State Police Sgt. David Bailey Threatening to Shut Dispensaries?

[CloverCreep]

I'm reading an article on the Metro Times about State Police Sgt. David Bailey trying his best to shut down all of the state's dispensaries (including medical) this year. Can anyone confirm whether this is true? It's not hard to believe but I just can't find much information on whether this is just him running his mouth or if there is actually a real likelihood of this happening. 

[Wild Bill]

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/08/state_medical_marijuana_board.html

State medical marijuana board signals intent to shut down all dispensaries

Updated on August 21, 2017 at 5:11 PMPosted on August 21, 2017 at 3:10 PM

By Emily Lawler

 

 

EAST LANSING, MI - Medical marijuana dispensaries would need to cease operation by a date certain if they wanted to be eligible for licensure in the future, the chair of the Medical Marijuana Licensing Board signaled at a meeting on Monday.  

"If we don't do this today we're going to do it somewhere in the future. Because it needs to be done," said Rick Johnson, who chairs the board.  

The board ultimately postponed the motion, which came from board member Donald Bailey. He proposed that if dispensaries did not close by Sept. 15, they would not be eligible for licensure under the new dispensary licensing system that will be put in place on Dec. 15.  

He pointed to a 2013 Michigan Supreme Court decision that pegged dispensaries as operating illegally.  

"Every dispensary that's out there right now is open in violation of the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act," Bailey said.  

The action was strongly opposed by medical marijuana patients.  

Sue Molff, a patient from Traverse City, said she didn't appreciate the board talking about shutting down dispensaries. She said she depended on the concentrates she was only able to get at medical marijuana shops.    

"What am I supposed to do during that time? Am I supposed to go back on the black market and get what I need?" She asked.  

Until Monday's meeting, any changes to dispensaries were expected to happen in December, when a state law passed last year required a new licensing system to be implemented.  

Mark Gibson, a PhD candidate at Michigan State University, is also a medical marijuana patient with a degenerative bone disease. He asked the board to consider patient access. 

"I ask in fairness, not talking about the businesses, but the patients, and ensuring that they have continuous access," Gibson said.  

Joseph Smith, a caregiver, said he read the law and it mentioned patients and caregivers, not dispensaries.  

"I would have loved to have had a sign and raked in some money. But the law wouldn't allow me to do it, so I didn't do it," he said.  

Although he advocated keeping dispensaries open for the patients, he recommended a licensing process that had a point system benefitting people like him, who had followed the rules.  

Tim Beck, who helped pass the initial voter-initiated medical marijuana legislation, accused the board of defecating on dispensaries. He said when he heard the rumors the board wanted to shut all dispensaries down, he initially dismissed them.  

"This is an unprecedented action," Beck said.  

The board ended up postponing the action after it became clear that, with one member absent, Bailey didn't have the votes to pass his proposal on Monday.  

Jason Moon, a spokesperson for the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, which houses the Bureau of Medical Marihuana Regulation, said there would be a review if such a proposal did pass.  

"The Bureau of Medical Marihuana Regulation will thoroughly review the recommendations and discussion from the board, and consult with the Attorney General's office before any action is taken," Moon said.  

The board asked for input from LARA before they made a decision on requiring dispensaries to shut down.  

Board member Vivan Pickard said she didn't feel she had the information she needed to make a decision at Monday's meeting. 

The discussion took place at the board's second meeting. At the first, hundreds of people packed the room. 

The board's next posed meeting is on Oct. 12, though Johnson said the board would meet again before Sept. 15 to consider Bailey's proposal to shut down dispensaries. 

The regulations and a licensing scheme for medical marijuana dispensaries must be in place by Dec. 15.  

 

 

Edited August 24, 2017 by Wild Bill

[bobandtorey]

Hello MMMA

  i've been lost 

 

I saw the Video from Lansing saying they want to shut them all down it's never going to happen it would be to big of a job for Leo IMHO but something will take place to get their $$$ maybe a smash and grab but the owners of the dispensary have already have planed for that long ago

[bax]

20 hours ago, Wild Bill said:

"If we don't do this today we're going to do it somewhere in the future. Because it needs to be done," said Rick Johnson, who chairs the board.

 

 

this guy is pretty brave.  wanting to take away sick peoples medicine and multi million dollar dispensary businesses.

 

 

[Restorium2]

Rick Jones Sock Puppet. 

[semicaregiver]

I am fascinated by how the dispensary folks are spinning this.  

If you listen to the words they are not planning on shutting down existing dispensaries via LEO.     Bailey and whoever might be supporting him are saying, we will not issue a license to a felon or an individual/business that is been breaking the law.   And, they have made it clear that they believe current dispensaries are operating illegally (From what I can tell this is an opinion held by many people on this forum).   And if you come to them with a license request while operating they will deny it.   It is up to the dispensary owner as to how he/she wants to proceed.

We can argue forever as to whether a dispensary owner operating illegally should be awarded a license going forward, but I think someone needs to take these board members to task for their ethics.  How can you chose the high moral ground of saying we will not award a license to an operating dispensary.  Then at the same time say that they are ok if they close for 90 days after having been violating the law, in your opinion, for 5 years?

 

[Restorium2]

One of those foggy situations purposely created to let the money talk. It's a cash cow for those who are the deciders. 

[CloverCreep]

Yeah, I can see sense on both sides. Growing pains, I guess.