Should Voters Get Another Hit Of Medical Marijuana?

[AlternativeSolutionsPlus]

Should Voters Get Another Hit Of Medical Marijuana?

 

It won't happen this year, but it might happen next year.

 

Former Eaton County Sheriff and Sen. Rick JONES (R-Grand Ledge) is looking at a redo of the statewide vote on medical marijuana.

 

Citing all the difficulties in implementing the law, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee said he believes the voters have had a change of heart and should be given a chance to express it.

 

"Perhaps it would be best if it went back on the ballot and let the people decide . . . I would like to see that in the future," Jones said this week.

 

His comments came in the context of an interview on what the Senate might do on revamping the current law given that legislation moved from his Judiciary Committee earlier and is now on the floor. He is not sure if it will be debated on Sept. 11, but he does detect some reservations among some senators.

 

Doctors must do a "complete assessment" of a patient -- look at medical records, set up their own patient record and intend to do follow-up care -- before writing out a medical marijuana prescription, under bills that overwhelmingly passed the House.

 

The four-bill package also clears up the hazy 2008 law that bans anyone with an assault on their criminal record from being a caregiver. The current law only bans felons convicted of illegal drug activity (See "House Passes Marijuana Package To Senate," 5/3/12).

 

Also, the bills read that medical marijuana plants grown outdoors must be, at the very least, surrounded by fencing that is only accessible through a locked door.

 

Jones' committee made two significant changes to the package. It expands those who can access the medical marijuana registry to any law enforcement officer and bans any convicted felon from being a caregiver. The House listed out only certain felonies in its version.

 

Rep. Phil CAVANAGH (D-Redford Twp.), who worked on the bill in the House, said he thinks the House did some good work in clearing up the medical marijuana law. Defining a doctor-patient relationship eliminates these "mills" that were pumping out questionable diagnoses so people could get medical marijuana cards in the first place, he said.

 

"We made some good changes in the first place that make the bill more compassionate," Cavanagh said.

 

Still, Jones isn't exactly crazy about the law in general.

 

"I think some legislators are tired of this issue and perhaps they want to see it go away," he explained. He also senses some sentiment for creating dispensaries for the sale of marijuana, which he opposes.

 

In order to get a redo on the 2014 ballot, Jones would need to get two-thirds support in both the House and Senate. He thinks there would "overwhelming support" for such an initiative now that residents have discovered the results from the first vote "were bad. The results were bad enough that most of the constituents did not expect this."

 

He said he thinks voters thought there would be several thousand cards issued, but that number is now surpassing 130,000.

 

"Everyone thought Grandma and Grandpa would be going to the pharmacies, but now teenagers are going to get marijuana," he said.

 

"This is a bad law," he argued.

 

http://www.mirsnews....rijuana&submit=

[cristinew]

So in other words Jones wants to end medical marijuana in Michigan.... He and his buddies can then put up anti ads and put the end to this once and for all,

 

guess this is more like Montana then Cali something to think about,

Edited September 1, 2012 by cristinew

[SFC]

Let them put it back to a vote again, WE will still win, I promise we have not lost 14 percentage points.

[knucklehead bob]

Let them put it back to a vote again, WE will still win, I promise we have not lost 14 percentage points.

Yes , another vote would seem to be in order . If only to clarify the Fact that I do not want to be on any "Gold Star" Law Enforcement list of caregivers & patients that grow Cannabis !

[budpuffer]

i sure wish that the same 63% of voters that passed this law would vote this fool out of office...it seems like he feels he knows what's best for the people,regardless and despite their vote...i think he's forgotten that he is supposed to represent the people in his district....bp

[AmishRnot4ganja]

"The four-bill package also clears up the hazy 2008 law..."

 

 

Its kinda strange that this law is only "hazy" to the law enforcement community and prohibitionists. It is quite clear to MM patients who, according to the haters, shouldn't even have enough sense to read let alone interpret a law. It also is apparently quite clear to the Mi Supreme Court. Ignorance, in the case of the law makers, appears to be an acquired attribute.

[Kingdiamond]

I say put it back on the ballot with guarantees if it passes again Rick Jones backs off and moves on to other pet projects he has no buisness interfering in.

[GanjaWarrior]

when they want to ignore the last results why vote again?

[+Malamute]

I always like to tell people the HAZIEST thing ever written was the US Constitution. We have been fighting over it for 225 years and still can't agree on what it says. :-)

 

Unlike the Constitution, the MMMAct is simple, clear and straighforward and any "revote" would end in the same results as the original vote.

 

Jones just has sour grapes because the world is changing around him and he can't handle progress and a brighter future. He wishes to go back to the dark ages of his childhood which he percieved as being the "best time" in America even though tens of thousands of people were being killed, poverty and hunger were rampant and vast segments of Americans were unable to vote. He lives in a fantasy world of childhood that never actually existed and only existed in the mind of a child and percieved through the uninformed unrealistic views of a child. There is nothing to go back to because it never actually existed. This is a fatal flaw of most conservatives. Always wanting to go back tot he wonderful world of childhood which blocked the reality of the actual life and times of the era they were a child. Such as, ask any 14 year old now what 200- 2010 was like. I doubt they will come anywhere close to what the last dozen years has actually been like. The world was WONDERFUL to them(in most circumstances barring abuse) and a magical place in which to live. That same 14 year old will yearn for the days of his childhood come a few decades now, remembering how wonderful it was to grow up in the "naughts". When in reality, we all know how messed up it was.

 

So,.. Jones can hold on to his delusion to the day he dies, but unfortunately for him, the world keeps progressing and he has been left behind to wallow in the memories of a childhood long gone and veiled with the lenses of a child.

 

Pertinently, this quote probably has the most direct impact on something many in here are concerned about:

 

"I think some legislators are tired of this issue and perhaps they want to see it go away," he explained. He also senses some sentiment for creating dispensaries for the sale of marijuana, which he opposes.

 

Any legislation pertaining to dispensaries will have to get through the Senate Judiciary committee which Jones is Chairman of and will likely continue to be for 6+ years still. Good luck to the commercialization advocates.

[Willy]

Whatever is going on, it is frustrating Jones.

 

 

I would hesitate to say, however, to me it means that we are about to win some points, there are senators, and congressmen/woman beginning to ask questions,, questions like "why" and isn't this is un"american" ? There seeing thru his misrepresentation, and spotting his personal vendetta against MMJ... , i think he knows, recent polls are still in our favor..

I"m likely dreaming but that would be my wish... JMHO

[GanjaWarrior]

another vote is absurd.... we voted once and they didn't like it no need to vote again.

[AmishRnot4ganja]

I always like to tell people the HAZIEST thing ever written was the US Constitution. We have been fighting over it for 225 years and still can't agree on what it says. :-)

 

Unlike the Constitution, the MMMAct is simple, clear and straighforward and any "revote" would end in the same results as the original vote.

 

Jones just has sour grapes because the world is changing around him and he can't handle progress and a brighter future. He wishes to go back to the dark ages of his childhood which he percieved as being the "best time" in America even though tens of thousands of people were being killed, poverty and hunger were rampant and vast segments of Americans were unable to vote. He lives in a fantasy world of childhood that never actually existed and only existed in the mind of a child and percieved through the uninformed unrealistic views of a child. There is nothing to go back to because it never actually existed. This is a fatal flaw of most conservatives. Always wanting to go back tot he wonderful world of childhood which blocked the reality of the actual life and times of the era they were a child. Such as, ask any 14 year old now what 200- 2010 was like. I doubt they will come anywhere close to what the last dozen years has actually been like. The world was WONDERFUL to them(in most circumstances barring abuse) and a magical place in which to live. That same 14 year old will yearn for the days of his childhood come a few decades now, remembering how wonderful it was to grow up in the "naughts". When in reality, we all know how messed up it was.

 

So,.. Jones can hold on to his delusion to the day he dies, but unfortunately for him, the world keeps progressing and he has been left behind to wallow in the memories of a childhood long gone and veiled with the lenses of a child.

 

Pertinently, this quote probably has the most direct impact on something many in here are concerned about:

 

"I think some legislators are tired of this issue and perhaps they want to see it go away," he explained. He also senses some sentiment for creating dispensaries for the sale of marijuana, which he opposes.

 

Any legislation pertaining to dispensaries will have to get through the Senate Judiciary committee which Jones is Chairman of and will likely continue to be for 6+ years still. Good luck to the commercialization advocates.

 

 

Whew! Long winded but I think you may have hit upon one of the motivations that drives conservatives.

[outsideinthecold]

I take a little offense when someone condemns 'conservatives' when they really mean right-wing religious zealots. There is a difference. A conservative believes in individual freedom, personal responsibility, and fiscal sanity. In my opinion their is little difference between either party. Neither wants to admit the failed prohibition both parties have supported for their own benefit is unenforceable and unaffordable.

[urbanpirate]

Whatever is going on, it is frustrating Jones.

 

 

sounds like some state senators are noticing decrim ballot proposals with plenty of signatures and probably a few opinion polls as well.

[Bison]

And that is why I will be voting Obama...

 

For my individual freedoms and fiscal sanity...

[ozzrokk]

If we revoted we would win again. Reality is if we revoted then that would mean that they completely threw out the original vote and would therefore do it again and again until they got the vote they wanted. NO NEED FOR A REVOTE. Honor the first one......