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US MI: Column: Readers Make Points Worth Considering On Medical Marijuana

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URL: http://www.mapinc.or...1/n540/a04.html

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Votes: 0

Pubdate: Sun, 21 Aug 2011

Source: Livingston County Daily Press & Argus (MI)

Copyright: 2011 Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/Kk1qVKJf

Website: http://www.livingstondaily.com

Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4265

Author: Rich Perlberg

 

 

 

READERS MAKE POINTS WORTH CONSIDERING ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

 

I'm beginning to really like the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus Readers Panel.

 

They generally produce a nice, well-reasoned cross-section of thoughtful views. They apply an ample dose of common sense and reason that is too often lacking in our elected officials.

 

Most recently, I was struck by their response to questions we posed to them about the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, which was overwhelmingly passed by voters in 2008.

 

You can see many of their responses on the next page. Attorney General Bill Schuette, who claims to know the minds of voters, might want to take a gander.

 

Last week, we published a column by Schuette, who was responding to one of our editorials. He suggested that the law was being abused by those who were using the medical excuse as a reason to move toward legalizing marijuana -- or, at least, making it easier to smoke marijuana by fabricating a medical excuse.

 

Schuette was strongly against the referendum. He pretty much said that voters today, who were sympathetic to the seriously ill cancer patients, felt duped by the law's enforcement. He said he was dedicated to closing loopholes and stronger enforcement.

 

Our Readers Panel somewhat agrees with part of Schuette's assessment. But they come to a decidedly different conclusion.

 

A large share of the panel -- 62 percent -- agreed that many were taking advantage of the law to use marijuana for recreational purposes. But even more -- 68 percent -- think that the law enforcement community is too aggressive in prosecuting those who have medical marijuana cards.

 

Here's the point that Schuette -- and the Livingston County legal community -- might want to consider. Despite the acknowledged abuses, 70 percent of our panel said they would vote for the law if it were on the ballot again.

 

We have about 1,500 members on our Readers Panel, and about 175 responded to this question. Obviously, this was not a scientific random sampling. But, given as most of the panel comes from readers of a daily newspaper in conservative Livingston County, it's reasonable to believe that the respondents don't make up some radical sector of the community.

 

Also, the 70 percent who would vote again for the law is pretty close to the 63 percent of Livingston County residents who approved the use of medical marijuana back in 2008.

 

Schuette says he somehow knows that voters intended only to help a "narrow group of seriously ill people." Thus, he vows to close loopholes and clarify the law.

 

He also says he will "not look the other way when people violate the few clearly defined parts of the law as is alleged in Livingston County."

 

Yet there is no indication that the new law has spurred an outbreak of marijuana lawlessness in Livingston County.

 

There is a dispensary that was shut down near Fowlerville. Its alleged offense was providing marijuana to card-holders who weren't specifically linked to the caregivers at the business. Other than the undercover police officer who brought in a fake card, there has been no allegation that marijuana was provided to recreational users.

 

Then there is the Brighton Township man who was arrested because he didn't properly segregate his marijuana from that he was growing for a friend. Both had legally acquired medical marijuana cards and there are no allegations that they were providing pot to anyone else.

 

Most egregiously, there is the Genoa Township man facing a possible jail sentence because he was growing the legally allowed 12 plants of marijuana outside his home. Six were for him and six were for his wife, who has stage-4 breast cancer.

 

Their offense? Their enclosed area for growing marijuana didn't have a cover over it.

 

So rest assured, Schuette by his own words is protecting us from the wanton use of a stage-4 breast-cancer victim. Hide the women and children.

 

To be fair, Schuette is right that the law is poorly worded. There are abuses, including allegations that some doctors dole out marijuana permission slips as though they were Halloween candy.

 

So fix it. That's the word from our Readers Panel in conservative Livingston County. Put some restrictions on unethical doctors and set some standards for getting a card. But also allow patient-to-patient transfer of marijuana. And don't threaten jail to a man trying to care for his cancer-stricken wife.

 

Our state lawmakers are among the highest-paid in the nation but they can't seem to address this issue in a commonsense manner. Meanwhile, our three Republican lawmakers -- state Sen. Joe Hune, state Rep. Bill Rogers and state Rep. Cindy Denby -- spend their time protecting us from nonexistent threats from the United Nations and Shariah law.

 

You almost wonder if they are high on something. If so, I hope it's for medical purposes.

MAP posted-by: Matt

[Kingdiamond]

Repost but still great!

[+JuztBudz]

Ah, home sweet home, Livingston county is supposedly very conservative, and yet, I have found the people here to be very open to what we are doing. Most that I speak with have friends, family or neighbors who have benefited greatly from cannabis therapies, see legislators for what they are and expect them to be servants of and for the people. They were not to pleased with the recent article in the Argus written by "Billy Bong" Schuette. Hope that Bill and his ilk pay attention to what the folks here are saying. He claims, at least, to be interested in what the people want...time will tell. Peace ... j.b.

[Mememe]

A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put its pants on. ~Winston Churchill

[Croppled1]

Just these 3 arrests are too much pain inflicted on patients not to mention the severely disabled young man who was charged with DUID at a huge cost to Livingston County , denied a medical defense yet was still found innocent by a jury who figured it out . Judge Geddis made sure to mention if he came back to Livingston driving they would do it again . Saying if you have a card you can't drive . Is it true Scheutte gave up the registry to law enforcement is taking our licenses next with Young the zero tolerance Judge one step behind Hoekstra in conservative fascism . If you dont like a group you make a law against them even if Canon law doesn't' support it anymore because medicinal cannabis is legal for qualified patients in this Governmental area if the law is applied as it was intended to protect patients and allow them to use it as needed for comfort and dare I say healing because we see it often does in spite of being told not to say it . At the very least it relaxes a traumatized body allowing it to eat , rest , and heal itself or stabilize worsening conditions for many . .

 

 

People have no idea how bad the discrimination is out there . Even FDA pain med use eliminates volunteer opportunities the DEA has caused so much panic around patients who need all the support and love they can obtain not ridicule and tough love for treating pain thats intractable and cause one to scream alone in the dark or as the Sun rises until you move around in the morning . They never should of done this without alternatives set up already for legal means of low cost . Many patients need 2 to 3 ounces a week and a variety of strains . These people are ignorant to the fact cannabis works let alone what patients require and NO were not getting it because they keep making it a decision to put someone at risk of arrest with their interpretation . Proper Law Enforcement is the cornerstone of a Democracy but I do not believe they understaond the golden rule of law .