Pubdate: Thu, 08 Sep 2011 Source: Lansing State Journal (MI) Copyright: 2011 Lansing State Journal Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/qbTWpGoq Website: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/232 Author: Scott Davis, The Associated Press contributed to this report. MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATES SPEAK OUT An Estimated 1,500 Turn Out for Rally at State Capitol When the medical marijuana wears off, Vietnam vet Spike Tyson is reminded of his war wounds, including the shrapnel in his left leg. The Lansing man feels the pain come in waves in his leg, shoulders and hips - rising, tearing pain that makes him moan for hours. He says he can't take other pain medication because of failing kidneys. Within two weeks, the 60-year-old expects to feel that agony again. From his jacket pocket, he pulls out a glass container containing one-quarter of an ounce of medical marijuana - all of the herb he has left. Tyson said he can't buy more because the Lansing dispensary he frequented has closed under a 2-week-old court ruling. "I'm not as worried about it as my wife," Tyson said. "She doesn't like to hear me screaming." Wheeling around the Capitol lawn Wednesday in a motorized chair, Tyson was among an estimated 1,500 medical marijuana advocates who converged outside the building. Most gathered to picket for patient rights and protest newly proposed laws they believe will weaken a 2008 ballot measure that authorized medicinal marijuana use. The state court of appeals ruled in August that dispensaries no longer can legally sell medical marijuana to patients and that patients generally must wait up to a month after applying for a state-issued card before growing plants. Protesters also were incensed about a package of bills unveiled last month and supported by Attorney General Bill Schuette that they believe will weaken patient rights. Among other things, those bills would require stricter doctor-patient relationships and in-person examinations before a patient could get authorization to use marijuana. Other proposals would define who could be licensed as a caregiver and regulate or zone dispensaries, if they're allowed at all. Cheers rose in the crowd when advocates announced they were launching an effort to collect signatures on petitions to recall Schuette. Among those supporting the recall was Steve Sharpe of Jackson County, who held a sign critical of Schuette that read: "Ignorance of the Law is No Excuse." "He's trying to judge from his office. He's not upholding the law," said Sharpe, 52, a building contractor and a medicinal marijuana patient. "If he was upholding the law, we wouldn't be out here today." Schuette's staff said he merely is doing his job. "The attorney general's job is to enforce the law," said John Sellek, spokesman for Schuette. "We support and will enforce the court's decision that dispensaries are illegal." Several advocates say they are worried about how patients are going to acquire medical marijuana now that many dispensaries, including more than 20 in Lansing, have closed recently. Robin Schneider, a Lansing advocate, said she worries patients are going to have to turn to illegal dealers. "Where do you want us to go next?" Schneider said. "We are not going away." From the podium, advocates told stories of how they believe patients have been untreated unfairly by authorities as they try to grow medical marijuana in their homes. Mike Rodriguez, 36, of Kalamazoo, said he agrees authorities have been too heavy-handed. "If you're going to regulate it, regulate it," said Rodriguez, a caregiver who grows marijuana for three patients, including an HIV patient and a person with throat cancer. "Don't throw patients in jail for buying marijuana." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.