Schuette Continues To Push His Propaganda Machine...

[AlternativeSolutionsPlus]

Schuette continues plan to clarify medical pot law (Posted in the Daily Tribune in Oakland County)

 

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Attorney General Bill Schuette is providing some more details of a developing plan to change or clarify Michigan's law allowing medical marijuana.

 

The Republican said Wednesday he wants to make it a felony for physicians to falsely certify a patient's debilitating condition that would permit the patient to use the drug for medical purposes. His plan also calls for making it a felony to knowingly submit false information on an application for a patient or caregiver card.

 

A group of Michigan lawmakers plans to introduce at least eight bills that would change the voter-approved law in the Legislature this fall.

 

Law enforcement, local communities, courts and some patients have been locked in disputes about what's legal and what isn't since shortly after the voters approved the law in 2008.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Schuette outlines pot law changes (Detroit Free Press)

 

Associated Press

 

Lansing — A developing plan to clarify Michigan's medical marijuana law would include a proposal that would make it a felony for physicians to knowingly falsely certify a patient's debilitating condition, Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette said Wednesday.

 

Other new details revealed by Schuette and state lawmakers on Wednesday include that the plan will call for making it a felony to knowingly submit false information on an application for a patient or caregiver card. It would also prohibit felons from being caregivers.

 

A group of Michigan lawmakers plans to introduce at least eight bills that would change the voter-approved law in the Legislature within the next few months.

 

Since the law was originally approved by voters, some of the changes would require support from three-fourths majorities in both the House and Senate.

 

The proposed changes would require stricter doctor-patient relationships before a patient could get authorization to use the drug. Other provisions likely would result in fewer medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.

 

Zoning guidelines would be clarified so local governments would have a better idea of how to regulate them under state law. The law would also be clarified to crack down on drivers who get behind the wheel with marijuana in their system.

 

Law enforcement, local communities, courts and some patients have been locked in disputes about what's legal and what isn't since shortly after the law was approved.

 

Schuette — joined by a few Republican and Democratic lawmakers, law enforcement personnel and others — said that loopholes in the pot law must be closed.

 

"Sadly and tragically, this law is being abused," Schuette said. "This law is being exploited," he added.

 

Advocates of medical marijuana said nothing in the law prohibits dispensaries and collective growing facilities.

 

They added that communities are ignoring the will of Michigan voters by cracking down on those businesses.

 

 

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110811/METRO/108110377/Schuette-outlines-pot-law-changes#ixzz1UjbmJrfj

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Lawmakers to introduce bills to close marijuana 'loopholes' (Lansing State Journal)

 

Eaton County Sheriff Mike Raines worries medical marijuana growing sites will spur violence in his community.

 

He says thieves are hijacking the drugs and some growers are arming themselves in self-defense.

 

Clinton County Sheriff Wayne Kangas says he's alarmed at the sharp rise in young people his officers are arresting for marijuana possession.

 

Both sheriffs believe the state's medical marijuana law is a poorly drafted mess that has led to a rise in illegal growing operations and illegal marijuana use. But they say a package of eight bills lawmakers will introduce this fall will close loopholes in the 2008 ballot measure and create laws that police can enforce.

 

"The law has been hijacked by drug dealers who want to make money, line their pockets and make a huge profit," Attorney General Bill Schuette said. "This law has as many holes as Swiss cheese. It's out of control and we need to fix it."

 

Surrounded by police, prosecutors and lawmakers, Schuette unveiled a package of bills he is supporting that bans felons from supplying medical marijuana patients with the drug, makes it a crime for doctors to falsely certify a patient, requires photos on medical marijuana cards and allows communities to specifically zone for medical marijuana dispensaries.

 

Police and prosecutors have complained about ambiguities since the law was enacted in 2009 after voters approved it in 2008.

 

Communities, including Lansing, have struggled with how to regulate and zone the medical marijuana dispensaries that have sprouted during the past two years.

 

"We don't have a photo on the medical marijuana card, so we're off to the races from the start," said Saginaw County Prosecutor Mike Thomas. "Is this card legitimate?"

 

But medical marijuana advocates have been leery of any proposed changes to the law, saying it is merely an attempt to make it harder for them to acquire medical marijuana and would violate their civil rights.

 

"I can guarantee that none of the people at that press conference voted for this law in 2008," said Rick Thompson, editor of the Oak Park-based Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine. "To open the law to legislative tinkering with the current composition of the Legislature simply is unadvisable because they don't represent the true feelings of Michigan's citizens."

 

Before the medical marijuana law was enacted, Kangas said his department would arrest perhaps 110 people a year for marijuana possession.

 

Now, he said, his department is arresting about 150 annually. Very few have medical marijuana cards.

 

Having medical marijuana dispensaries in many areas sends the wrong message to young people, he said.

 

"It's made it so much more available," Kangas said. "There is a perception that it's OK."

[AnonCaregiver]

[Phil78]

 

 

what really gets me, is that there is no way for them to distinguish between someone who just smoked a joint, someone who smoked last night, and someone who smoked last week.

 

what about all those with jobs? now they cannot drive to work, because they could get arrested for having it in their system?

 

i know i'm not bringing up any new points, but good gosh it's frustrating trying to reason with an idiot. you try to talk and explain, and they've just got their fingers in their ears yelling "nah, nope, not listening, nah nah nah nah nah....."

[burroughs]

I find it humorous that somehow a jump in 40 arrests is viewed as significant. Percentage wise that's not a huge jump...and notice, it didn't say convictions--just arrests. Those could have been individuals who were initially arrested and then found to be legal, etc...

[AlternativeSolutionsPlus]

I find it humorous that somehow a jump in 40 arrests is viewed as significant. Percentage wise that's not a huge jump...and notice, it didn't say convictions--just arrests. Those could have been individuals who were initially arrested and then found to be legal, etc...

 

You will soon discover if you have not already that data and statistics can be presented from either side. It all depends on which side you are on. The word "significant" plays and sounds better, even though you and I know the truth. It becomes very important to ask people to carefully read "between" the lines.

 

Good Ear & Eye.

[Kevin]

If Mr. Schuette wants to dictate to people which medicines they should put into their own bodies, then he has to pay for their health care. What do you say Mr. Schuette? What's fair is fair.

[puffaway]

You will soon discover if you have not already that data and statistics can be presented from either side. It all depends on which side you are on. The word "significant" plays and sounds better, even though you and I know the truth. It becomes very important to ask people to carefully read "between" the lines.

 

Good Ear & Eye.

 

The only reason for this increase is because his officers are looking harder for it now, and many more departments have dogs or access to them from adjacent jurisdictions. Liars can figure and figures can lie....

[Dr. Bob]

Devote scarce resources to find small quantities of marijuana and you will find them. Then use the resulting arrests to justify more diversions of resources. Circular reasoning at its best. Given the fact that marijuana use (both medical and non-medical) is so common in this state, it is an easy to find target.

 

Dr. Bob

[Dr. Bob]

Schuette continues plan to clarify medical pot law (Posted in the Daily Tribune in Oakland County)

 

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Attorney General Bill Schuette is providing some more details of a developing plan to change or clarify Michigan's law allowing medical marijuana.

 

The Republican said Wednesday he wants to make it a felony for physicians to falsely certify a patient's debilitating condition that would permit the patient to use the drug for medical purposes. His plan also calls for making it a felony to knowingly submit false information on an application for a patient or caregiver card.

 

A group of Michigan lawmakers plans to introduce at least eight bills that would change the voter-approved law in the Legislature this fall.

 

Law enforcement, local communities, courts and some patients have been locked in disputes about what's legal and what isn't since shortly after the voters approved the law in 2008.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Schuette outlines pot law changes (Detroit Free Press)

 

Associated Press

 

Lansing — A developing plan to clarify Michigan's medical marijuana law would include a proposal that would make it a felony for physicians to knowingly falsely certify a patient's debilitating condition, Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette said Wednesday.

 

Other new details revealed by Schuette and state lawmakers on Wednesday include that the plan will call for making it a felony to knowingly submit false information on an application for a patient or caregiver card. It would also prohibit felons from being caregivers.

 

A group of Michigan lawmakers plans to introduce at least eight bills that would change the voter-approved law in the Legislature within the next few months.

 

Since the law was originally approved by voters, some of the changes would require support from three-fourths majorities in both the House and Senate.

 

The proposed changes would require stricter doctor-patient relationships before a patient could get authorization to use the drug. Other provisions likely would result in fewer medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.

 

Zoning guidelines would be clarified so local governments would have a better idea of how to regulate them under state law. The law would also be clarified to crack down on drivers who get behind the wheel with marijuana in their system.

 

Law enforcement, local communities, courts and some patients have been locked in disputes about what's legal and what isn't since shortly after the law was approved.

 

Schuette — joined by a few Republican and Democratic lawmakers, law enforcement personnel and others — said that loopholes in the pot law must be closed.

 

"Sadly and tragically, this law is being abused," Schuette said. "This law is being exploited," he added.

 

Advocates of medical marijuana said nothing in the law prohibits dispensaries and collective growing facilities.

 

They added that communities are ignoring the will of Michigan voters by cracking down on those businesses.

 

 

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110811/METRO/108110377/Schuette-outlines-pot-law-changes#ixzz1UjbmJrfj

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Lawmakers to introduce bills to close marijuana 'loopholes' (Lansing State Journal)

 

Eaton County Sheriff Mike Raines worries medical marijuana growing sites will spur violence in his community.

 

He says thieves are hijacking the drugs and some growers are arming themselves in self-defense.

 

Clinton County Sheriff Wayne Kangas says he's alarmed at the sharp rise in young people his officers are arresting for marijuana possession.

 

Both sheriffs believe the state's medical marijuana law is a poorly drafted mess that has led to a rise in illegal growing operations and illegal marijuana use. But they say a package of eight bills lawmakers will introduce this fall will close loopholes in the 2008 ballot measure and create laws that police can enforce.

 

"The law has been hijacked by drug dealers who want to make money, line their pockets and make a huge profit," Attorney General Bill Schuette said. "This law has as many holes as Swiss cheese. It's out of control and we need to fix it."

 

Surrounded by police, prosecutors and lawmakers, Schuette unveiled a package of bills he is supporting that bans felons from supplying medical marijuana patients with the drug, makes it a crime for doctors to falsely certify a patient, requires photos on medical marijuana cards and allows communities to specifically zone for medical marijuana dispensaries.

 

Police and prosecutors have complained about ambiguities since the law was enacted in 2009 after voters approved it in 2008.

 

Communities, including Lansing, have struggled with how to regulate and zone the medical marijuana dispensaries that have sprouted during the past two years.

 

"We don't have a photo on the medical marijuana card, so we're off to the races from the start," said Saginaw County Prosecutor Mike Thomas. "Is this card legitimate?"

 

But medical marijuana advocates have been leery of any proposed changes to the law, saying it is merely an attempt to make it harder for them to acquire medical marijuana and would violate their civil rights.

 

"I can guarantee that none of the people at that press conference voted for this law in 2008," said Rick Thompson, editor of the Oak Park-based Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine. "To open the law to legislative tinkering with the current composition of the Legislature simply is unadvisable because they don't represent the true feelings of Michigan's citizens."

 

Before the medical marijuana law was enacted, Kangas said his department would arrest perhaps 110 people a year for marijuana possession.

 

Now, he said, his department is arresting about 150 annually. Very few have medical marijuana cards.

 

Having medical marijuana dispensaries in many areas sends the wrong message to young people, he said.

 

"It's made it so much more available," Kangas said. "There is a perception that it's OK."

 

Cutting and pasting articles is a great service to the board. Perhaps you would care to discuss the bills? What are your views on them? We could use an explanation as they are a primary reason we are having a rally on the 7th.

 

Dr. Bob

[AlternativeSolutionsPlus]

Cutting and pasting articles is a great service to the board. Perhaps you would care to discuss the bills? What are your views on them? We could use an explanation as they are a primary reason we are having a rally on the 7th.

 

Dr. Bob

 

Of course we will revisit and reread the up and coming Bills in the Senate, i.e. Senate Bills 377,418,504,505,506; along with the ones in the House,i.e 4661,4834,4850,4851,4852,4853,4854 and issue our opinion(s) here in this forum very soon.

[Dr. Bob]

Of course we will revisit and reread the up and coming Bills in the Senate, i.e. Senate Bills 377,418,504,505,506; along with the ones in the House,i.e 4661,4834,4850,4851,4852,4853,4854 and issue our opinion(s) here in this forum very soon.

 

Excellent, will await your insight.

 

Dr. Bob