Medical marijuana supporters push to legalize drug as access tightens

**Jimaz** · January-08-12, 02:12 PM

From today's Free Press:

Medical marijuana supporters push to legalize drug as access tightens

Narrowing access to medical marijuana is leading Michigan's registered patients, supporters and lawyers to a new strategy: a campaign to gain limited legalization of marijuana in Michigan for all uses.

Access to the drug has tightened as doctors increasingly refuse to sign the state forms to approve the drug, patients said. In addition, dozens of communities -- including Birmingham and Livonia -- are enforcing total bans on the drug, and dispensaries that once openly sold it have been raided and shut down by police.

Detroit attorney Matt Abel, a state-registered user, is a chief organizer of the petition campaign that is to start Wednesday -- the first day when signatures can be gathered within the 180-day period allowed before the July 9 filing deadline, Abel said. The goal is to be on the statewide November ballot with a proposal allowing Michiganders 21 and older to possess small amounts of marijuana, he said.

"It would be for religious, medical and personal use, industrial use and agricultural use -- we're putting all that right in the wording," said Abel, 53, of Detroit....

The campaign for legalization "is a direct result of ... Schuette and his obsession with destroying the medical marijuana act," said marijuana activist Tim Beck, owner of a Detroit-based health care benefits firm....

The concerns of Michigan doctors were triggered in June, when Schuette issued an opinion in which he said:

"The possession of marijuana remains illegal under federal law, even if it is possessed for medicinal purposes in accordance with the state law." Schuette declined repeated requests in the last two months for interviews on marijuana....

[Emphasis mine.]

It's nice to see anti-voter officials get some blow back once in a while.

Occurrence · January-09-12, 01:30 AM

Good. There is absolutely no reason why marijuana should be illegal anyways.

**ordinary** · January-10-12, 01:32 PM

Is the marijuana available at these dispenaries grown locally? Where does it originate?

**Big Dog** · January-10-12, 02:49 PM

Occurence, I agree, but until our state atty general, Bill Shuette is in out of office. It will get much worse. I read today, he proposed 75 amendments to the state law, making it much harder on doctors and patients. He believes that medical MJ should have never been passed in MI., and believes it is a gateway drug, and will not recognize it, and has told all police in the state not to recognize it. As far as he is concerned. He will only recognize the federal law and demand that police, confiscate and ticket anyone found with MJ., whether they have a card or not. He went so far to notify all police depts. in the state, that if they do not follow his decree, the police officer will be prosecuted according to federal law. It may be over in MI. He is ignoring that the majority voted to have medical MJ.

Occurrence · January-11-12, 12:38 AM

Bill Shuette is a tool. He is going to create a lot of blow-back fighting something the people themselves voted for. Once he's out of office things will go back to normal. I'll think of him every time I use my medicine with a big smile.

I read somewhere a while ago that one of his campaign contributors was a beer company. I can't find any info on that, but that wouldn't surprise me.

**Jimaz** · January-12-12, 01:03 PM

From today's Free Press:
7 cleared of drug charges from raid at Ferndale marijuana dispensary

The judge's ruling "was very courageous, particularly in Oakland County," where most judges oppose medical marijuana, attorney Tom Loeb said. But the defense attorneys said the dismissal won't give fresh support to dispensaries in Michigan.

**maxx** · January-12-12, 03:55 PM

Until the federal law is changed, states that legalize mj are operating outside the pale. Obama said he wouldn't prosecute medical mj cases and Colorado is raking in the money while it can. Too bad Michigan doesn't feel the need to bring in some cash this way. But then our state gov. is run by Reps. who don't want gov. to succeed.

**Big Dog** · January-12-12, 05:44 PM

Some are beginning to call the gop, the american taliban.

Occurrence · January-13-12, 04:21 AM

Some people say that the Medical Marijuana Law was "written poorly". It's quite the opposite. It was written to be open to interpretation on purpose. Anyone who says that this "wasn't what they voted for" obviously didn't read any of the information about what they they were voting for.

You also have to keep in mind that although it may be illegal on the Federal level, the Feds don't go after individuals who grow and use on a personal level. So that point in kind of irrelevant. They can close down all the dispensaries they want. All that's going to do is force the market back underground and deprive them of good tax revenue. Years from now common sense will kick in and that will naturally correct itself.

To be honest, anyone aganst medical marijuana has no legit argument, and they make themselves look stupid. For every bogus Medical Marijuana card issued, there are probably just as many bullshit prescriptions written for legal narcotics, several times over.

**mjs** · January-21-12, 12:42 PM

State law on marijuana means nothing if Federal law makes it illegal. So, if folks think that marijuana consumption shouldn't be in violation of federal law, perhaps more of those people need to start voting on candidate track records rather than candidate claims of ideas in which they can provide no evidence of support. Ron Paul cosponsored a bill to decriminalize marijuana. Name me another Presidential candidate that can say that.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.R.2306:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquer...hp?n=BSS;c=112|

**antongast** · January-21-12, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by mjs

State law on marijuana means nothing if Federal law makes it illegal. So, if folks think that marijuana consumption shouldn't be in violation of federal law, perhaps more of those people need to start voting on candidate track records rather than candidate claims of ideas in which they can provide no evidence of support. Ron Paul cosponsored a bill to decriminalize marijuana. Name me another Presidential candidate that can say that.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.R.2306:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquer...hp?n=BSS;c=112|

I'd love for marijuana to be legalized at the federal level, but that isn't the only goddamn issue I care about. I agree with Ron Paul on basically this one issue, and vehemently disagree with him on just about everything else. Besides, just electing him president wouldn't magically legalize marijuana, it would still have to pass through Congress, and most members of Congress are still pretty strongly anti-legalization.

**mjs** · January-21-12, 02:39 PM

Nothing would magically pass any legislation, but it would be a damn good start on this issue. Seems it would matter that one of the most influential leaders in the Republican party supported it. Seems it would very much matter in what federal agencies dedicate their resources to. What specific actions has Clinton or Obama taken to legalize it or reduce the costs of enforcing it?

What are your top three issues? I'll see if Ron Paul sponsored a bill in support of any of them.

**antongast** · January-21-12, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by mjs

What are your top three issues? I'll see if Ron Paul sponsored a bill in support of any of them.

It's hard to pick just three, but I guess I'd go with these:

--Transportation policy, specifically higher subsidies for Amtrak and more federal aid for local transit agencies and less emphasis on roads, highways, and airlines. Allow states and MPOs to increase their share of federal transportation funding by adopting pro-transit, non-motorized, and complete streets policies.

--Strengthening the social safety net. Expand Social Security so that retirees can actually live off it instead of having to save for retirement on their own, expand Medicare/Medicaid to cover all Americans, make jobless benefits more substantial and longer-lasting, increase affordable-housing subsidies. Everyone in America should be guaranteed a minimum standard of living that allows them not to have to worry about basic necessities.

--Stronger regulation of businesses. Strictly enforce environmental laws, make sure any business that does business in or trade with America pays all its workers a living wage and follows all applicable occupational safety laws, robustly counterbalance corporate power with strict government oversight, increase government protection of union rights and make it easier for workers to unionize.

I'm pretty sure Ron Paul hasn't sponsored any bills on these issues, because as near as I can tell his views on them are the polar opposite of mine.

**Jimaz** · January-21-12, 05:13 PM

From today's Free Press:
Legalize it, don't criticize it, marijuana proponents say

...Detroit police spokeswoman Sgt. Eren Stephens said the department would adapt to legalization "if it's handled in an appropriate way, and this is what the people want."...

Secretary of State spokesman Fred Woodhams said the Board of State Canvassers approved ballot language for the legalization effort Friday....

"Michigan led the nation in repealing prohibition of alcohol and now we can lead the nation in repealing the law against marijuana," said the campaign's director, Matt Abel, 53....

Abel and others said the group was pushed to try for full legalization of marijuana because law-enforcement authorities, led by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, restricted medical marijuana users' access to the drug. Schuette's office in Lansing had no comment Friday.

The 2012 Michigan Ballot Initiative to End Marijuana Prohibition

Check out all the tabs at that link. I wish I could remember who recently said "Think of your vote as an act of civil disobedience."

I would like to thank Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette for his invaluable help inspiring this action.

Occurrence · January-21-12, 06:25 PM

This is a classic "blow back" example. Bill Schutte is an idiot. His job is to uphold the law, not fight against what a majority of the people want.

Has there been any ACTUAL problems with medical marijuana since dispensaries starting opening? I haven't read or heard of any in the news since the law passed almost 4 years ago.

**Isle_of_fun** · January-30-12, 10:53 AM

MARIJUANA, LEGALIZE ,
NOW! are 3 words that should be on every DYES Page .Facebook Page twitter everyday., etc. etc. What are you all afraid of? Those who want to use it will and those who don't won't. We can decide for ourselves , really we can..

**Gannon** · January-30-12, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

Has there been any ACTUAL problems with medical marijuana since dispensaries starting opening?

From one angle, yes. The street value of an ounce of pedigreed weed dropped from $400 to nearly $300. Messed up a bunch of folk's earning expectations. Pretty sure they're the same folks who didn't bother taking economics in school.

But one person's problem can always be another's glee. Medicine is significantly better, locally grown [[so we're not risking enriching gansta lifers, especially those in the DEA & CIA), and now cheaper for those whose healthcare insurance doesn't yet provide. Heh.

Cheers!
John

**bailey** · January-30-12, 12:26 PM

I think the issue that holds back law enforcement from coming on board with MJ legalization was discussed by Mike Cox recently; there is no way to really tell how "impaired" someone is when they get behind the wheel. Solve that problem and I think resistance..well, principled resistance, not just "just say no" crusaders, will drop substantially.

Occurrence · January-30-12, 03:11 PM

What do they mean they can't tell how impaired someone is? Give them a roadside sobriety test like they do to people they suspect are drinking. If they fail, then obviously they are too impaired to drive.

**Big Dog** · January-30-12, 05:58 PM

The only impairment might be, driving too slow sometimes. As far as any other impairment, I've not heard of any. It certainly is far, from a drunk, behind the wheel. There is no impairment to the eyes, legs, or arms. You do not lose control of yourself, from what I've heard.

Occurrence · January-30-12, 06:27 PM

There are a lot of crazy miserable aggressive stressed drivers out there, always in a hurry to go nowhere, that pose a bigger risk on the road than pot smokers. Taking a few puffs would probably mellow some of these people out and make driving safer for everyone.

**Gannon** · January-30-12, 06:52 PM

Now you're onto something. Make it mandatory.

Rush Hour turns into Copacetic Hour.

Of course, the collision shops might object.

**Jimaz** · January-30-12, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by Big Dog

The only impairment might be, driving too slow sometimes....

In case there were any doubts: Low Rider by War. [[Nice car pics)

Mandatory. heh. Yeah, especially in slick winter conditions.

**TKshreve** · February-01-12, 02:24 PM

I have to somewhat agree with the inability to police drivers who are high. But a person could make a buck if they did invent a roadside chemical testing unit of some sort. FTR - being high does make drivers unaware of their surroundings...... which include <your> kids on bikes, peoples pets and stop signs. But I also agree that drunks and natural-born idiots are far more unsafe.

It's so funny that since Gov't and it's little red headed step-brother "Big Business" cannot regulate and profiteer from a naturally occurring, living organism [[something anybody could grow in their backyard), their only other resort is to illegalize it and try to replicate it within the pharmaceutical industry.

This is treason on a much higher level that I can even begin to comprehend.