Medical Marijuana Rules Must Reflect Voters Intent

[Croppled1]

In 2008, more than 3 million Michigan voters said they wanted state residents to be able to use marijuana for medical purpses. That represented more than 60 percent of those voting. The measure was approved by a similar margin in Livingston County.

 

Some state officials, such as Attorney General Bill Schuette, are now trying to interpret the intent of the voters. In doing so, they should recognize that the only intent that can be reasonably discerned from that election is that a solid majority thinks qualified people should be able to access medical marijuana without the threat of criminal prosecution or harassment. That goes as well for caregivers, as defined by Michigan law.

 

That's not what is happening. In two instances in Livingston County, residents who were approved caregivers are facing criminal charges because authorities say they didn't comply with what many agree is a vague and poorly written statute.

 

The married owners and an employee of a Handy Township business face charges of delivering marijuana after authorities say they sold to an undercover narcotics officer who posed as a card-carrying medical marijuana patient in February.

 

The alleged offense was not that the business failed to recognize that the medical card was a fraud. Instead, the owners and employee face charges because they were not listed as the caregiver connected to the pretend patient.

 

The Michigan Medical Marihuana Act allows caregivers to provide for up to five medical marijuana patients, but the language says the patients must be "connected" to a specific caregiver.

 

In a Brighton Township case, a man with a medical marijuana card was keeping plants in his own home for his personal use, as allowed by law. He was also keeping plants for a second patient, who also had a card. He is facing charges because authorities say the two sets of plants were not properly separated from each other.

 

These sound more like technicalities than hard-core drug violations. Nonetheless, the Handy Township business — called Marshall Alternatives — was subjected to two raids, one of which involved armed agents, some of whom were wearing masks. Further, if convicted, the Marshall Alternatives staffers could face sentences of up to four to eight years in jail. Surely, this was not the intent of voters back in 2008.

 

Law enforcement authorities certainly have an obligation to make sure that the 2008 law isn't used to disguise recreational or otherwise illicit drug traffic. These Livingston County cases, though, don't appear to fall into that category. These are cases that beg for clear legal definitions of what can and can't be done under the MICHIGAN Medical Marihuana Act.

 

This fall, three years after the voters approved the law, our hardworking Lansing lawmakers are finally getting around to holding hearings about the law. They can't start earlier because it would interfere with their summer recess.

 

Meanwhile, those who legitimately want to comply with the law as patients or caregivers are in limbo. Who knows what is allowed? Certainly not the Shiawassee County medical marijuana cardholder who thought he was obeying the law by growing his plants in a locked, secure structure. He was arrested because there was no roof over the plants.

 

Before Schuette was attorney general, he vigorously opposed the act. Now he has issued an opinion that severely restricts it.

 

Lawmakers need to take action. They need to provide stricter guidelines about how a patient gets a card that, for instance, doesn't allow video examination by a doctor the patient has never met.

 

But the law needs to make it much easier for qualified caregivers and cardholders to obtain, share and, yes, even sell medical marijuana.

 

That was the intent of the voters — more than 3 million of them . Author unknown Livingston Daily Editorial .

 

 

Please visit the source to politely comment with thought on this and more articles on the subject .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.livingsto...7CFrontpage%7Cp

[Dr. Bob]

VERY WELL SAID

 

Dr.Bob

[Darkmatter]

In a Brighton Township case, a man with a medical marijuana card was keeping plants in his own home for his personal use, as allowed by law. He was also keeping plants for a second patient, who also had a card. He is facing charges because authorities say the two sets of plants were not properly separated from each other.

 

I keep thinking about this. Is Mr. BS (Bill Schuette) saying a different address is required per 12 plant patient load?Or could we just put them in separate rooms?

What if both patients lived at said address?

Hypothetical example: I grow for myself, and my girlfriend. I have my veg room marked as her plants and the flowering room as mine. They can not really expect us to build 2 veg rooms and 2 flowering rooms either. They just can't.

[Wild Bill]

They can not really expect us to build 2 veg rooms and 2 flowering rooms either. They just can't.

 

No, they expect you to cave in and go back to drinking Jack Daniels and popping Vicoden. If you do want cannabis you will still be able to obtain it from qualified representatives of drug cartels who have paid the politicians for the privilege of selling their wares without interference from the government. Have a nice day!

[Guest 1TokeOverLine]

He interprets the act as implying that you must have a separate growing operation for each patient. If you have over 12 plants in one operation (propagation, veg and bloom rooms) you will be prosecuted by his gestapo forces.

 

This is not a legal binding law, it is only one illiterate lifetime politicians' opinion. But, it is a warning flag of what he plans for medical marijuana's future.

 

He needs to be removed from office and imprisoned for crimes against humanity. History is filled with the executions of those that merely assisted in these crimes, but IMHO execution is too good for this self appointed King of Personal Protection Policy. He deserves to rot in prison for his crimes against the poor and dying.

 

1T

[Croppled1]

"No, they expect you to cave in and go back to drinking Jack Daniels and popping Vicoden. If you do want cannabis you will still be able to obtain it from qualified representatives of drug cartels who have paid the politicians for the privilege of selling their wares without interference from the government. Have a nice day! " Wild Bill .

 

 

 

 

 

Exactly .I keep praying Up North TV will cut and paste together a hour special showing the worst examples of the discrimination that has been occurring in our Courts as well as by the authors of some legislation . There needs to be a discussion pointing out how current regulations and actions are dissolving constitutional protections and freedom in our society and State . We harm ourselves as a whole when we push people into the criminal element by creating artificial crimes without a victim . Criminal prohibition convicts everyone in society first to then support taking away their right to use medicinal cannabis .

 

 

I often wonder why society cannot use a Civil Infraction for personal use offenses that only moves penalties up to criminal if subsequent reasonable conditions are not met for any personal drug use ? When I saw underage tobacco use was now a misdo meaner with a permanent record I was shocked . Then again none of this should apply to legal medicinal use of qualified patients .

 

　

 

As one becomes involved in medicinal cannabis from need they tend to educate and look at our entire treatment of drug use in society often changing opinions . Having known severe dependence from legal medical approved use of prescribed medications it not only angers me but terrifies me when I see people treated punitively , it can result in death and nobody cares . I was told of a particular case in the Oakland County jail last year that resulted in cold turkey death with psychiatric medications given . The bottom line is slow tapers work in proper environments there is no need for this . They just sweep it under the rug . Non family just look the other way rationalizing the people deserved it as punishment . Family just believe it was inevitable and are suffering terrible grief trying to heal themselves . How cruel have we become to carry out and ignore the results of such actions under what started out to be law born in concern for citizens .

 

　

 

The definition of substance abuse is so loose it could be used against anyone at anytime wrongly that are patients and making it a criminal offense creates impenetrable barriers to people obtaining treatment that want it and proper programs are not being developed at low cost . If you have a business people are mandated to use and pay what motivation is there to reduce costs and be effective ? Since were a free Country of the people and for the people we all have neglected our duty to one another and let a few radicals create severe injury on the population often in support of their or their allies personal profit .

[cristinew]

maybee this should be put in the new recall page too

[+Silverblue]

He interprets the act as implying that you must have a separate growing operation for each patient. If you have over 12 plants in one operation (propagation, veg and bloom rooms) you will be prosecuted by his gestapo forces.

 

This is not a legal binding law, it is only one illiterate lifetime politicians' opinion. But, it is a warning flag of what he plans for medical marijuana's future.

 

He needs to be removed from office and imprisoned for crimes against humanity. History is filled with the executions of those that merely assisted in these crimes, but IMHO execution is too good for this self appointed King of Personal Protection Policy. He deserves to rot in prison for his crimes against the poor and dying.

 

1T

WELL SAID!

 

We need to get the word out that we are being unfairly persecuted. mr. bs has sworn to undo our law, I think he made that vow even before he got elected. Who the hell elected these clowns? It wasn't me, it was BIG CORPORATE INTERESTS- we are up against a big, bad, EVIL machine. The crimes against humanity that this man, and his cronies, snyder, etc. are doing, are unbelievable. If there is a devil, I dare say it is alive and well and have bought their souls. These people who claim to care about our safety are really only protecting their own greedy self interests, they're using their office to further their own cause, they prob'ly claim to be good Christians, too. If there is a God, it's surely not the one these beings are bowing to. Their god is money and power. The almighty dollar. If political office didn't have the big payroll and perks, beings like that would never pursue it. They are not human.

 

He cannot say p2p isn't legal, it goes against the INTENT of the law. THIS the voters MUST know. Tell everyone what he's doing, tell them about jones, etc., tell them WHAT THE LAW SAYS and what these idiots are saying and doing. THE VOTERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW!

 

Our opponents in office are NOT honorable.

 

Sb

[solabeirtan]

In 2008, more than 3 million Michigan voters said they wanted state residents to be able to use marijuana for medical purpses. That represented more than 60 percent of those voting. The measure was approved by a similar margin in Livingston County.

 

Some state officials, such as Attorney General Bill Schuette, are now trying to interpret the intent of the voters. In doing so, they should recognize that the only intent that can be reasonably discerned from that election is that a solid majority thinks qualified people should be able to access medical marijuana without the threat of criminal prosecution or harassment. That goes as well for caregivers, as defined by Michigan law.

 

That was the intent of the voters — more than 3 million of them . Author unknown Livingston Daily Editorial .

Please visit the source to politely comment with thought on this and more articles on the subject .

 

http://www.livingsto...7CFrontpage%7Cp

Well written, however their demographics are off... by [over] 33%

 

The population of MI is over 9 million, think it was like 64% approved thats closer to 6.5 million !!!

[cristinew]

most dont vote he is talking about the voters

[+JuztBudz]

No, they expect you to cave in and go back to drinking Jack Daniels and popping Vicoden. If you do want cannabis you will still be able to obtain it from qualified representatives of drug cartels who have paid the politicians for the privilege of selling their wares without interference from the government. Have a nice day!

 

Fear mongering, that is BS's forte. He cannot change our law to his own interpretation, the rules are fairly easily read, using plain language, but he makes them hazy and obscure. Transfers are legal according to our law, and it will take action from both the senate and the house (a 3/4 majority) before the law can be amended. So it really depends on how many of our legislatorsare indeed in the pocket of the drug lords. I'm betting that there are many! We shall see... Peace ... j.b.

[Wild Bill]

We have taken a case that challenges p2P and C2P. We are also drafting a grievance to have him disbarred from practicing law in Michigan. We are also considering filing a civil rights action against him. These types of actions are expensive. If you folks would like me to set up a legal defense fund to proceed with a USC 1983 suit against Shuette, jones and others let me know.

 

:goodjob: :goodjob:

 

Outstanding! It takes courage to do battle on the enemies home turf. We can march and protest till we're blue in the face but until we can beat them in the courts it's still all talk.

 

Now, how can we raise funds to defeat these tyrants?

 

(Bake sales?)