No records is a very real problem. A person that has managed to treat a medical condition with mmj for years may have little or no medical paper trail. For those, the "mills" serve a very valuable service.

 

Do "mills" fit within the framework of the law? Sadly no. I say sadly because of the pain that people will now have to endure.

What crawled up your rear? How can you compare Dr Bob's work with an operation where a dr NEVER sees the "patient" but just hands out pre-signed documents? Really.....

[peanutbutter]

No record mills are bad enough, this is a case of 'presigned' certifications sold to a 'broker' who passed them out for cash. It is disgusting.

 

As for me, I review and retain the records of EVERY patient I see, I follow them up, I answer their questions and yes, I refuse to certify the few that make it through the screening process to me that are not qualified. I feel for the patients with no records. But if going to a chiropractor or physician to have problems documented so the Act is protected is what it takes, that is a sacrifice that is well worth the effort.

 

If I cannot defend a patient against a hostile prosecutor and keep them out of jail with RECORDS and JUDGEMENT, I do not certify them. Sadly many are put at risk of prosecution because of a few with low standards and high greed. This was a preventable black eye for the entire community.

 

Dr. Bob

 

PS, I saw 3 patients today in Saginaw that came in without records last week. They all came back with records. I certified them and gave them a $25 discount for their trouble coming back again. They weren't told to bring the records the first time and though they just needed to show up, as ads in the paper for 'no record/no problem' clinics lead them to believe they weren't needed.

Hey Doc .. I think you're doing a bang up job. And these people did a crap job.

 

There are people that tell me they're going to do really stupid stuff re this law. I tell them what I think, if asked.

 

But one thing I would never do is turn the hounds of legal hell lose on anyone. Not for anything related to marijuana.

 

I would never dream of celebrating the arrest, or other legal harm, of someone over marijuana activity.

 

Those are sad events. Yes, they hurt everyone. That is sad also.

[peanutbutter]

What crawled up your rear? How can you compare Dr Bob's work with an operation where a dr NEVER sees the "patient" but just hands out pre-signed documents? Really.....

 

Simple .. the lines are changing. Dr. Bob could find himself on the other side of the line at any moment.

 

And I've seen the response on this board many many times before.

 

People would dump on Dr, Bob just as quickly as they have here on these other folks. For better or worse .. it's SOP at the MMMA.

[Dr. Bob]

What crawled up your rear? How can you compare Dr Bob's work with an operation where a dr NEVER sees the "patient" but just hands out pre-signed documents? Really.....

 

I have too much respect for PB to make this comment myself. I'll just chock it up to a bad night. He may be right, but I think enough people in here know the difference and the response would be different if I was charged.

 

Dr. Bob

[Dr. Bob]

Hey Doc .. I think you're doing a bang up job. And these people did a crap job.

 

There are people that tell me they're going to do really stupid stuff re this law. I tell them what I think, if asked.

 

But one thing I would never do is turn the hounds of legal hell lose on anyone. Not for anything related to marijuana.

 

I would never dream of celebrating the arrest, or other legal harm, of someone over marijuana activity.

 

Those are sad events. Yes, they hurt everyone. That is sad also.

 

I appreciate the kind words, but we have to temper them with common sense. But to generically come to their support, or criticize those that don't because it involved MMJ is akin to excusing a bank robbery because the suspect was smoking a joint.

 

Dr. Bob

[sho]

Don't meet the "acceptable standard", go above it. Seems like you've been doing that Dr Bob. I'm worried about my cert through a certain group in the U.P., I talked to you a little on FB about this ... I do know I will be seeing you in person when I'm up for renewal.

[purklize]

Dr. Bob, I think PB just meant that our enemies in Lansing are constantly raising the bar, intending to make it impossible to be compliant, hence eventually they could get you too. That it'd be easy for some dirty reporter to misrepresent what you're doing - "A doctor writing PRESCRIPTIONS for (gasp) MARIJUANA on the internet (smirk)... to CHILDREN..." and cause people to go crazy here with this misinformation, accusing you of wrecking our law. Ultimately misinformation is the problem in every way...

[Dr. Bob]

Dr. Bob, I think PB just meant that our enemies in Lansing are constantly raising the bar, intending to make it impossible to be compliant, hence eventually they could get you too. That it'd be easy for some dirty reporter to misrepresent what you're doing - "A doctor writing PRESCRIPTIONS for (gasp) MARIJUANA on the internet (smirk)... to CHILDREN..." and cause people to go crazy here with this misinformation, accusing you of wrecking our law. Ultimately misinformation is the problem in every way...

 

You raise an excellent point, had a long discussion with a reporter last night about the misuse of statistics. Don't forget, I'm still travelling some 50 hours a week to do live clinics, have very strict protocols on telemedicine (and extensive experience with it). Protocols and standards save the day. Remember, a major reason for doing telemedicine is to force the issue and protect the Act. Recall there is no written standard for a 'bona fide' doctor patient relationship in a live visit, but there is one for telemedicine. Forcing the issue and getting that relationship affirmed in the courts, then extending the same procedure to live visits and having that affirmed will take away much of the ammunition used by LEO to question certs. The outreach to home bound or remote patients and quite frankly the decreased work load on me are other very positive aspects.

 

I used to be a newspaper reporter in Plainwell. Which is the better story? Doctor does internet certs of children (which results in a crushing lawsuit to the paper) OR Innovative doctor with standards makes use of latest technology to reach bedridden grandmas with glaucoma in rural UP? That's a story I would read.... I might even buy the paper just to read it.

 

Dr. Bob

[Dr. Bob]

Don't meet the "acceptable standard", go above it. Seems like you've been doing that Dr Bob. I'm worried about my cert through a certain group in the U.P., I talked to you a little on FB about this ... I do know I will be seeing you in person when I'm up for renewal.

 

Honest to God we have to. That is why I cringe every time someone comes up with the excuse 'last time I got my oxycontin the doc barely talked to me and the visit was just a script signing'. What we do is not justified by citing examples of 'worse docs' in other fields. You are right on the money, we have to be BETTER because we are under the microscope. They are looking for us to fall, and examples like this (presigned certs and brokers) result in a feeding frenzy.

 

It is a simple matter to do things right, the first time, every time. I have to do it, you have to do it. I require records, you have to get them. Until LEO is used to this, until the general public views it as 'routine' and 'normal' to use MMJ medically, we need our guard up. We don't have the luxury of being able to relax and loosen things up to make sure we miss no one that qualifies medically, we have to concentrate on the 90% that SOLIDLY QUALIFY and we have the records to prove it. That is how we build our numbers and keep the Act strong and in place for the next few years.

 

Dr. Bob

[peanutbutter]

I appreciate the kind words, but we have to temper them with common sense. But to generically come to their support, or criticize those that don't because it involved MMJ is akin to excusing a bank robbery because the suspect was smoking a joint.

 

Dr. Bob

 

I'm not saying to support them. That may seem to be what I'm doing, but that isn't my intent.

 

I just figure "they" will fully condemn this operation. We don't need to help "them" do that to our entire community.

 

Just saying .. avoid helping the nazis.

[CedarSpringsCG]

If I were on the jury, I would most likely vote to acquit. LEO doesn't need our help in harassing legitimate people, and if they can't even convict people violating the law, maybe they will lay off on the people who are just trying to survive.

 

i dont agree with what they were doing, and it turns public opinion against us, and I would likely find these people and tell them that. However I wouldn't have to go to a jail cell to tell them how I felt.

 

Cedar

[Iceman081]

What about all the people that were certified by this doctor? Think Schuette will have MDCH pull all their records and have their certs cancelled? This needs to be watched big time!!!! After all if they weren't legit certs he's gonna claim there is no defence for the patients, this could be tragic for alot of people, the doctor and the broker are just the tip of the iceberg. Without a valid Doctor signature you loose all rights with this law!!!!!

[rhinoman]

What about all the people that were certified by this doctor? Think Schuette will have MDCH pull all their records and have their certs cancelled? This needs to be watched big time!!!! After all if they weren't legit certs he's gonna claim there is no defence for the patients, this could be tragic for alot of people, the doctor and the broker are just the tip of the iceberg. Without a valid Doctor signature you loose all rights with this law!!!!!

yeah thats what i was thinking, the State should send out letters informing the patients of this. just so there wouldnt be any problems.

[Dr. Bob]

yeah thats what i was thinking, the State should send out letters informing the patients of this. just so there wouldnt be any problems.

 

I think they would have some trouble, but with pre-signed certs this could be a matter of simply invalidating all of them for cause.

 

Dr. Bob