Pubdate: Wed, 15 Feb 2012
Source: Oakland Press, The (MI)
Copyright: 2012 The Oakland Press
Contact:  http://www.theoaklandpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2114
Author: Chris Laine

COUNCIL BANS MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

The Village of Oxford council unanimously voted to ban medical 
marijuana dispensaries in the village.

"The council's vote and decision was that it's not necessary to have 
these dispensaries operating in Oxford," said Thomas Benner, council 
president for the Village of Oxford.

"If the dispensaries were to operate in the village they would create 
a big headache for our local law enforcement."

The village council president also stated that the issue of 
dispensaries is one for those in higher government, not local.

"I feel that the dispensary issue should be addressed at the state 
and federal level before it ever comes down to the local level for 
debate," said Benner.

Although dispensaries for medical marijuana are legal under the 2008 
Michigan Medical Marihuana Act a ruling in August of 2011 by the 
Michigan Court of Appeals states that dispensaries are, in fact, not 
legal. The 2011 ruling against a Mount Pleasant dispensary states 
that "medical use of marijuana, as defined by the act, does not 
include patient-to-patient sales of marijuana, and no other provision 
of the act can be read to permit such sales."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom