Strong, Responsible Medical Marijuana Regulations Will Protect Patients, Safeguard Communities

[bobandtorey]

 

 

 

 

As a concerned citizen, a family man and an active member of my community, I’ve been closely following the issue of medical marijuana in Michigan.

 

 

For seven years, patients, caregivers, local communities and law enforcement have been kept in the dark because Michigan has no regulatory framework for medical marijuana. Local communities are scrambling to address the issue of too many medical marijuana dispensaries that affect neighborhoods. Patients and caregivers are sometimes prevented from getting the medicine they and their doctors say can help alleviate debilitating illness and injuries. Law enforcement and prosecutors struggle to stay ahead of the game to keep the public safe.

 

 

The chaos we see today is the result of the absence of a clear regulatory framework for medical marijuana in Michigan.

 

 

 

Our state now has an opportunity to remedy this. Policymakers in Lansing are considering clear, common-sense regulations for medical marijuana, which Michigan voters passed in 2008. And Michigan voters may be asked whether marijuana should be fully legalized in 2016, and having a framework in place now only makes sense.

 

 

Oakland County’s Rep. Klint Kesto, who chairs the House Judiciary committee and is a former prosecutor, has been among the leaders in Lansing who want to make sure we have a consistent set of rules that everyone follows.

 

 

With clear guidelines, Michigan can ensure that only patients with their doctor’s recommendation have access to the medicine they need. With a level playing field, Michigan can keep out bad actors and fly-by-night operations that cut corners, putting their profits ahead of patients.

 

 

The proposals that policymakers like Kesto and others such as State Senator Rick Jones — a former county sheriff — are working on will create greater certainty for local communities. To date, Michigan has no uniform, statewide regulations, just a patchwork of local ordinances that change from community to community, creating confusion for everyone.

 

 

Tough rules and high standards are the best ways to keep out bad actors, eliminate irresponsible practices and prevent dangerous products from entering the market. They protect the rights of patients, while holding businesses accountable.

 

 

One key safeguard will require intensive background checks for workers in the medical marijuana industry. These checks would be conducted by an independent regulatory agency, which will also have enforcement and inspection powers.

 

 

Under the proposals, Michigan will track medical marijuana from seed to sale, implementing a chain of custody so regulators and law enforcement will know exactly who has what product at what time. Tiered systems like the one proposed for medical marijuana have been highly successful, helping promote greater transparency. And more sunlight is the best antidote to dangerous and risky practices. 

 

 

Across metro Detroit, we’ve all seen the headlines about the proliferation of medical marijuana dispensaries. Strong regulations can rein in the number of dispensaries, ensuring only businesses that play by the rules stay in business.

 

 

This is a wake-up call for us to do everything we can to make sure Michigan has a medical marijuana framework that can keep patients and communities safe. The first step is for our Legislature to adopt responsible regulations without delay.

 

 

John O’Connor is a Commerce Township resident.

http://www.macombdaily.com/opinion/20151216/strong-responsible-medical-marijuana-regulations-will-protect-patients-safeguard-communities

[t-pain]

Sounds like it was written by a pr firm

 

framework, playing field, common sense, ... bingo

[I wood]

oops

Edited December 16, 2015 by I wood

[Kingdiamond]

Screw this guy he sounds like he wants to kill home grows with all that talk of regulations  hes likely some deep pocketed out of towners  mouthpiece trying to create a monopoly for his rich clients ..

[+Malamute]

The only chaos and confusion I usually see is caused by dispensary owners who know they are illegal, pretending to be legal; and police pretending they don't understand clear English so they can arrest more patients and caregivers while acting stupid in Lansing begging for new regulations......,,,  which is the thing dispensaries and police have in common.

[t-pain]

dont forget the legislature adding in confusing and arbitrary requirements (bona fied) and snyder controlling LARA so they dont update the dr rec so it can be used as more prongs in the defenses...

 

not to mention the coa who keeps pulling out ridiculous rulings that have been reversed in some part in every case the MSC has taken, except for ter beek i think.

[suneday11]

The only chaos and confusion I usually see is caused by dispensary owners who know they are illegal, pretending to be legal; and police pretending they don't understand clear English so they can arrest more patients and caregivers while acting stupid in Lansing begging for new regulations......,,,  which is the thing dispensaries and police have in common.

police in lansing are very, very good. You must be thinking of Northville or canton

[imiubu]

I am thinking Mal's reference to 'Lansing' was more about what goes on at the Capitol bldg than the local leo's behavior.. maybe?

 

Heck, to date we have 42 dispensaries that I know of... kinda lax around these parts imho.

[suneday11]

Indeed. I'll plug the local boys in blue anyway. Good folks, most of em. But yeah, lansing is the biggest running joke of our time. I hope their hunting break was nice....now off to Christmas/new years break. Man, I wish I could get that kind of time off!

[AmishRnot4ganja]

This guy can't be a Republican because he is endorsing a new, MASSIVE, and very expensive government bureaucracy to regulate a substance that most scientists say doesn't need to be regulated.

Then again, Republicans don't believe in science, so maybe...

[GregS]

For what it's worth, I expect to avoid or diminish unpleasant due process and burdensome regulation. We need none of this guy's hooey.

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/blog/584/entry-1163-added-evidentiary-protection-with-or-without-registration/

Edited December 19, 2015 by GregS

[Timmahh]

Agree Mal, but still fully disagree on the Legality of Dispensaries.......

[+Malamute]

You can disagree all ya want. Doesn't mean you are right at all.

[Restorium2]

Dispensaries are not illegal in and of themselves because they could just be a place where legal transactions between caregivers and patients connected through the registry are happening. Until a prosecutor can bring the case that illegal sales are happening there they are legal stores selling stuff. And a prosecutor can choose whether or not to expend his resources to make that case. 

 

We all know that a dispensary would probably have to be doing sales that are illegal to make enough money to stay open. That's why we say they are illegal. Kind of jumping the step of proving they are illegal because it's obvious what they are doing.

Just like that hooker that has not been caught hooking yet, you know what she is up to but don't want to prove it. She's not really just looking for a date. But she could be, right? So the cops can't round up every flashy girl on the street looking for a date. They have to make the case. 

[t-pain]

so "its legal until they've been caught doing it illegally" ok then.

[Restorium2]

so "its legal until they've been caught doing it illegally" ok then.

Sort of like it's illegal to sell a kid cigarettes. But every store that sells cigarettes isn't automatically illegal. Law enforcement has to make the case about the specific illegal sale. I bet there are some legal sales at dispensaries. Maybe not, but it sure is possible. I could open a dispensary tomorrow and just sell to five patients connected to me through the registry and I would be totally legal and my LEGAL dispensary would have the right to be open. 

They can't just stomp on my dispensary because they think they know what I'm doing or because all the rest of them are illegal.

[bobandtorey]

Their was a news story on Fox 2 Detroit Let it rip they had one of the owners on with the city people the owner said he doesn't make any money at it 

 

Lol

[GregS]

The Macomb Daily has repeatedly taken down comments. It is involved with these fools.