Editorial: Michigan Must Rewrite Dopey Medical Marijuana Law

[Michael Komorn]

 

 

 

Editorial: Michigan must rewrite dopey medical marijuana law

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110626/OPINION01/106260308/1008/opinion01/Editorial--Michigan-must-rewrite-dopey-medical-marijuana-law

 

 

 

 

Editorial: Michigan must rewrite dopey medical marijuana law

 

Clearer lines are needed between medicinal marijuana and its illegal cousin

After Michigan voters legalized the use of marijuana for medical reasons, it was up to the state to write rules for who would be allowed to legally use pot, and how they would obtain it.

 

What was produced was an unworkable mess that has failed to draw a clear line between patients and criminals and hasn't given local communities much help in clarifying what's legal and what isn't.

 

What Michigan has is a hybrid law that makes some pot use legal, but allows the distribution of medicinal pot to flow through channels very similar to the ones used by the criminal networks.

 

The first priority in reworking the law is to create a more orderly distribution system.

 

If marijuana is medicine, it should be treated as controlled medications are treated. Patients who qualify for medicinal marijuana should get a prescription from a legitimate physician, licensed in Michigan.

 

They should then have the prescription filled with product that is produced by a licensed company and monitored by the state for quality and dosage.

 

Current law allows medical marijuana patients to grow their own pot, along with enough to supply a few fellow patients.

 

It's most often sold through outlets that greatly resemble the head shops that market illegal narcotics paraphernalia.

 

That treats marijuana more as an herbal cure than a legitimate medicine.

 

Patients who are given a prescription for Vicodin, for example, can't buy the ingredients themselves, go home and mix up a patch of pills and share them with their friends.

 

Moving the distribution to traditional outlets for medicine would ease the burden on local police and prosecutors of determining which distributors are legitimate, and which are criminal.

 

Communities rightly complain that they can't easily tell the growers and sellers of medicinal marijuana from their criminal counterparts.

 

That's an unfair position in which to place local officials.

 

At the same time, legitimate patients should not face constant hassle from cops.

 

The state also must get a handle on who qualifies as a medical marijuana patient. Since the law passed, more than 50,000 patients have been given certificates to allow them to use pot. Many of the "prescriptions" were written by Internet doctors, or en masse by a single physician.

 

Michigan should have an orderly process of deciding who can write prescriptions, and that function should be limited to legitimate medical personnel.

 

Voters never intended for the medicinal marijuana law to open the door for quasi-criminal networks to profit from its growth and distribution.

 

Some clarification of how the law should be applied could come when the state Supreme Court rules on several cases involving medical marijuana.

 

They have a high hurdle because the medical marijuana statute was an initiative and requires a vote of three-fourth of the members of the Legislature for amendment, but lawmakers should provide the structure for implementing this law in a way that clearly distinguishes medical marijuana from the illegal recreational variety.

 

 

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110626/OPINION01/106260308/Editorial--Michigan-must-rewrite-dopey-medical-marijuana-law#ixzz1QNq4R9UP

 

 

[/url]

 

posted by Michel Komorn

 

18006563557

 

 

 

 

[bobandtorey]

The state also must get a handle on who qualifies as a medical marijuana patient.

sure thing i want the State to let me know if am sick enough to use MMJ NOT

[Dr. Bob]

Perhaps this is an example of the mindset opposing us. Maybe it is just a loud mouthed jerk. Most of the time when we get bad press, we spend days complaining about it. My philosophy has always been to look at the points they raise about 'what is wrong with MMJ' and try and figure out a way to short circuit their arguments. I've done that in certifications. When O'Connell put out his dictum I could have complained about it not being what the law says, or I could look at the objections, figure out which ones were 'doable' and did them. That is why I've always required records and saw the patients myself. I added the follow up survey to to mix when they complained about lack of follow up. Now they have to come up with something else to harass my patients, because I have already addressed their earlier concerns.

 

Most things that our opponents complain about are common sense issues. Secured grow rooms, bona fide doctor patient relationships, staying within the limits of the law. Before we just jump all over someone that raises objections to the Act, lets take a little walk in their shoes first. Do their objections have a point? Is there something we can do to overcome them? Take O'Connell for example, his issue with the 'hotel clinics' that are not requiring records and basically selling signatures is not that unreasonable. Sure, we get a lot of new card holders, which serves our needs, but is it the type of medical care that will stand up to review? Would you want a dangerous blood pressure medication or narcotic like oxycontin prescribed the same way? If a loved one went to a clinic operating like that, got a dangerous medication and died, would you be upset? He pointed it out, we should listen and make some changes in how we do it to overcome the objections. I did and others can and should as well.

 

Disagreeing with someone's point of view is easy. Understanding their point of view and being able to do some self reflection is a higher level of reasoning. We don't need to be 'just as legitimate or good' as they are. We can't point out 'worse examples' of care by doctors in other areas. We cannot justify our actions by saying others are worse. We need to be BETTER than they are, just as we expect those in power like cities and courts to be when compared to the average (non-mmj) person on the streets. We expect them to be fair and balanced, so we should be as well. We need to acknowledge that they sometimes have a point, and if we can make some minor changes to address them, we should. That is why we lock and cover our grows, and why I do a formal follow up to the certification exam now.

 

Dr. Bob

[AmishRnot4ganja]

How long will it be before these people realize that marijuana is not a "dangerous schedule 1 narcotic"? Far from it. Considering that it has been viewed that way for over 40 years, I don't have a whole lot of faith that these folks will be converted any time soon.

[Dr. Bob]

Not a point of always converting them, some will NEVER see it our way. What we can do is destroy their ability to hurt us by overcoming their objections.

 

Take the issue of putting meds in the trunk when transporting. Awhile ago a member raised an issue with a cop asking him to transport it that way. Do we have to? Probably not. Do they have a point about an 'intoxicating substance in easy reach of the driver'- actually yes. If it was in the trunk what harm is it to us to have it there? If it is locked in the trunk, what are they going to complain about? Sure you can argue that it is a 'erosion' of our constitutional and God given right to have it out, or that we shouldn't have to do anything that isn't specified in the Act, but really- why make it a battle when our attention is needed elsewhere and we are glad the voters let us do it in the first place? Do we want the reputation with the non-mmj public that we are very militant and oppositional to ANY request to change something we do, or the reputation of people that are trying to do everything we can to medicate in peace and relieve our suffering?

 

Let's concentrate on real violations of our rights, like what happened to Bethany in Mikado, or the actions of Tawas outlawing certifications without even getting public comment.

 

We need to win the hearts and minds of the general public, to show we are listening to the courts when they object to some aspect of what we are doing. In the long run, we will win if we win over public opinion. The wind tears out trees, but the grass bends and overcomes.

 

Dr. Bob

[+EdwardGlen]

Editorial: Michigan must rewrite dopey medical marijuana law

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110626/OPINION01/106260308/1008/opinion01/Editorial--Michigan-must-rewrite-dopey-medical-marijuana-law

 

 

 

 

Editorial: Michigan must rewrite dopey medical marijuana law

 

Clearer lines are needed between medicinal marijuana and its illegal cousin

After Michigan voters legalized the use of marijuana for medical reasons, it was up to the state to write rules for who would be allowed to legally use pot, and how they would obtain it.

 

What was produced was an unworkable mess that has failed to draw a clear line between patients and criminals and hasn't given local communities much help in clarifying what's legal and what isn't.

 

What Michigan has is a hybrid law that makes some pot use legal, but allows the distribution of medicinal pot to flow through channels very similar to the ones used by the criminal networks.

 

The first priority in reworking the law is to create a more orderly distribution system.

 

If marijuana is medicine, it should be treated as controlled medications are treated. Patients who qualify for medicinal marijuana should get a prescription from a legitimate physician, licensed in Michigan.

 

They should then have the prescription filled with product that is produced by a licensed company and monitored by the state for quality and dosage.

 

Current law allows medical marijuana patients to grow their own pot, along with enough to supply a few fellow patients.

 

It's most often sold through outlets that greatly resemble the head shops that market illegal narcotics paraphernalia.

 

That treats marijuana more as an herbal cure than a legitimate medicine.

 

Patients who are given a prescription for Vicodin, for example, can't buy the ingredients themselves, go home and mix up a patch of pills and share them with their friends.

 

Moving the distribution to traditional outlets for medicine would ease the burden on local police and prosecutors of determining which distributors are legitimate, and which are criminal.

 

Communities rightly complain that they can't easily tell the growers and sellers of medicinal marijuana from their criminal counterparts.

 

That's an unfair position in which to place local officials.

 

At the same time, legitimate patients should not face constant hassle from cops.

 

The state also must get a handle on who qualifies as a medical marijuana patient. Since the law passed, more than 50,000 patients have been given certificates to allow them to use pot. Many of the "prescriptions" were written by Internet doctors, or en masse by a single physician.

 

Michigan should have an orderly process of deciding who can write prescriptions, and that function should be limited to legitimate medical personnel.

 

Voters never intended for the medicinal marijuana law to open the door for quasi-criminal networks to profit from its growth and distribution.

 

Some clarification of how the law should be applied could come when the state Supreme Court rules on several cases involving medical marijuana.

 

They have a high hurdle because the medical marijuana statute was an initiative and requires a vote of three-fourth of the members of the Legislature for amendment, but lawmakers should provide the structure for implementing this law in a way that clearly distinguishes medical marijuana from the illegal recreational variety.

 

 

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110626/OPINION01/106260308/Editorial--Michigan-must-rewrite-dopey-medical-marijuana-law#ixzz1QNq4R9UP

 

 

[/url]

 

posted by Michel Komorn

 

18006563557

 

There are two kinds of people: those who are always well and those who are always sick. Most of the evils of the world come from the first sort and most of the achievements from the second.

- Louis Dudek

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5aSspIVrK0

[CedarSpringsCG]

...Before we just jump all over someone that raises objections to the Act, lets take a little walk in their shoes first. Do their objections have a point? Is there something we can do to overcome them? Take O'Connell for example, his issue with the 'hotel clinics' that are not requiring records and basically selling signatures is not that unreasonable. Sure, we get a lot of new card holders, which serves our needs, but is it the type of medical care that will stand up to review? Would you want a dangerous blood pressure medication or narcotic like oxycontin prescribed the same way? ....

The problem is that his point of view is uneducated and ignorant. I have trouble seeing someone's point of view that is just stupid and ignorant.

 

In your example, Oxycontin, a 30 day supply is what 90 pills? you take 1/3 of that, 30 pills you will most likely die. A 30 day supply of MMJ, what 4-5 oz max? I has been researched and it would take more than 10 lbs of MMJ to kill someone. More than it seems possible to humanly ingest. Some say it would be more than 40 lbs in 15 minutes. To do that you would have to have a highly concentrated oil being fed through IV's in both arms while eating all you can and smoking non-stop for 15 minutes. And you still might not be able to get enough to die because at some point you would get the munchies and stop eating pot to grab a cookie, and then fall asleep. It would take a real effort to kill someone with MMJ, unless you had say a ton of it fall on you.

 

See, this tool (from the other post) assumes this is a dangerous narcotic drug with highly addictive traits. Unfortunately all evidence and research points the opposite way, that it is not highly addictive, and it is not a dangerous narcotic. However tools such as this guy won't accept legitimate research from doctors, scientists, or anyone. There is no talking to someone like this IMHO, it is futile, and your time is better spent educating people with open minds, not cinder blocks for brains.

 

Also, how many people could produce oxycontin in their basement? Go to the store, buy some legal items, and produce Oxycontin? Not probable. But you can for MMJ.

 

See the cat is out of the bag... They will never be able to put it back in. Too many people have grow rooms now, and all well hidden. So even if they place laws like this on the books, so many people would go underground that they would have a REAL problem with black market.

 

This guy probably has a kid who is buying MJ off the street, and he is delusional in thinking that his kid wouldn't have access if the act wasn't passed. unfortunatley his kid is a drug addict who is probably on a lot harder stuff than MJ... But this guy falsely blames MJ on his bad parenting.

 

JMO

Cedar

[Dr. Bob]

The problem is that his point of view is uneducated and ignorant. I have trouble seeing someone's point of view that is just stupid and ignorant.

 

In your example, Oxycontin, a 30 day supply is what 90 pills? you take 1/3 of that, 30 pills you will most likely die. A 30 day supply of MMJ, what 4-5 oz max? I has been researched and it would take more than 10 lbs of MMJ to kill someone. More than it seems possible to humanly ingest. Some say it would be more than 40 lbs in 15 minutes. To do that you would have to have a highly concentrated oil being fed through IV's in both arms while eating all you can and smoking non-stop for 15 minutes. And you still might not be able to get enough to die because at some point you would get the munchies and stop eating pot to grab a cookie, and then fall asleep. It would take a real effort to kill someone with MMJ, unless you had say a ton of it fall on you.

 

See, this tool (from the other post) assumes this is a dangerous narcotic drug with highly addictive traits. Unfortunately all evidence and research points the opposite way, that it is not highly addictive, and it is not a dangerous narcotic. However tools such as this guy won't accept legitimate research from doctors, scientists, or anyone. There is no talking to someone like this IMHO, it is futile, and your time is better spent educating people with open minds, not cinder blocks for brains.

 

Also, how many people could produce oxycontin in their basement? Go to the store, buy some legal items, and produce Oxycontin? Not probable. But you can for MMJ.

 

See the cat is out of the bag... They will never be able to put it back in. Too many people have grow rooms now, and all well hidden. So even if they place laws like this on the books, so many people would go underground that they would have a REAL problem with black market.

 

This guy probably has a kid who is buying MJ off the street, and he is delusional in thinking that his kid wouldn't have access if the act wasn't passed. unfortunatley his kid is a drug addict who is probably on a lot harder stuff than MJ... But this guy falsely blames MJ on his bad parenting.

 

JMO

Cedar

 

I don't disagree with anything you say. Clearly you don't think I am taking his side. My point is that we need to mine these types of complaints and see if there is ANYTHING we gain see that makes a valid point, because these things are a reflection of the criticisms of the Act in the eyes of the general public. Is there NOTHING we can learn from this?

 

Dr. Bob

[DLD420]

The problem is that his point of view is uneducated and ignorant. I have trouble seeing someone's point of view that is just stupid and ignorant.

 

In your example, Oxycontin, a 30 day supply is what 90 pills? you take 1/3 of that, 30 pills you will most likely die. A 30 day supply of MMJ, what 4-5 oz max? I has been researched and it would take more than 10 lbs of MMJ to kill someone. More than it seems possible to humanly ingest. Some say it would be more than 40 lbs in 15 minutes. To do that you would have to have a highly concentrated oil being fed through IV's in both arms while eating all you can and smoking non-stop for 15 minutes. And you still might not be able to get enough to die because at some point you would get the munchies and stop eating pot to grab a cookie, and then fall asleep. It would take a real effort to kill someone with MMJ, unless you had say a ton of it fall on you.

 

See, this tool (from the other post) assumes this is a dangerous narcotic drug with highly addictive traits. Unfortunately all evidence and research points the opposite way, that it is not highly addictive, and it is not a dangerous narcotic. However tools such as this guy won't accept legitimate research from doctors, scientists, or anyone. There is no talking to someone like this IMHO, it is futile, and your time is better spent educating people with open minds, not cinder blocks for brains.

 

Also, how many people could produce oxycontin in their basement? Go to the store, buy some legal items, and produce Oxycontin? Not probable. But you can for MMJ.

 

See the cat is out of the bag... They will never be able to put it back in. Too many people have grow rooms now, and all well hidden. So even if they place laws like this on the books, so many people would go underground that they would have a REAL problem with black market.

 

This guy probably has a kid who is buying MJ off the street, and he is delusional in thinking that his kid wouldn't have access if the act wasn't passed. unfortunatley his kid is a drug addict who is probably on a lot harder stuff than MJ... But this guy falsely blames MJ on his bad parenting.

 

JMO

Cedar

I totally agree if this editorial writer knew anything at all I could agree with Dr. Bobs point but he (the writer) doesn't know anything about the act or MM

[Dr. Bob]

I totally agree if this editorial writer knew anything at all I could agree with Dr. Bobs point but he (the writer) doesn't know anything about the act or MM

 

May be the case, he is completely ignorant. But his point of view is in the papers. What can be done to counter it?

 

Dr. Bob

[GregS]

The larger point in this op-ed seems to be some imagined notion that the elected government can be expected to move to reasonably accommodate medical use. That is absurd. Some of us remember Milhouse, when he declared the drug war, adding injury to insult. Prohibition found in mistaken, or more perhaps in intended, uncritically founded, and intentionally restrictive policy to keep the stuff under wraps prevented just what the author suggests: reasonable policy that assures availability to those of us who need it. They had their chance, after chance, after chance to do it and blew it. Rather than being poorly drafted, the law is artfully and thoughtfully crafted to appeal to common sense and help assure passage. It appears the publisher thinks that a law must be obtuse and complicated if it is to be accepted, banking on the statement that if you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullzhit. This guy wants to blame us that it has come to this and put it back in government's capable hands??!!!

 

No. We do not find common ground with those who have worked, and continue to work, and will continue to work, diligently to withhold from us something we find so much benefit in. They have repeatedly showed us their butts, are not going to stop anytime soon, and will seize any opportunity to see that their agendas are satisfied at our expense and without good reason. How long is long enough? When prohibition started there was only print and radio was the new technology. When the Nixon put the finishing touches on it and compounded the penalties and harm created by his hand teevee had knobs and three channels. When Reagan had his way with us we were still clearing our our heads from disco. Now we are supposed to moving into the (ahem) cloud. The last thing we need or want is intervention that is wrapped in more complicated and unwarranted regulation and oversight and driven by nonsensical whim that will serve none but mammon and a few political careers, and that is ultimately intended to again withdraw the substance from us. It was necessary that the electorate finally, as in the other several states that went before, said enough and took to itself a law written with clarity and simplicity. To keep the dialog open with the naysayers, except to blast them for their sins, is a mistake. We were polite far too long and it has to stop.

 

Every valid point the author suggests is addressed in the act. Those that are not are hardly worth repeating, but almost must be because they cannot be allowed to fester and grow. The only statement I can begin to agree with is the last, and even that is provided for in the act with penalties for illegal behavior. Now these reactionaries whine because it ia necessary to work to enforce the law as written. Too bad. More to the point, forfeiture, long used to support a number of institutions that feed themselves by denying us our lawfully declared rights, is the more proximate cause of much of this noise. They don't like us taking away their toys, which I understand well enough. I suggest that is necessary to build character, because there are too many in the courts, police departments, and wider government who have too little, or none.

 

It is notable that there is no space for comment to this piece. There are means to communicate to the paper and include our comments.

[LITLJON]

Stereotyped by a dieing breed.

[Frank R]

There really does need to be an "Advertisement" disclaimer at the top of the "editorial".

 

I think I'll submit an editorial to the Detroit News called "Its the civic duty of every citizen in Michigan to send Frank R $100 every day"

 

I wont sign it though, that would be much too crass and self-serving...

[peanutbutter]

Dr Bob.

 

Would you consider joining me at the office of the Detroit News?

 

Sent today:

 

To the editor of the Detroit News.

 

I make a medical marijuana product. It is produced by using leftover scraps

and then diluted until the result has just slightly more than the UN

definition of industrial hemp. That standard is a content of less than 0.1%

THC. If it contains that amount or less it is considered completely useless

for recreational purposes.

 

An example of a non recreational product of the cannabis plant would be hemp

rope. There is simply no one smoking hemp rope to get high. At least not

more than once.

 

The product contains 0.3% THC as determined by laboratory testing. No one is

smoking it or drinking it to get high.

 

I’ve issued a request to demonstrate this product for the White House.

I’d like to offer the same for the offices of the Detroit News.

 

The most rapid response time to this material seems to take place in persons

with carpel tunnel syndrome.

 

Many have the pain go away completely in thirty seconds.

 

This is a link to a discussion about the nature of the product.

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/topic/32392-an-offer-a-olive-branch/page__view__findpost__p__306823__fromsearch__1

My offer to the state of Michigan.

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/topic/32447-my-gift-to-the-state-of-michigan/page__view__findpost__p__307358__fromsearch__1

Free of charge to Crohn's patients statewide for the next year.

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/topic/31752-crohns-vs-pb-oil/page__view__findpost__p__300448__fromsearch__1

 

For the demonstration I’d request that every person in your building that

suffers from carpel tunnel be gathered in one place for about 15 minutes.

 

To use this material involves about a quarter teaspoon or less be applied to

the skin directly over the pain area. None of the trace of THC passes

through the skin.

 

Nothing is eaten or smoked. Zero “high” is produced.

 

Based on what I’ve seen, I would expect well in excess of 80% of such

persons would receive noticeable relief within sixty seconds.

 

I would bring a doctor with me to verify that the patient would likely

receive benefit. Which is what the law requires. “a doctor has SAID.”

 

The demonstration offer also is for those that suffer from compressed nerves

in the spine. This kind of patient seems to receive the most benefit within

about 45 minuets of application.

 

I'm trying to find a way that everyone can benefit from the scraps of our

community. And in this way, show everyone the kind of thing our government

is trying to keep from it's citizens.

 

I wait for your response.

 

Gersh Avery aka peanutbutter

[Kingdiamond]

The majority of freep and Detroit News and mlive story's comments sections are pro medical one of the last story's i read was pert near 90% in support of our law hopefully that continues regardless of these lies the shill newspapers allow to be printed in their rags .

[purklize]

Pharmacies are robbed for prescription painkillers because they are related to heroin, a safe and family friendly drug. Such incidents pose little threat to the community. But when someone is robbed due to the artificially inflated price of an overvalued weed, we must fear for our children. God knows the only way to respond is to aggravate the conditions that lead to these robberies: making the robber's loot yet more valuable by increasing the legal penalties for possession, cultivation, and sale.

[GregS]

It is commonplace that newspapers publish opinion pieces without a byline stating who wrote the piece. In those cases it is almost certainly the chosen company line on paper, and these editorials can receive input from a number of staffers. They amount to the institutional take on an issue, much like Roger Ailes puts his points across editorially all day every day through his lackeys at Faux.

[cristinew]

May be the case, he is completely ignorant. But his point of view is in the papers. What can be done to counter it?

 

Dr. Bob

[/quote

 

We need someone like Jimmy Carter maybee Ron Paul or some othe with a name even a head of a comapssiont churh to speak to our house and senate, otherwise we are doomed most will not even listen to them let alone us, montana is now a result of what is going to happen to us

[Big J]

Unbelievable I have written numerous editorials and have been told time and time again they will not take it with out a name and address. The grand rapids press, the Wyoming advance both reject everyone I send them. I am not giving them that info so they can publish it to out me to the town police and parents/in-laws. The inlaws are my largest concern. My wife does not need the added hassle of her judgemental parents coming down on her about something that is between her and her doctor.

[cristinew]

Hi Cristinew, We still have the people. These Bills are also garbage. They would not hold up to a court challenge. Thanks, Bb

Ya we still have the people but the people do not put us in jail the judges do , the people dont write sb bills and house bills the state does, and the result is harming patients, look to montana and how is a pateint going to fight this kinda battle in court? we do need some powerfull names to lobby for us in the house and senate commmities

[peanutbutter]

Ya we still have the people but the people do not put us in jail the judges do , the people dont write sb bills and house bills the state does, and the result is harming patients, look to montana and how is a pateint going to fight this kinda battle in court? we do need some powerfull names to lobby for us in the house and senate commmities

 

WE put people in jail.

 

Every time they find twelve of us that are willing to vote "guilty."

 

WE THE PEOPLE allow them to abuse us.

 

WE THE PEOPLE allow and enable this abusive government.

[purklize]

Would NORML post a guest article on their site about all the attempts to destroy our law? National attention certainly couldn't hurt.

[Frank R]

Would NORML post a guest article on their site about all the attempts to destroy our law? National attention certainly couldn't hurt.

I sent an email to the Rachel Maddow show suggesting they provide coverage of the Attack on Michigan Medical Marihuana as part of their 'Really, Really, Really, Big Government' segment.

She's done spot on coverage of Gov. Snyder's EFM scheme in the past.

[cristinew]

WE put people in jail.

 

Every time they find twelve of us that are willing to vote "guilty."

 

WE THE PEOPLE allow them to abuse us.

 

WE THE PEOPLE allow and enable this abusive government.

Not everyone can not afford a jury trial. court app lawyes say take a plea or else

[MORE COWBELL]

A BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS