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3 Marijuana Dispensaries Raided In Michigan This Morning


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There are operatives in place to take down the rest of the disp BC this week ,Flint maybe Birmingham next week.

 

If you want disp FREE the WEED. LEGALIZATION without REGULATION

 

STAY SAFE....avoid dispensaries

 

Vote ALL fknrepublicans out in 2014.... Michigan Go Blue. 2014

Edited by beourbud
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Cel

 

1. Thank you for repeating exactly what I just wrote. (This is the only point that had to do with AZ exclusively)

 

2. Yes that is the point. If the dispensary closes patients will still be able to acquire medicine. It will not dry up the supply of marijuana. For instance in Michigan patients may acquire from anywhere.

 

3. What are you talking about. This item had nothing to do with AZ at all. It had to do with the often repeated complaint about the high cost of meds at dispensaries. "Almost all" is a pretty bold claim. Care to provide proof of that statement. Not sure why you put that one up either.

 

 

You seem very focused on AZ, which was only a minor topic discussed.

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There are operatives in place to take down the rest of the disp BC this week ,Flint maybe Birmingham next week.

 

If you want disp FREE the WEED. LEGALIZATION without REGULATION

 

STAY SAFE....avoid dispensaries

 

What is not safe about a patient buying from a dispensary? Is it not perfectly legal for them to do so? I thought a big part of the "beef" was the dispensaries were saying CG's are not safe? Why contribute to the name calling?

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SPRINGFIELD (WWJ/AP) -Police have raided three medical marijuana businesses and government offices near Battle Creek as part of a drug-related investigation that began in 2012.


The raids took place Wednesday at businesses in Springfield — The Karmacy, Southwest Compassion Care Center and Happy Daze — that are suspected of selling marijuana illegally under the front of a medical marijuana dispensary.


Authorities say a search warrant for offices of the City of Springfield sought documents about licenses and financial records for all three businesses. The homes of the suspects, who live in Kalamazoo and Barry Counties, were also raided.


Police seized 2.5 kilograms of processed marijuana, 150 marijuana plants, seven handguns,  57,000 rounds of ammunition and 21 improvised explosive devices, Mlive.com reported. The IEDs, which were described as “homemade fireworks,” are reportedly made from cardboard and plastic pipe and are a few inches long.



Investigators who have been observing the operations for years claim that undercover officers were able to purchase marijuana at the businesses. But Bruce Leach, a lawyer for The Karmacy, says the business was operating legally.


“We would welcome undercover officers to come in,” Leach told the Battle Creek Enquirer. “They would see that they were operating the way they were supposed to. The officer would be required to be a member and obtain medicine from his care giver.”


The same thing apparently goes for Southwest Compassion Care Center co-owner Michael Cain, who said his business was ”looted” by police.


“Police said they had made a buy. But everyone who comes in has a card,” Cain told the Battle Creek Enquirer. “They came in and robbed us and took all of our money and all of our stuff.”


No arrests were made.


Michigan voters in 2008 approved marijuana for some chronic medical conditions, but the Michigan Supreme Court in February slammed the door on marijuana shops.


 


http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/06/28/police-seize-2-5-kilos-of-weed-during-raids-at-medical-marijuana-businesses/

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Police will conduct tests and interviews as they investigate results of search warrants executed Wednesday at three medical marijuana dispensaries in Springfield and homes in two other counties.


Detective First Lt. Wayne Edington, commander of the Michigan State Police Southwest Enforcement Team, said Thursday teams of officers seized marijuana plants, marijuana, weapons and ammunition along with more than 20 small explosive devices.


He said the seven guns, 57,000 rounds of ammunition and 21 small homemade explosive devices were found at homes of people who own or manage the dispensaries. He said the 3- to 6-inch-long devices were made from cardboard and plastic pipe.


“They were explained that they were homemade fireworks and were for entertainment and not intended to blow something up,” Edington said. “But they represented a serious hazard.”


He said the Michigan State Police Bomb Squad was called to dispose of the items.


Edington said it did not appear initially that that the weapons were illegal.


Officers did find a handgun in the car of an employee who was driving into The Karmacy just as the raid began. Edington said that man was not arrested as troopers try to determine if the gun was properly registered.


No weapons or explosives were found at any of the dispensaries: The Karmacy, 4549 W. Dickman Road; Southwest Compassion Care Center at 700 N. 20th St. or Happy Daze, 695 N. 20th St.


He said the plants and the processed marijuana were seized from the dispensaries and from the homes.


Matt McMurtrie, co-owner of the Southwest Compassion Care Center, said he has complied with the requirements of the City of Springfield and Calhoun County and the state.


“I am not in the wrong and I am not breaking the law,” he said.


McMurtrie said he has met with Calhoun County Prosecutor David Gilbert and talked about the business and invited him to visit.


He said several police officers arrived, put them in handcuffs and took phones, computers, marijuana, money and security equipment.


“They wanted to make a show of it,” he said. “They are trying to paint a picture that we are criminals. They are just legal thieves with guns and badges.”


McMurtrie said he believes the law governing medical marijuana is not clear and perhaps issues will be decided by court cases.


“It might just be through the courts that that is the way to settle it,” he said.


But Gilbert said Thursday that police obtained probable cause of criminal activity to obtain the search warrants, although he has not seen any of the evidence collected from the raids.


“It is not a gray area,” he said, “it is pretty clear. But I am not saying they are violating anything yet because I have not seen the evidence.”


Officers from SWET, a multi-jurisdictional undercover drug unit, as well as Michigan State Police troopers and detectives and officers from drug units in Allegan and Jackson, executed the search warrants as part of a months-long investigation, Edington said, because operators are suspected of selling marijuana illegally in violation of Michigan’s medical marijuana law.


As part of the investigation offices also seized documents from the City of Springfield about the operation of the dispensaries.


Edington said investigators also want to interview employees of the businesses although he admitted, “we are not meeting with a lot of cooperation. We are not expecting a lot of cooperation but we will endeavor to conduct those interviews.”


The search warrants were issued by Calhoun County Prosecutor David Gilbert. Edington said no one was arrested and once the investigation is complete any warrant requests will be sent to either Gilbert or prosecutors in Kalamazoo or Barry counties.

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Beourbud

 

Really?

 

I am from Michigan and I want dispensaries. Many feel the same way.

 

We the people of MI. DO.

 

The false manufactured consensus of this forum does not speak for every patient in this state. The evidence of this is the fact that many dispensaries are still thriving and open. They are utilized daily by many patients. The 20 or so vocal opponents of dispensaries on this site are not the majority. Provide proof that they are please. My personal experiences tell me that dispensaries are appreciated by many.

 

Medical use does not exclude a recreational function. Stress kills. If using marijuana for recreation lowers the stress in someones life, that is every bit as medicinal as using it for the treatment of nausea.

 

I am a patient and my concerns are just as valid as anyone's.

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Cel

 

1. Thank you for repeating exactly what I just wrote. (This is the only point that had to do with AZ exclusively)

 

2. Yes that is the point. If the dispensary closes patients will still be able to acquire medicine. It will not dry up the supply of marijuana. For instance in Michigan patients may acquire from anywhere.

 

3. What are you talking about. This item had nothing to do with AZ at all. It had to do with the often repeated complaint about the high cost of meds at dispensaries. "Almost all" is a pretty bold claim. Care to provide proof of that statement. Not sure why you put that one up either.

 

 

You seem very focused on AZ, which was only a minor topic discussed.

 

I was pointing out why Az's law was not very good because of this statement of yours:

 

AZ is not as bad as some people here paint it to be.

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Most of us don't really care about whether dispensaries are legal or not.  What we do care about is the trend to take away grow rights in favor of dispensaries.  Any bill submitted to the current conservative congress can be amended at any point in the process, including last minute changes just before a vote.  Those people that are working with the reps in Lansing on a daily basis don't trust the current congress to keep the bill so it's not impeding home grows.  The people pushing through 4271 think that since they paid off a few people they will get their bill streamlined through congress in the exact form in which they submitted it.  Conservatives within the congress, that didn't get paid off with campaign contributions, want to change or kill the bill.

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I'm over 4271.

 

It is not going to do anything, let alone what I would like it to. You say you don't care about whether they are legal or not, yet you continually attack and trash them. Somethings not jiving with that statement. Are you this angry about everyone that donates money to politicians? Cause every group that wants to be heard does it. I think it is wrong, it is just curious how they are singled out for it. I am for home grows 100%. I am for dispensaries 100%. I do not believe they are mutually exclusive. The attacks are going in both directions, making a compromise ultimately harder to achieve.

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I'm over 4271.

 

It is not going to do anything, let alone what I would like it to. You say you don't care about whether they are legal or not, yet you continually attack and trash them. Somethings not jiving with that statement. Are you this angry about everyone that donates money to politicians? Cause every group that wants to be heard does it. I think it is wrong, it is just curious how they are singled out for it. I am for home grows 100%. I am for dispensaries 100%. I do not believe they are mutually exclusive. The attacks are going in both directions, making a compromise ultimately harder to achieve.

There is no compromise.

 

Legalization without Regulation....let's start there.

 

join us on working to get MJ rescheduled...That IS the Solution

 

Vote ALL fknrepublicans OUT..... 2014

Edited by beourbud
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Beourbud

 

I am with you on that one. I just think we have different views on how to get it done the fastest. Keeping it locked up in people's basements while they navigate a cluster f**k of regulations is not helping. Getting it into the daily lives, personal and buisness, is the best way to get it done IMO. Get the money to work for us, not against us.

 

See my thread on how I believe the DOMA ruling may help us achieve that.

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AZ is a good example of what happens when dispensaries are allowed to muscle out caregivers, the prices go through the roof and there is no incentive for quality because the market is closed- you take what they have or go without.  Like Greg, I don't like the tactics used by the prodispensary folks.  Implying caregivers produce unsafe meds, that the act of transferring meds is somehow shameful (you don't want to be doing it in your house, in front of your kids is one pitch I hear), or unsafe simply shows their hand for the next stage- the elimination of home growing and their competition.

 

The other thing that concerns me is that the MMMA is designed to widely distribute the production of cannabis.  It is clear that caregivers were limited to 5 patients to keep the grows small and many.  If dispensaries come, it is logical to assume they will somehow be licensed- what was the complaint about the Lansing dispensaries?  47 in one city was the cry of the anti's.  With licensing comes limitation.  

 

If you were the DEA, would you rather go after the say 15 state licensed dispensaries or 10,000 caregivers and 50,000 self growing patients?  AZ with its limited number of dispensaries could be shut down as quickly and easily as our friends in BC were yesterday.  If that kind of raid occurred in AZ, they could stop the supply overnight for the entire state.  With our caregiver/home grow system, could they do that as easily in Michigan?  I think not, and that is why we have the law we do.

 

Dispensaries are fine, so are farmers markets.  I'd love to see some legislation allowing and perhaps taxing their use.  But ONLY if they are secondary to and DEPENDENT on Michigan caregivers and growers.  No out of state ditch weed, no commercial grows by the dispensaries.  Require they purchase and test (if that is what they want) medication from Michigan caregivers and growers.

 

Dispensaries can serve a useful purpose- assist in the redistribution of medication from growers with excess to patients in need.  Bringing in out of state cheap weed, growing commercially themselves, removing the competition, and putting the growers that remain at a commercial disadvantage and open to exploitation to 'dump' the excesses they grow for whatever they can get from the dispensaries or face criminal charges for the overages.  

 

We need to make the dispensaries dependent on the Michigan caregivers for ALL their medication supplies.  Make them compete for limited overages to improve the prices they pay the growers.  Make them limit their profit margins to make their medication prices to patients as low as possible (after all, their competition is the caregiver that will sell to patients at the same wholesale price they get from the dispensary).  And generate a little tax in the process.

 

Just a few musings from me on an issue I don't have a dog in the fight with.

 

Dr. Bob

I tinkle on every single one of these DISPENSARIES meds here in MI...none can produce what serious professional CG's like myself produce day in day out.   They only understand GREENBACKS and do not understand that the best meds in the world are produced with the highest levels of ENERGY and LOVE.  When you come combine these 2 things in anything in life great things will be produced.

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I'm over 4271.

 

It is not going to do anything, let alone what I would like it to. You say you don't care about whether they are legal or not, yet you continually attack and trash them. Somethings not jiving with that statement. Are you this angry about everyone that donates money to politicians? Cause every group that wants to be heard does it. I think it is wrong, it is just curious how they are singled out for it. I am for home grows 100%. I am for dispensaries 100%. I do not believe they are mutually exclusive. The attacks are going in both directions, making a compromise ultimately harder to achieve.

 

Yes, I do.  If you go back to my post, I said "Most of us" not "me."  I believe they sell inferior medicine at inferior prices.  I also understand that my opinion is tainted by my experiences within my part of the state.  I believe they drive prices up.

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Just watched the video.

 

I wonder if the "homemade bombs" had anything to do with the 4th of July that is coming up? More info would be nice. I could see a bunch of firecrackers being taped together labeled as an "IED" to create a fantastic story.

i can see it this way also it's part of the State in building their case against the Law we have

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Cel

 

They can drive prices up. It all depends on where you are. In a legal environment it may ultimately drive prices down, from the traditional black market. Part of the high cost is because of the risks they are taking. Part of it is supply and demand. People want the best and there is not enough of the best to go around. I have been to many a dispensary that had $10 grams of grade A marijuana (California). If you are able to grow for yourself then it should not matter. This is where we disagree. I do not believe it is inevitable that if dispensaries exist that our grow rights will be gone. You do. AZ is a bad example because their restriction was in the law they passed from the start. They knew it was in there and voted yes on it anyway. When it becomes legal, for all, the prices will fall dramatically at dispensaries.

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My support for 4271 is tepid, at best. It's not gonna pass. The only reason I would support it would be for farmer's markets, definitely not dispensaries. I think farmer's markets offer patients fair prices and the ability to acquire a VARIETY of meds from a VARIETY of caregivers.

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farmer's markets we don't need a Bill for that it's going on all over the State and is alive and well Leo knows that Patients can get their Meds from anyone

Leo had tried arresting Patients when finding out from the back of their card they had no caregiver 

so where did you get it from they would ask

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B&T

 

I agree.

 

Both sides are fighting to get marijuana out in the open. That is why I don't understand the division.

 

I know, I know...

 

They said we are not safe.

They called us names.

They want our grow rights.

 

Blah, blah, blah

 

douga

 

In my mind a farmers market is no different than a dispensary. They do the same thing essentially, and someone, somewhere is making money. It is about opening up all transfers and legalizing. After that happens do what you like, whether it is a market or a dispensary or your own personal grow.

 

If I was trying to get rid of meds...

I would not want to sit at a farmers market and peddle my wares. I would rather pay a middle man to do it for me.

Edited by OG Fire Beaster
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