Senator Upset At Clinic's Offer Of Free Marijuana For Voter Registration

[LongHairBri]

link

 

 

 

A local pot shop is giving away some free product if patients register to vote. For the past month a Lansing clinic called Your Health Choice Clinic has been doing a voter registration drive.

 

They're helping patients fill out the form and then mailing it out, and as a way to show their appreciation the clinic is rewarding newly registered voters with free pot.

 

The owner of the clinic says they're trying to get people registered to vote so they can have a voice in the next city council election. The owner says she believes they're not doing anything wrong since they're not giving out free stuff in exchange for votes, and this effort is not tied to anyone's campaign. But the clinic is encouraging patients to vote for the city council candidates who support these kind of businesses.

 

Call it pot-politics, the owner of Your Healthy Choice Clinic is advocating for the "pro medical pot" council candidates so the business can stay around for her patients.

 

"We can tell them a little bit of information on what we have on there. Or we can refer them to their websites, because a lot of them have come in and dropped off the information. And we just kind of push it to the patients, and let them decide, it's on them," said Shekina Pena, Your Healthy Choice, owner.

 

But naturally, before patients can make that decision this November they have to be registered. So that's what Pena is setting out to do.

 

"We enlighten them and say, hey, if you fill out your voter registration, and they're patients of ours, they fill it out, and we're mailing it off for them. And we give them, like, a little reimbursement," said Pena.

 

That little reimbursement is half a gram of pot or a medible, which is edible marijuana, for free. But Pena says that's not what's getting people excited about registering to vote.

 

"We're not luring people in by any means. It's more of the patients realizing that, we may not be here next year. This may not be here next year. And their eyes open up and they realized, what's going on?" said Pena.

 

In fact, she says over the past month that the clinic has been doing this registration drive and they've only given out maybe one or two "free products."

 

But because the clinic is advocating for certain candidates at the time of voter registration it could violate state voting laws. And since the products are of a certain value it could also violate some campaign finance laws.

 

A spokesperson from the Secretary of State's office tells 6 News they feel it could be a violation because the business is encouraging people to vote for certain people on a certain day. But it's ultimately up to the prosecutor to decide if legal action should be taken.

 

However Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings says if he gets a complaint about how the business has been advocating for certain candidates at the time of voter registration he may take action. Dunnings also says he has been speaking with the county clerk about this issue.

 

Despite no action being taken as of now some lawmakers are upset and want to implement new legislation that would ban this.

 

"Giving away free marijuana to influence voting is outrageous and must be stopped," said State Representative Rick Jones. "I will be working with the attorney general on whether additional legislation is needed."

[Guest Happy Guy]

Nothing like giving Jones some more leverage to get his bills passed. Thanks again dispensary owners. Maybe dispensary owners should consult an attorney before they come up with these hairbrained schemes?

[+EdwardGlen]

Why would they do this! Did they think it wouldn't bring the wrath of Lansing? Tee-shirts, gift cards for merchandise, anything, but giving away medical cannabis.

 

I hear it now from Lansing; 'pharmacies don't give away narcotics to get people to register to vote"

 

I really question the thinking behind this...

[treehugger]

 

I really question the thinking behind this...

 

Crazy ideas from potheads, who'da thunk? lol

[DreamWarrior67]

how is that different then what they do

[cristinew]

kinda like what goerge bush did back in 2001

[rhinoman]

yep already on the news. what are these peps thinkin

[LongHairBri]

seriously, I knew this would cause turmoil when I posted it. why? because WE have a sense of right and wrong. the idea seems crazy. yet standard procedure for ALL elections. she is breaking NO laws

[rhinoman]

your right Blueberry maybe we can turn this into some postive for the cause. Call the news back for a interveiw.

[pic book]

If u r MDCH regstd but not Sec of St. regstd to vote, bravo! Until/uless it is shown or made illegal.

[Michael Komorn]

Senator upset at clinic's offer of free marijuana for voter registration

 

 

http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2011/07/senator_upset_at_clinic039s_offer_of_free_marijuana_for_voter_registration

 

 

By Marina Csomor | Originally Published: 10 hours ago | 2 comments

 

A Lansing-based medical marijuana clinic‘s promise to reward patients who vowed to vote with free marijuana incited outrage in state Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, on Wednesday.

 

According to a statement released by Jones’ office, the website of Your Healthy Choice Clinic, located at 628 E. Michigan Ave., in Lansing, said its dispensaries would offer assistance to patients in filling out and submitting their voter registration forms, and that “in appreciation, we will reward legal patients with a .5 gram free or a free medible!”

 

Medible is a term used for edible marijuana.

 

On the same webpage as the promise of this reward, Jones said viewers were encouraged to support Lansing City Council candidates Harold Leeman, Derrick Quinney and A’Lynne Robinson but not offer support for Jody Washington or Carol Wood.

 

Jones said citizens’ votes should not be influenced by the promise of any type of reward.

 

“I don’t think it’s appropriate to offer any enticement to vote for or against elected officials of any kind, whether they be local, state or federal,” he said. “I would say the same thing (about anything) — it would be inappropriate if somebody offered a beer.”

 

Jones contacted state Attorney General Bill Schuette to determine whether the clinic’s offer already is illegal or if legislative action needs to be taken in order to address the legality of the offer of such a reward.

 

“We are carefully reviewing this situation,” Schuette said in a statement. “It was not the intent of the citizens to allow for shenanigans like this. Citizens were told this was a way to help seriously ill people, yet here again is an example of the law being exploited by those with their own agenda.”

 

Schuette and Secretary of State Ruth Johnson have said they are looking into the situation.

 

As of Thursday afternoon, this offer for free marijuana no longer could be found on the clinic’s website by following the link entitled “Protect Your Access! Vote 2011,” where Jones said it previously was posted.

 

Your Healthy Choice Clinic did not return calls for comment Thursday.

 

 

 

Posted by

 

Michael Komorn

 

18006563557

 

Mod merged w/ post already started

[purklize]

I also have met Shekina. She is a wonderful person. Don't throw her away so quickly. I'm going to bet they did this as a relatively innocent registration drive, and simply advised patients on the voting records of different politicians - "this one supports your rights, this one doesn't" - and now Schuette Inc. is distorting this to mean "buying votes." Offering someone a commodity to register to vote is legal, and so is informing others as to the positions of politicians. I don't think Schuette has an inch of ground to stand on here.

[drtarzanmd]

He is just Mad he did'nt think of it First ...

 

Like they don't use their Money to Alter peoples

decision to vote ............ Yah Right !

 

They just don't do it so openly ...

 

Most is hidden under the tables or behind closed walls ...

 

I hope " Shekina " files a lawsuit against

them for False Accusations ....

[LansingAreaCaregiver]

I love the faux outrage. You mean, a business is using money to influence the political process?!?!?!?!

[purklize]

I love the faux outrage. You mean, a business is using money to influence the political process?!?!?!?!

 

Ha! Put that way, the absurdity is obvious. They just don't like competition!

[CherryCrush]

What?

 

A dispensary owner did something stupid and possibly illegal in the state that reflects poorly on patients, caregivers and medical cannabis?

 

I refuse to believe it.

 

Heh.

 

Wake up people.

 

More detrimental to Michigans current medical cannabis program than almost any other source. If the law actually allowed for them, could be a different story. But it doesn't.

 

This person may not have intended to do harm, but unintended consequences and unforeseen(only to this idiot) damages have been done twice by this person. Thanks for the black eye on the movement.

 

I mean seriously, free pot to register.

 

 

Don't defend the idiocy of this.

[purklize]

Maybe it was foolish, but let's not condemn people for innocent mistakes, which is what I'm sure this was... Rick Jones loves it when we chew each other out... he's supposed to be our chew toy... don't waste your breath attacking anyone but the fascists in our government.

[thanks2]

It does not matter what the heck the tyrants do if we vote their collective arzes out of OUR house.

 

Free meds is an act of compassion.

 

Our only problem is the media spin. Maybe we need to turn more of our focus to the media. We should be running letter writing campaigns to all of our media, as well as our representatives. A "pen name" can be used to stay anonymous in the news.

[thanks2]

If we can get the media on our side, these show boating reps will not have the incentive or ability to run their smear campaigns.

[Guest Happy Guy]

What?

 

A dispensary owner did something stupid and possibly illegal in the state that reflects poorly on patients, caregivers and medical cannabis?

 

I refuse to believe it.

 

Heh.

 

Wake up people.

 

More detrimental to Michigans current medical cannabis program than almost any other source. If the law actually allowed for them, could be a different story. But it doesn't.

 

This person may not have intended to do harm, but unintended consequences and unforeseen(only to this idiot) damages have been done twice by this person. Thanks for the black eye on the movement.

 

I mean seriously, free pot to register.

 

 

Don't defend the idiocy of this.

Right! She did it for money. She was trying to drum up business. It was stupid and anyone that hears about it knows that. Let it go. It is bad press no matter how you slice it. This is one of those times we needed to police ourselves and failed. How many people knew about this and didn't tap her on the shoulder and tell her not to do it?

[Guest Happy Guy]

It makes my blood boil when the smarmy republican anchor woman a WNEM laughs about this. She laughs at us because this makes us look bad and she knows it. These dispensaries are killing any credibilty we build. The dispensary advertisements make them laugh too. Like the one that says that patients don't want to be treated like patients! Well, what do they want to be treated like, THEY ARE PATIENTS! Can we police ourselves? Not when you try to polish the turd! Rant done....

[Dubliner]

I just hope in the near future when Lansing Votes on Legalising Prostitution for Increased Revenues that the Brothel Owners decide to give out Free Samples & Happy Endings for New Voters registering to vote .

 

Sure would be nice to get yer Jones Waxed at the Legal Shuette Brothel on Michigan Avenue just fer registering to Vote . I'm wondering if we Need a Doctors recommendation & pay a state fee fer Legal Happy Ending Medical Treatments at the Shuette Jones State-O-Michigan Licenced Brothel.

 

Ya gotta Love how a Potentially Complicated Problem works out with a Happy Ending with Ole Shuette standing tall in the end , No Pun Intended ( No that was Not a comment on Mr Shuette being Vertically Challenged ). Let's All give Mr Shuette & Mr Jones a Good round of the Clap fer their Diligent Efforts in Keeping Michigan Legal, Safe & Secure as well as Comfortably Medicated . God Love em & God Bless em ,,,

[MightyMightyMezz]

I don't have any problem with this whatsoever. Helping patients to register to vote is perfectly democratic. Offering a free sample of medicine as motivation is inconsequential. They can vote for whoever they like.

 

Campaign contributions anyone?

[Guest Happy Guy]

I don't have any problem with this whatsoever. Helping patients to register to vote is perfectly democratic. Offering a free sample of medicine as motivation is inconsequential. They can vote for whoever they like.

 

Campaign contributions anyone?

Wake up and smell the coffee....

 

Codifying the ban on voter bribery, the United States Congress has prohibited the conspiracy to encourage illegal voting and stated that anyone who "pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."

[Guest Happy Guy]

Any patient who even accepted the bribe would be subject to a fine and jail time. That is reality. We need to live in reality as medical cannabis patients.