Pubdate: Thu, 18 Nov 2010
Source: State News, The (MI State U, MI Edu)
Copyright: 2010 The State News
Contact:  http://www.statenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1246
Author: Lauren McKown
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Michigan+medical+marijuana

MSU: LEGAL POSSESSION WILL NOT LEAD TO JAIL

As East Lansing City Council works toward an ordinance to finalize 
the city's stance on medical marijuana, the rules for having medical 
marijuana on campus have become hazy to some.

Despite various media reports that students will be arrested for 
being in legal possession of the substance on campus, university 
spokesman Kent Cassella said these reports are untrue.

"They've got the story wrong," Cassella said.

Although patients in possession of the allowable amount of medical 
marijuana on campus are subject to disciplinary action under the MSU 
student judicial process according to the MSU Drug and Alcohol 
Policy, Cassella said the university won't have anyone arrested for possession.

"If someone gets arrested by the MSU police for having over the 
allowable amount or without a valid certificate, you're obviously in 
more trouble," he said.

"It's similar to being out tailgating during times prohibited by 
university alcohol policies."

Although she doesn't think students should be walking down the street 
with marijuana, biology freshman Teeoncey Sanders doesn't think there 
should be consequences for medical marijuana patients using the 
substance on campus, especially in their dorm rooms.

"It's legal to have (medical marijuana) now," Sanders said.

"(MSU officials) shouldn't be able to put them in the judicial system 
for having something they're allowed to have. They obviously need it 
for a reason."

East Lansing City Council voted Tuesday to extend a moratorium on 
passing ordinances in regard to medical marijuana, postponing a 
decision on policies until February 2011.

The moratorium makes it illegal for medical marijuana dispensaries to 
exist in the East Lansing area. Despite reports that there are local 
dispensaries open and functioning in East Lansing, Darcy Schmitt, 
East Lansing's planning and zoning administrator, said any operating 
dispensaries are illegal at this point in time.

"There are none that we're aware of," Schmitt said. "And if they did 
exist, they would be illegal."

Schmitt said East Lansing is not in the same position as Lansing, 
where dispensaries were opening while the city was trying to put an 
ordinance in place.

"That's why we have the moratorium," she said.

"We wanted to make sure any businesses of this type would be set up 
in a way that the city is comfortable with. We didn't have businesses 
that were grandfathered in."

Lansing City Council officials approved an ordinance this summer 
making medical marijuana dispensaries legal, said Monica Lara, a 
spokeswoman for the city of Lansing.

Lansing city officials were not available to comment further Wednesday. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake