Pubdate: Wed, 5 Jan 2011
Source: Spinal Column Newsweekly (Union Lake, MI)
Copyright: 2011 Linear Publishing
Contact:  http://www.spinalcolumnonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4425
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?275 (Cannabis - Michigan)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA MORATORIUM EXTENDED

The White Lake Township Board of Trustees unanimously decided to 
extend the moratorium on medicinal marijuana facility approvals for 
another six months at its Dec. 13 meeting.

This marks the second time the moratorium has been extended since the 
passage of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act.

The original moratorium was set to expire on Oct. 6, 2010. At that 
time, the board decided to extend the moratorium another 90 days to 
give officials time to study how other communities have been 
addressing the issue. Those 90 days are set to expire tomorrow, 
Thursday, Jan. 6.

Board members now believe they need an additional six months to plan 
and evaluate a course of action, as well as to see what, if any, 
changes the state Legislature will make to the law.

In November 2008, Michigan became the 13th state in the nation to 
legalize marijuana for medical use, thanks to overwhelming support by 
state voters. The law enacted subsequent to voters' authorization 
requires patients to carry identification cards issued by the state, 
and caregivers to grow limited amounts of marijuana for qualifying 
patients in an enclosed, locked facility. A caregiver can help up to 
five other patients and may grow 12 marijuana plants per patient.

Since then, local governments have been struggling with how to 
address the issue. Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Livonia, and 
Bloomfield Township have all been sued over their medical marijuana ordinances.

Mike Kowall, the township's former supervisor who is set to serve as 
state senator in Lansing beginning this month, said that a major 
problem is how the law was written.

"The law was written very sloppily, and it needs to be fixed," he said.

Meanwhile, the township has opted to take a "wait and see" approach 
over the next six months.

"We have to wait for the federal government and the state Legislature 
to come to some sort of agreement as to how they are going to handle 
medicinal marijuana. It's still considered an unlawful substance to 
use on a federal level," Kowall said. "We are hoping to get some type 
of guidance from the state Legislature and the federal government."  
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake