Pubdate: Sun, 01 Jan 2012
Source: Times Herald, The (Port Huron, MI)
Copyright: 2012 The Times Herald
Contact: http://www.thetimesherald.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.thetimesherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2570
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?275 (Cannabis - Michigan)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

STATE MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW IS UNDER SEIGE

If anyone wants to check the pulse of Michigan's ailing medical 
marijuana law, the answer is in our back yard. The statute is on life 
support, and some law-enforcement agencies are trying to pull the plug.

An impressive array of police units executed five drug raids Dec. 9 
in Tuscola, Sanilac and St. Clair counties. The Thumb Narcotics Unit, 
Michigan State Police, Flint Area Narcotics Group and the Denmark 
Township Police Department searched sites in Worth, Denmark and 
Kimball townships and Lexington.

That kind of firepower suggested something big. The December raids, 
however, were directed against medical marijuana compassion centers 
in Denmark, Worth and Kimball townships.

Debra Amsdill owns the facilities. The police also searched her 
Lexington home and her greenhouse.

The Tuscola County Prosecutor's Office authorized the raids as part 
of a yearlong investigation of Michigan Controlled Substance Act violations.

No arrests were made, and no charges have been filed. The raids did 
achieve one result: About 3,500 Thumb area medical marijuana patients 
are out of medication.

In the months before Michigan voters approved the medical marijuana 
act in 2008, police officials were among its leading opponents. The 
statute, they said, would saddle law enforcement with more activities.

The Dec. 9 raids and similar ones throughout the state seem to 
confirm their fears. The difference, though, is the suspects believe 
they are obeying the law.

No one can argue that the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act is perfect. 
It was clear the law was missing zoning provisions.

Amsdill's Kimball Township compassion center is too close to the 
Landmark Academy, a charter school with classes from kindergarten 
through 11th grade.

There also is a legitimate concern about the partial legalization of 
marijuana fueling illegal drug activity. State lawmakers are working 
on legislation to address that and other problems the medical 
marijuana law has raised.

Meanwhile, law-enforcement officials are taking steps of their own. 
State Attorney General Bill Schuette issued a legal opinion in 
November that prohibits police from returning medical marijuana they 
seized from patients. To do so, he said, would open the officers to 
prosecution as drug traffickers.

The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in August that dispensaries in 
which patients sell marijuana to other patients cannot operate. If 
that ruling stands, medical marijuana users effectively have no place 
to obtain the drug.

Laws are supposed to bring order. The medical marijuana act seems to 
be promoting more chaos.

Michigan voters said they wanted medical marijuana to be used legally 
by patients who need it. Lansing must fix the statute and ensure the 
will of the voters is followed.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom