Pubdate: Wed, 15 Aug 2012
Source: Voice, The (New Baltimore, MI)
Copyright: 2012 Journal Register Company
Contact:  http://www.voicenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5146
Author: Nicole Tuttle

MACOMB TOWNSHIP SETS MEDICAL MARIJUANA MORATORIUM

A recent court decision regarding medical marijuana has rendered
Macomb Township's ordinance on the matter unenforceable.

To counter this until the township can redraft its medical marijuana
ordinance, the Macomb Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously on
Aug. 8 to institute a 120-day moratorium on the use and possession of
medical marijuana.

"The city of Wyoming and Livonia enacted ordinances prohibiting
medical marijuana based on the fact that federal law prohibits the use
and or possession of marijuana," township attorney Lawrence Dloski
said. "That ordinance was upheld in the Kent County Circuit Court and
the Wayne County Circuit Court. Based on those court rulings, many
municipalities in the state of Michigan adopted similar ordinances,
including Macomb Township."

Dloski said the Wyoming and Livonia ordinances were struck down by the
state's court of appeals in July as unconstitutional.

"The effect of that is the township does not have a medical marijuana
ordinance," Dloski said.

He recommended the township reinstitute the 120-day moratorium on the
use and possession of medical marijuana until the ordinance can be
redrafted.
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