A Few Legal Marijuana Dispensaries Best Way To Go

[+EdwardGlen]

http://theoaklandpress.com/articles/2011/07/11/opinion/doc4e1b77009749d163453474.txt?viewmode=fullstory

 

By Denise Pollicella

 

When I need tomatoes for pasta sauce, I don’t walk down my street knocking on doors asking if anybody has ripe romas. I go to the grocery store.

 

When I need a T-shirt, I don’t drive 1,200 miles to the nearest cotton farm, pick a bale of cotton, spin it, and sew together a shirt. I go to Aeropostale. Or occasionally Target.

 

And when my son has an ear infection, I don’t phone random people asking if they have any spare antibiotics. I go to the pharmacy.

 

Dispensaries, like grocery stores, clothing stores and pharmacies, are the safest, most practical means for making medical marijuana accessible to those who need it. They developed like every service always has throughout history — need.

 

It is likely, in hindsight, that those who drafted the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act did not anticipate the industry that would be created from the simple act of making marijuana available for medicinal purposes.

 

It puzzles me, however, that we are surprised — in a country at war and in a state with high unemployment and no more manufacturing base — that an industry developed where a need exists. It surprises me more that its most vehement opponents are the same politicians who espouse states’ rights, individual liberties and economic growth.

 

While Gov. Rick Snyder is cutting education funding nearly $300 per student, Attorney General Bill Schuette is clearing prison space to make room for the very people keeping our economy afloat.

 

I have an idea: Let’s close every dispensary, hydro store, smoke shop and Home Depot in Michigan and see what happens.

 

Schuette’s justification for his charge to shut down dispensaries is protecting public safety when, in fact, the only violent crime happening is the state-sanctioned, swat-style raids against unarmed Michigan residents. To those shouting marijuana leads to violent crime, the facts and research support the opposite.

 

Perhaps there is a way to do this without Michigan declaring war on its own people. I don’t know if our legislators have noticed, but this industry has created jobs and revenue, and is a monster of a tax base waiting to happen. Perhaps, we can work together toward reasonable regulation, licensing and taxation of providers.

 

Will marijuana be abused? Of course. Like any other drug, it will get to minors and those who don’t truly need it, but outlawing dispensaries will only send it back into subdivisions and back alleys where it came from, where it does not belong and where nobody wants it.

 

Instead of law enforcement monitoring two or three safe, central locations, they will have to monitor entire cities. Instead of going to a dispensary with a reliable supply of quality medication, very sick people in pain will have to call around hoping to find someone qualified to grow the right strain of medicine, and then hope that person never moves, gets sick or goes on vacation.

 

The people of our state thought it was a good idea to make this much-vilified, yet remarkable plant available to sick people who wanted a natural, alternative form of medication.

 

So here’s another idea. Let’s help them.

 

Denise Pollicella practices corporate law and medical marijuana law in Livingston County. She is a founding member of the Michigan chapter of Mother’s United to End the War on Drugs.

[bobandtorey]

http://theoaklandpre...wmode=fullstory

 

By Denise Pollicella

 

When I need tomatoes for pasta sauce, I don’t walk down my street knocking on doors asking if anybody has ripe romas. I go to the grocery store.

 

When I need a T-shirt, I don’t drive 1,200 miles to the nearest cotton farm, pick a bale of cotton, spin it, and sew together a shirt. I go to Aeropostale. Or occasionally Target.

 

And when my son has an ear infection, I don’t phone random people asking if they have any spare antibiotics. I go to the pharmacy.

 

Dispensaries, like grocery stores, clothing stores and pharmacies, are the safest, most practical means for making medical marijuana accessible to those who need it. They developed like every service always has throughout history — need.

 

It is likely, in hindsight, that those who drafted the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act did not anticipate the industry that would be created from the simple act of making marijuana available for medicinal purposes.

 

It puzzles me, however, that we are surprised — in a country at war and in a state with high unemployment and no more manufacturing base — that an industry developed where a need exists. It surprises me more that its most vehement opponents are the same politicians who espouse states’ rights, individual liberties and economic growth.

 

While Gov. Rick Snyder is cutting education funding nearly $300 per student, Attorney General Bill Schuette is clearing prison space to make room for the very people keeping our economy afloat.

 

I have an idea: Let’s close every dispensary, hydro store, smoke shop and Home Depot in Michigan and see what happens.

 

Schuette’s justification for his charge to shut down dispensaries is protecting public safety when, in fact, the only violent crime happening is the state-sanctioned, swat-style raids against unarmed Michigan residents. To those shouting marijuana leads to violent crime, the facts and research support the opposite.

 

Perhaps there is a way to do this without Michigan declaring war on its own people. I don’t know if our legislators have noticed, but this industry has created jobs and revenue, and is a monster of a tax base waiting to happen. Perhaps, we can work together toward reasonable regulation, licensing and taxation of providers.

 

Will marijuana be abused? Of course. Like any other drug, it will get to minors and those who don’t truly need it, but outlawing dispensaries will only send it back into subdivisions and back alleys where it came from, where it does not belong and where nobody wants it.

 

Instead of law enforcement monitoring two or three safe, central locations, they will have to monitor entire cities. Instead of going to a dispensary with a reliable supply of quality medication, very sick people in pain will have to call around hoping to find someone qualified to grow the right strain of medicine, and then hope that person never moves, gets sick or goes on vacation.

 

The people of our state thought it was a good idea to make this much-vilified, yet remarkable plant available to sick people who wanted a natural, alternative form of medication.

 

So here’s another idea. Let’s help them.

 

Denise Pollicella practices corporate law and medical marijuana law in Livingston County. She is a founding member of the Michigan chapter of Mother’s United to End the War on Drugs.

 

Great P-R

[cristinew]

I hope she is contacting our state rep, we need a voice like hers,

[Kingdiamond]

(Mod edit)

[Kingdiamond]

Well maybe i missread it BB i thought she was just pointing out facts reguarding Schuettes attack on us as a whole but if its propaganda from Tim Beck and co or the colorado carpetbaggers i retract my comment.

[Kingdiamond]

Great catch BB i cant believe i didnt see that when i glanced over it i must be getting old or blind or both.

[Brad]

I do not see the attorney from this story is associated with this group.

 

http://www.momsunited.net/CAMPAIGN%20LEADERS.html

[coxie0527]

the current model DOES suck. It could be so much better, but until caregivers give up the notion of big money, we're listening to this junior high bs. Compassion and profit are difficult to meld, and I've seen too many who are focused on the cash. Plus, many caregivers produce poor quality. Quality control and constistency are what patients need, not our greed and need for control. There were some good points in the article.

[CherryCrush]

Um,... who needs to give up "the notion of big money?"

 

Caregivers?

 

Really?

 

Not COMMERCIAL BUSINESS organizations who are importing marijuana from out of state and charging Michigan patients insane sums of money for their medicine? Not the COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES who are buying from caregivers and charging patients double or triple the cost of what a caregiver charges?

 

Talk about fishbowl realities.

 

I mean really, aren't these dispensary owners just the greedy caregivers who werent making enough money being a caregiver to a mere 5 patients...

[Guest Happy Guy]

Um,... who needs to give up "the notion of big money?"

 

Caregivers?

 

Really?

 

Not COMMERCIAL BUSINESS organizations who are importing marijuana from out of state and charging Michigan patients insane sums of money for their medicine? Not the COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES who are buying from caregivers and charging patients double or triple the cost of what a caregiver charges?

 

Talk about fishbowl realities.

 

I mean really, aren't these dispensary owners just the greedy caregivers who werent making enough money being a caregiver to a mere 5 patients...

Right on, BUT, I wouldn't give them that much credit. More like they are the caregivers who may have tried caregiving and found out it was more work than slapping price tags on bags and quit. We always had honor in our cannabis community until dispensaries came to town. Even the hint of having a dispensary turned some into greed heads. You only get money for nothing if you are a rock star and these peeps are just plain slugs without shells waiting for the federal boot heels to squish them into gray jelly. The current model sucks FOR ANYONE GREEDY. Sorry, make your own law you greed heads. You are too lazy to even get anything on paper, let alone get signatures and votes. The law works fine for someone who is trying to help a sick person. Many patients are improving their health because of this law the way it stands. Many LEGAL jobs are being made here in Michigan. I said LEGAL, that excludes dispensaries. I'm talking about the J O B of caregiving and also the many growing accessory stores that are making money and paying taxes. Caregivers and patients support the state of Michigan, in her time of need, to the tune of of MILLIONS of dollars! Dispensaries are leaches feeding off her flesh, hiding their profits and NOT paying their way. They are busting moves all around the rules and moving our state in the wrong direction. It has always been hard to trounce the ones that started with us and went bad. But it is OUR responsibility as upstanding patients and caregivers to police ourselves. PLEASE quit using the dispensaries to sell your overages. It is ill gotten gains and nothing good will come of your hard labor if you do this. Karma will slap you up side the head. Don't do it, your future depends on it.

[mayorshaggy37]

I agree with you on this article being bad because promoting dispensaries. I sit back and look at it from a common person stand point. I still think it is good on some points that people that don't realize what is actually happening with this law will get there eyes opened. It took you three passes to pick out the dispensary promotion. The common lay person will not see that and hopefully just see the points of how the state is handling this people's law.

[Guest Happy Guy]

This is why Compassion Based farmers markets must be established around the state. OZ's were as cheap as $140 at the MMMA's Market. They were small buds, but they were good buds. Top of the line Bubba at $12. There were a lot of good strains, none more expensive than $12 a gram. OZ's were $230. That's where we need to be. There is going to be a lot of big money entering the race as well as just plain greedy people. We, the patients and caregivers must defend our law and most of all deliver excellent care to the patients.

 

Many patients currently receive free meds in the current model. That would go away if a state run or hybrid dispensary model was adopted. Things are going to get rough. But we must defend each other. The opposition is ready to rip us to shreds.

 

I don't want the community to be divided in time of war, but I will not tolerate any criticism of the current model in the press to promote dispensaries. My keyboard is always at the ready. Thanks, Bb

Good catch. It will not be the last one because the caregiver/patient model kills the dispensary business model. Dispensaries need a monopoly in their area to cover their overhead. See Arizona. The dispensaries there went for the throat right away. No patient grows at all is what they proposed.

[Brad]

What does it matter who's she's working for? The current model doesn't suck. Why is it, every time dispensaries have a shot at the press, they take a dump on the current system. I'm sure it's just a coincidence that she's a lawyer and supports the Colorado model. Anyways, every time they write an article comparing the advantages of dispensaries over the current model, I will toast them. They need to find another pitch. Thanks, bb

I was just wondering who this group of "compassionate moms" were. Their board lists only 1 Michigan member, Charmie Gholson of The Midwest Cultivator. Denise whoever is not listed anywhere on their site. My point was, is the woman credited for the article even a member of the group she claims to represent?

 

The comments about this point of view being a bad thing for our community, ABSOFREAKINLUTELY! Federally-managed cultivation sites are a bad idea. Repeal of prohibition is the only logical option and would benefit everyone except those in government and criminal enterprise.