Pubdate: Tue, 7 Dec 2010
Source: Holland Sentinel (MI)
Copyright: 2010 GateHouse Media, Inc.
Contact: http://extra.hollandsentinel.com/submitletter.shtml
Website: http://www.hollandsentinel.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1145
Author: Andrea Goodell
Cited: Holland Township 
http://www.hct.holland.mi.us/elected-a-appointed/elected-officials
Referenced: Michigan Medical Marihuana Act http://drugsense.org/url/8mvr7sW8
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Holland+Township
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Michigan+medical+marijuana
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?275 (Cannabis - Michigan)

HOLLAND TOWNSHIP DISCUSSES MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Holland, MI - Holland Township is hammering out an ordinance to 
regulate medical marijuana.

Although several proposals are being floated, the final language 
won't be presented until it has been vetted by attorneys and 
following an Ottawa County training program tonight in Allendale 
aimed at helping local governments understand the state law.

"None of us want to withhold medical marijuana from anybody," 
Chairman Marion Hoeve said.

In 2008, voters approved marijuana for medical purposes. The state 
law is generally considered to be unclear, and local governments are 
working to add their own regulations to the mix.

Among the possibilities in Holland Township are inspections of 
growing operations for caregivers.

"What happens when you grow 72 plants in a house and turn a house 
into a greenhouse?" Commissioner Jack Vander Meulen asked. "What 
happens when a caregiver goes on vacation? Who waters the plants?"

A handful of medical marijuana patients spoke to the Holland Township 
Planning Commission at a Tuesday study session.

John DerBeek, who sued the city of Wyoming for its attempt to ban 
medical marijuana, had several problems with Holland Township's proposals.

He called them "burdensome and onerous to the point where most people 
are excluded"

The proposal specifically bans patient-to-patient transfers, a 
disputed section of the state law, and businesses are specifically 
prohibited from being compensated for medical marijuana services.

"This is directly aimed at us," said Monica Bakker, community 
outreach director at Patient Solutions 420.

The company, formed in September, is a storefront where qualifying 
patients can buy different strains of medical marijuana and medical 
marijuana products such as infused suckers. It bases much of its 
business on patient-to-patient transfers.

Under the township's proposal, a caregiver and patient would have to 
be alone at the time of the transfer; caregivers would not be able to 
operate in a jointly-operated facility or share building space that 
is used in common to assist more than five qualifying patients and it 
would be illegal to dispense or grow medical marijuana "within any 
retail store, storefront, office building, manufacturing building, 
processing facility any other type of commercial or industrial 
building." Apartments might also be included in that list.

"I'm not really excited about having in our commercial areas, 
certainly, places where we would have marijuana sold," Zoning and 
Planning Administrator Jon Mersman said.  
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake