Medical Marijuana Is Top Priority For House Panel In December

[bobandtorey]

Medical marijuana could be a hot topic in the state Legislature before the end of the year.

House Judiciary Committee Chair Kevin Cotter (R-Mount Pleasant) says his top priority next month is to take up three medical marijuana-related bills.

The first, House Bill 4271, would revive medical marijuana dispensaries in Michigan after recent court rulings effectively stopped the facilities from operating in the state.

“I want to take a closer look at medical marijuana distribution in light of the Supreme Court decision,” said Cotter. “And so, I expect that we’ll be able to take a look at that in the couple of session weeks that we have remaining.”

He says one of the most important discussions will be whether to require facilities to test their products.

“I think there seems to be broad agreement, or at least everybody agrees it makes sense that, especially when you have patients that could potentially have depressed immune systems already, if they are exposed to mold or pesticides, I think it’s just intuitive that that could present some issues. And so, we want to look at that.”

Cotter also plans to take up two other medical marijuana-related bills. House Bill 5104would allow patients to use edible forms of marijuana. And Senate Bill 660 would clear the way for pharmacies to sell medical marijuana in Michigan, but only if the federal government decides to regulate cannabis as a prescription drug.

State lawmakers are expected to meet for two more weeks before the end of the year after they return from their Thanksgiving break.

 

 

http://michiganradio.org/post/medical-marijuana-top-priority-house-panel-december

[trichcycler]

Theres a ton of steps taken before a drug can be labeled as a prescription drug. It could include years of clinical studies for safety, efficacy, potency, etc. We may have been better off seeking a "supplement" labeling ?

[beourbud]

So lets recap

 

republicans want to RAISE TAXES on our Meds, Further Restrict grow rights and distribution

 

repubs refuse to raise taxes on anything but Your Weed

 

Basically poop on us patient home growers....moms and pops 

 

We Need to Free the Weed  .......  

 

 

I

[trichcycler]

Eight democrats and eight republicans are cosponsoring the measure.....?

[OZONE]

All bought and payed for corporate shills .

[+washtenaut]

When the primary goal of the politician is re-election, they will follow the money pretty much every time. 

 

The real skill of the politician is constantly repainting that chase of the money into a succession of acts performed for the benefit of the constituency.

 

When they start sponsoring cannabis bills, remember that they didn't just suddenly see the light.  It is all about the re-election.  They feel that there are things to be gained by suddenly becoming aware of the benefits.

a) political contributions

b) votes

c) political favors

 

Since you don't find "d) for the patients' benefit", on that list, two things need to happen.  First the repainting of whatever legislative action as for the patients' benefit, naturally. 

 

The second thing is that the legislature will devise a Michigan medical cannabis program that will allow them to benefit monetarily both personally and at a state level.  That sneaky peoples' initiative undercut their traditional money making scenarios and now they will take this opportunity to correct that

[GregS]

Time to saddle up. Please put your time and energy toward addressing the policy making process and players. There is too little to be gained and too much at stake to be arguing among ourselves. It is great to watch everyone sharpen their skills here, and now it is time to put them to work where it matters.

[GregS]

Theres a ton of steps taken before a drug can be labeled as a prescription drug. It could include years of clinical studies for safety, efficacy, potency, etc. We may have been better off seeking a "supplement" labeling ?

That or a simple garden herb with medicinal properties, much like aloe.

[Wild Bill]

Eight democrats and eight republicans are cosponsoring the measure.....?

[trichcycler]

   BuuuWaahaha !!!  here's all eight of them !!

[trichcycler]

did you cringe when you heard everyone demanding cannabis be recognized as medicine?

I read today that pharmacies dispense medicine, and will have a difficult time calling dried, combusted, inhaled flowers an acceptable medicinal release mechanism, or medicine at all.

That or a simple garden herb with medicinal properties, much like aloe.

[MiMedical]

I think any step forward is a positive step.. That's just my opinion though!

[bobandtorey]

I can agree but the Bills that are in front of us  now won't help anyone but put $$$ in someones pocket 

 

Leave the MMA as is 

[GregS]

did you cringe when you heard everyone demanding cannabis be recognized as medicine?

I read today that pharmacies dispense medicine, and will have a difficult time calling dried, combusted, inhaled flowers an acceptable medicinal release mechanism, or medicine at all.

Do you believe everything you read?

[Kingdiamond]

 

Eight democrats and eight republicans are cosponsoring the measure.....?

Spot on brother they want to pit us against each other and keep us from seeing what they truly are and that's someone who can be bought by the highest bidder and its not us.

[trichcycler]

Not until it's typewritten by you of course! tehe

 

seriously though, the forum is a compilation of bits we all read, and the opinions coming forth as a result. This is a perfect place to post things "we've read" and most agree. what other media would we have to report on instead, perhaps Fox news or eavesdropping's at the bus stop ?

 

Added with current law, and even some pharmacy operator statements we see cannabis or any of its preparations has not or have not been certified as meeting the standards of the U.S. Pharmacopeia Convention, which is a necessary prerequisite for its sale at a pharmacy. Products like herbal medicines can be sold over-the-counter in pharmacies without evaluation by the FDA, but I think they have to be USP grade. Marijuana is not a pharmaceutical.  Pharmacists can only dispense fda approved pharmaceuticals, since marijuana is neither a pharmaceutical, nor approved by the fda, it cannot be sold at a pharmacy. It is still a schedule 1 narcotic under federal law and can not be legal dispensed under federal law (and pharmacies are bound by state as well as federal drug control laws
If and when medical marijuana is approved on the federal level it is highly unlikely to be  as smoke able or edible marijuana, but prepared/standardized products such as Sativex. 

"......Pharmacy Association adopted a resolution at its June 5 meeting stating that professional pharmacists will not support dispensing cannabis as treatment until medical research proves the drug is effective and establishes adequate dosing guidelines.

The resolution stated that there is currently no accepted medical use for marijuana according to the Federal Drug Administration and marijuana is still considered an illegal drug at the federal level.

“As such, it is still against federal law.........pharmacies to dispense or even have marijuana in their stores,” http://helenair.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_508b6e54-751f-11df-8cc2-001cc4c03286.html

 

Our community has fought hard and long to quantify our herb as medicine, so be it. But to have it that way will take many steps, many more than a food supplement, or herb for instance. Its as if the man said "ok, lets watch them tear this Act up, with corner dispensaries, screaming about medicine, and cancer treatments, and then we'll take it away from them, and attempt to quantify cannabis as their titled "medicine".  There is a whole protocol with missing results to overcome with that, medicine interactions, ldl's, isolation, standardization and on and on, before a "medicine" can be dispensed at a pharmacy in our system, regardless of our "belief" system. A proper medical model is composed of the prescribing of medicine by a licensed prescriber and the dispensing of medicine by a separate licensed entity. Some of the hurdles necessary to comply with pharmacy standards are tall orders. varying standards for patient qualification from state to state exist. Some jurisdictions require conditions be connected to specific illnesses, like cancer, and others do not, causing discrepancies in appropriate marijuana use from jurisdictions to vary greatly.

Differences in practioner  requirements vary from state to state. While Michigan may require they be licensed, but other states will allow a homeopathic doctor to qualify a patient. these staggering differences are insufficient to  properly regulate marijuana as a medicine. 

 Differing possession limits, current fed stance of "no medical value", and several other issues are at hand before a pharmacy can dispense, even if that is what we desire.

 

Even lacking the belief in what we read, we're going to have to be content reading laws, and knowing that they are at least the truths held by those who wish to oppress us, and I do believe that whole heartedly.  Changing the mantra to "herbal remedy" or "food supplement" in the middle of this issue is unlikely gong to be acceptable. We've done our due diligence, pulling out the big guns, and proving medicinal quantification,

 

now we have our medicine, and will most likely have to eat it too.

peace

 

Do you believe everything you read?

Edited November 28, 2013 by grassmatch

[bobandtorey]

Spot on brother they want to pit us against each other and keep us from seeing what they truly are and that's someone who can be bought by the highest bidder and its not us.

Yup true as can be imo

[trichcycler]

at least the three of us don't offer support for any of their antics, but the majority do, over and over, expecting a different result each time. It's like they've been medicated into submission, like with experimental psychotropic drugs and animal hormones, in the water even......hey, wait a minute........  o.0

I wish everybody would "look what's goin' down".  We're not small, we're just on our knees !

[bobandtorey]

[bobandtorey]

at least the three of us don't offer support for any of their antics, but the majority do, over and over, expecting a different result each time. It's like they've been medicated into submission, like with experimental psychotropic drugs and animal hormones, in the water even......hey, wait a minute........  o.0

I wish everybody would "look what's goin' down".  We're not small, we're just on our knees !

I wish today we had more people here but the people already have there minds made up and still think just because they have a card all is good until that day comes when they end up in Court 

When i ask people if they know there has not been a jury in 5 years that can here you do have a card they  just walk away

[MiMedical]

I wish today we had more people here but the people already have there minds made up and still think just because they have a card all is good until that day comes when they end up in Court

When i ask people if they know there has not been a jury in 5 years that can here you do have a card they just walk away

If a patient sells mmj to a non card holder, then I'm sure they won't be able to use a medical defense because they broke the law, now if someone was within the MMMA (I.e locked and enclosed, under 12 plants, under 2 1/2 oz) then they SHOULD be allowed to use the mmj defense at trial, now if its a Sec 8 trial and you prove 2 of the three prongs, then only that ONE prong should be able to be argued... That's what I'm thinking.. That make sense? Also, if all three prongs are proven then the case "should be dismissed". Does that sound right?

[bobandtorey]

sounds right to me

 

and that is how it went for us in 2009

 

But just because someone breaks the Law other then the MMA in most cases they still are able to have a jury here the facts but if they break the MMA then no jury can here you have a card

[MiMedical]

sounds right to me

 

and that is how it went for us in 2009

 

But just because someone breaks the Law other then the MMA in most cases they still are able to have a jury here the facts but if they break the MMA then no jury can here you have a card

So when you say that No patient has been able to say "Medical" in a court room in the past 5 years, it's because they broke the law and/or the MMMA? I.e door was unlocked, over plant count or over 2 1/2 oz correct? So they can't use the Medical defense right? I don't mean to sound stupid lol.. It's just hard for me to under stand WHO can't use the MMJ defense and why. But I think you clarified it for me, thank you, and happy Thanksgiving

[bobandtorey]

Or they didn't know what sickness there Patients had or how much Cannabis they needed to used

[MiMedical]

True, and the list goes on lol