JACKSON, MI - Marijuana advocates in Jackson took to the polls in droves Tuesday, Nov. 5, and passed a proposal that permits residents to carry marijuana within city limits. The proposal, which decriminalizes 1 ounce of marijuana or less for residents 21-years or older, passed easily via a 2,242-1,434 vote. "There is now 14 cities in the state of Michigan that passed similar ordinance, and we hope this will send a message to politicians," marijuana proponent Roger Maufort said. "We're very excited." [continues 265 words]
GRASS LAKE, MI - The debate is ripe. State Rep. Mike Shirkey says now is the time to debate the pros and cons of decriminalizing small amounts of medical marijuana in the state. He is hosting a town-hall event in an effort to talk to the public on drug enforcement strategies and policy. The timing couldn't be better. On July 30, a group of medical marijuana advocates petitioned the city to decriminalize marijuana. More than 550 Jackson residents signed the petition calling for a law that allows city residents 21 and older to possess 1 ounce of marijuana or less. [continues 252 words]
JACKSON, MI - Jackson residents can again grow and use medical marijuana legally within the city - as long as they do so within their homes, and only 20 percent of their homes at that. Jackson City Council members approved a new medical marijuana ordinance Tuesday, June 11, that allows for the growing and use of medical marijuana in only the primary residence of the qualifying patient or caregiver. Under the ordinance, not more than 20 percent of the floor area in a home can be used for "medical marijuana home use." [continues 519 words]
BLACKMAN TOWNSHIP, MI - As a medical-marijuana patient, Tom Downs recently opened his own dispensary out of necessity, he said. As a medical-marijuana grower, the Jackson resident said he felt like he was not getting a fair shake from other dispensaries. Since he opened Canna Care in Blackman Township a month ago, many other growers and patients have been coming in, he said. "Our prices are geared toward the patients so they can afford their meds," said Downs, who opened his dispensary for state-licensed patients at 2000 W. Ganson St. [continues 152 words]
LEONI, MI - Medical marijuana business owner Anthony Freed wants to move the location of his shop about a block away from its current spot on Ann Arbor Road. That won't happen. "If you move out of that place you are out of business, you are grandfathered into that spot," Leoni Township board member Judy Southworth told Freed. Freed is locked into the location, 3646 Ann Arbor Road, due to a one-year medical marijuana moratorium passed by township officials earlier this year. [continues 397 words]
LEONI TWP., MI - The temporary ban on any new medical marijuana businesses setting up shop in Leoni Township expires in nine months. The initial plan was to adopt a zoning ordinance that would regulate where new businesses could be located. Some ideas were either a light or heavy industrial zone. Leoni Township Planning Commission members have decided to hold off on adopting an ordinance, at least for now. Instead, they are looking at what is happening in other municipalities that adopted a moratorium before Leoni did to see if any zoning ordinances were challenged in court. [continues 220 words]
LANCASTER, Pa. - Regarding the Jan. 6 editorial, the drug war is largely a war on marijuana smokers. In 2010, there were 853,839 marijuana arrests in the United States, almost 90 percent for simple possession. At a time when state and local governments are laying off police, firefighters and teachers, this country continues to spend enormous public resources criminalizing Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis. The end result of this ongoing culture war is not necessarily lower rates of use. The U.S. has higher rates of marijuana use than the Netherlands, where marijuana is legally available. Decriminalization is a long overdue step in the right direction. [continues 54 words]
Little more than three years ago, this newspaper's editorial board supported the ballot proposal that allowed sick Michigan residents to obtain marijuana. It was clear the initiative was too vague, but we - and a large majority of voters - thought the principle outweighed concerns over the details. It easily passed. Now, the politics of medical marijuana has overwhelmed any real effort to clear up confusion in the 2008 law. It might just get worse if supporters of a new initiative get their cause on this fall's ballot. [continues 273 words]
Jackson residents have already volunteered to help a grass-roots organization put a measure to legalize marijuana on the ballot in November. "oeEverybody that I've talked to said it should be legalized," said Steve Sharpe, a medical marijuana patient who volunteered to help the campaign. "oeWe want the public to be involved in this because it's their health, and it's their money." The Ann Arbor-based group, Repeal Today For A Safer Michigan 2012, wants the question to go before voters. AnnArbor.com obtained a draft version of the petition that seeks to amend the Michigan Constitution, making marijuana legal for people 21 and older. [continues 387 words]
Undercover police officers bought marijuana from HydroWorld stores in Jackson and Lansing without ever seeing a doctor or registering with the state, according to court documents filed Friday. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is suing Danny Trevino, owner of three medical marijuana dispensaries, claiming the businesses violate the state's medical marijuana act and are a public nuisance. Similar lawsuits were filed in the Jackson County Circuit Court and Ingham County Circuit Court on Friday. Jackson Circuit Court Judge Richard LaFlamme set an initial pre-trial hearing for March 23 with a trial to start in April, according to court documents. No dates have been set for Ingham County proceedings. Joy Yearout, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office, expects action on the cases before the March date. [continues 313 words]
Jackson-area medical marijuana dispensaries have not shut down but will if told to by local law enforcement. "We're not criminals. We want to be in full compliance with the law," John Lougheed, owner of Sweet Leaf Dispensary in Blackman Township, said Thursday. "We're going to respect the wishes of the community and local law enforcement, and if we have to close, we will close." A Michigan Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday dispensaries are illegal and a public nuisance. Attorney General Bill Schuette announced he would instruct county prosecutors on how to shut down "pot shops" in their communities. [continues 438 words]
Locally and at the state level, there are signs that the haze that surrounds Michigan's controversial 2008 medical marijuana law is starting to lift. And not a moment too soon, either. In Summit Township, officials this week extended a temporary ban on new medical marijuana dispensaries. However, township officials made clear that they -- plus Spring Arbor and Napoleon townships -- might soon finish developing a zoning ordinance for such businesses. It could be a model for Jackson, which also has a ban in effect, and other communities. [continues 220 words]
The Summit Township Board on Tuesday extended the township's moratorium on new medical marijuana dispensaries for four months as it awaits recommendations on where dispensaries can be built. Supervisor Jim Dunn said a subcommittee recommendation for a zoning ordinance for marijuana dispensaries in Spring Arbor, Napoleon and Summit townships is expected by the end of August. Dunn previously said the zoning ordinance could serve as a model for other municipalities. Dunn said adding four months to the moratorium would give the board time to finalize the new zoning rules. The board passed the four-month extension by a 6-0 vote. [end]
Michigan voters left little doubt in 2008 that they support marijuana use for legitimate medical reasons. They said so in a voter referendum that passed easily. What they didn't really make clear is how medical marijuana should be bought and sold, and a host of other, smaller questions. The result is a lot of confusion in communities throughout the state, from the people who enforce the law to those who should be allowed to use this drug with some restrictions. State lawmakers need to clear away the smoke on this issue. [continues 454 words]
CLARK LAKE - Dr. Timur Baruti, as reported by the newspaper March 17, told the Human Relations Commission that marijuana is not addictive, not a gateway drug and has many positive health benefits. He added that hospitals, pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies oppose legalization because it will hurt their business, a claim I believe is not true. The federal government has made the use, the importation and the growing of marijuana illegal. If legal, it would be a great source of business for drug manufacturers. Reduction of nausea induced by cancer-fighting drugs has been demonstrated certainly. There are other drugs equally effective, of course. However, marijuana has the additional effect of inducing a drug euphoria, which is why people use it. [continues 148 words]
Authorities say an arsonist broke into a building that had been used to grow medical marijuana about midnight Thursday and set fire to the place. Michigan State Police Fire Investigator Sgt. Ken Hersha said set fires in multiple locations inside the warehouse at 231 W. South St. Trooper John Richards said the fire was intentionally set, and police plan to canvass the neighborhood for information. Richards said police do not have any suspects yet, but a poster stating a reward of up to $5,000 was on the charred building's front door. [continues 174 words]
The Albion City Council this week passed a 180-day moratorium on making any decisions on a recently proposed medical marijuana education facility in the city. The city is asking the planning commission to draft an amendment to current zoning ordinances that addresses council's opinion on the matter and is in line with state statutes set by the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act passed in 2008. Albion joins several Jackson-area municipalities, including the city of Jackson, in imposing a medical marijuana moratorium. [continues 355 words]
Michigan voters legalized the medicinal use of marijuana in 2008. Yet efforts to criminalize it continue, according to a doctor, attorney and the director of the Jackson County Compassion Club, who spoke Wednesday at an informational meeting of the Jackson Human Relations Commission. Dr. Timur Baruti said marijuana has many positive health benefits but hospitals, pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies oppose its legalization because it will hurt the sale of pain relievers such as Vicodin and OxyContin. Baruti said marijuana "is not addictive. It's not a gateway drug. Yet it's been criminalized at this time." [continues 343 words]
The Jackson Human Relations Commission will hear a presentation Wednesday on the state medical marijuana law and how it relates to Jackson. Roger Maufort, director of the Jackson County Compassion Club; Robert Gaecke, a local defense attorney; and Dr. Timur Baruti, a family medicine practitioner, will make the presentation and participate in a brief question-and-answer session. The HRC is offering the presentation as a public service to those seeking information. It is not taking a position for or against the use of medical marijuana. The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the council chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 161 W. Michigan Ave. [end]
Two Jackson-area municipalities approved six-month moratoriums on medical marijuana clinics on Tuesday. Both the Napoleon and Grass Lake township boards approved the moves in separate meetings. Napoleon approved a six-month moratorium on "the growth, sale or dispensation of medical marijuana from any clinic, dispensary or other facility." The intent is to refer the issue to the Napoleon Planning Commission for possible amendments to the zoning ordinance. Grass Lake's action means that until the board has had time to put together an ordinance, licenses for medical marijuana cannot be issued in the township. [continues 55 words]
