Pubdate: Sat, 26 Jul 2014
Source: Daily Tribune, The (Royal Oak, MI)
Copyright: 2014 The Daily Tribune
Contact:  http://www.dailytribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1579
Author: Mike McConnell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?275 (Cannabis - Michigan)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?253 (Cannabis - Medicinal - U.S.)

FERNDALE OKS MEDICAL MARIJUANA SHOP

Three medical marijuana caregivers are ready to open a shop for their
patients now that the Ferndale City Council has approved their plan.

Adam Applebaum, CEO of Meridian Wellness, told city council members he
and two other caregivers will service up to five patients each, as
allowed under the state's medical marijuana law.

Patients would be serviced by appointment and the facility would host
educational seminars and other meetings, Applebaum said.

"It is very hard for a patient to get matched with a caregiver," he
said Monday, adding that some patients are hesitant to have caregivers
come to their homes. "This way we can facilitate a neutral ground with
security."

Applebaum and his partners want to open their facility in a vacant
party store at 1915 E. Nine Mile Road, several blocks west of
Interstate 75.

No marijuana use would be allowed at the facility and only the
caregivers' patients would be allowed to buy marijuana there, he said.

City Attorney Daniel Christ told council members that state law also
prohibits any marijuana sales between patients.

The caregivers will store medical marijuana at the location in safes,
but will not grow any marijuana there, according to Derek Delacourt,
head of Ferndale's economic and community development department.

Applebaum and his two partners filed an application to open their
caregiver facility and were given special land use approval by the
city Planning Commission after the plan was reviewed by city police
and staff members.

"It will be a wellness facility with medical marijuana," Applebaum
said. "We want to be in accordance with all the laws."

Conditions of a contract between the city and the facility limits the
operation to no more than three caregivers and up to 15 patients. Any
suspected violations of operations would be handled by the city
police, the city attorney or the code enforcement department,
Delacourt told city council members.

Meridian Wellness has no other locations and will not be a dispensary
to any medical marijuana patients other than those registered with one
of the three caregivers, Applebaum said.

Four years ago, a marijuana dispensary open to all medical marijuana
patients in Ferndale was raided by Oakland Count Sheriff's undercover
narcotics agents. The facility, Clinical Relief, was on Hilton Road
and seven owners and employees of the operation are still fighting
marijuana charges in court.

The case against the defendants was dismissed in Oakland County
Circuit Court, but that decision was overturned last year by the
Michigan Court of Appeals. The defendants may face trial again in
circuit court but for now have appealed their case to the Michigan
Supreme Court.

Ferndale medical marijuana patient Debra Young said she has to drive
to Macomb County for her medicine and is glad to see a facility like
Meridian Wellness opening up in the city.

"I'm thrilled to see this," she said. "I know many medical marijuana
patients who have to drive to Macomb County or Detroit." 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D