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Detroit Officials Want Rules For Medical Pot Shops


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Inside a neat brick building on Detroit's east side, a steady stream of customers stroll in to view, sniff and purchase something that not long ago would've landed them in jail — medical marijuana.

This is a dispensary, where concentrated marijuana sits in rows of shiny jars or is dissolved in tubes of vegetable oil for cooking, and where walls of bulletproof metal protect the inventory.

"There's a lot of people relying on us for getting their medicine, so we are, honestly, petrified" about inviting police scrutiny, said owner Adam MacDonald, 40, of Grosse Pointe Farms, in explaining why he requested that the Free Press not name his store.

Still, as chairman of the National Patients Rights Association — a group of mostly Michigan dispensary owners, their lobbyists and lawyers — MacDonald said he's given state lawmakers tours of his store on Mack Avenue, across from stately homes in Grosse Pointe Park.

"We've reached out to many people who were against this and turned them around," he said.

 

 

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Some of the products at one of the Medical Marijuana Dispensaries on Detroit's east side on Thursday, January 8.(Photo: Detroit Free Press)

 

One state official who hasn't turned around is Attorney General Bill Schuette. In 2013, Schuette declared dispensaries to be illegal. Police raids soon triggered closures of an estimated 200 shops. Yet, hundreds of others stayed open in tolerant counties and communities, including scores of them in Detroit.

Now, Detroit could become a leader in the push to make dispensaries legal in Michigan. Earlier this month, Councilman James Tate called for the city to lobby Lansing for a bill to legalize dispensaries, estimated to be from 50 to 180 in Detroit alone. Many of his fellow council members have signed on.

And Gov. Rick Snyder might be ready to add his support. Snyder, a Republican, has been silent for years on marijuana, but spokeswoman Sara Wurfel said Wednesday that the governor's office was working with lawmakers on legislation "to help create a clear, better regulatory structure and give local governments more ability to manage medical marijuana dispensaries."

Until such a bill passes, however, Tate said Detroit should draw up its own rules, to eliminate "bad actors" while encouraging ethical shops selling medicinal cannabis.

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Councilman James Tate(Photo: Detroit Free Press)

ID cards needed

Many dispensary customers are in their 40s and 50s, but others range from parents buying for sick children to clients in their 90s, MacDonald said. Only those with state-issued ID cards — showing they have a doctor's approval — can make purchases that average about $70 per visit, he said.

One regular buyer is Santo Hollon, 44, of St. Clair Shores, who said he used medical marijuana in place of powerful prescription drugs that he once took to control his diverticulosis, a serious and sometimes disabling intestinal disease.

Unlike buying from back-alley drug dealers, "I know it's safe to come here and I know that the marijuana is safe," Hollon said.

Tate is more concerned about how the dispensaries co-exist with residents.

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Attorney General Bill Schuette(Photo: Detroit Free Press)

An early draft of proposed city regulations would require dispensaries to obtain a city-issued business license. Other recommendations included a restriction that dispensaries could not be less than 1,000 feet from each other, nor within 2,000 feet of a school, library, museum, child care center or city recreation center.

Tate said the city needs to ensure that its many dispensaries aren't selling marijuana to children, aren't violating building codes and aren't upsetting nearby residents' quality of life.

Referring to the lock-'em-up stance taken against dispensaries outside of Detroit, Tate said: "I just don't think that the approach of Oakland County is appropriate here."

A matter of priorities

The contrast from one side of 8 Mile to the other echoes the opposing views of marijuana playing out nationwide, with some states still rooted in the war on drugs, while Colorado and Washington have fully legalized marijuana. Other states like Michigan fall in the middle.

"What you're seeing is that a number of counties are not making it a priority to close their dispensaries down — Wayne County is one," said state Rep. Michael Callton, a Republican from southwest Michigan. In addition to Detroit, dispensary-friendly towns include Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Lansing and Traverse City, as well as many rural counties, Callton said.

A chiropractor, Callton said he became convinced by his own patients that marijuana was effective for health. The bill he sponsored, which would allow dispensaries in any community that wanted them, passed the state House overwhelmingly last year. But it died last month in the Senate's lame-duck session.

"I got ambushed by the Michigan Sheriff's Association. They had all their sheriffs call their senators and tell them how negative this would be," Callton said. He said he planned to re-introduce the bill this week.

The MSA will be ready.

 

Read more if you want here

 

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2015/01/20/medical-marijuana-dispensaries-cannabis-attorney-general-schuette-detroit-regulations/22026453/

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It is interesting that dispensary friendly towns usually are the home to large universities. Smart people tend to congregate around universities. Ergo, it may be safe to conclude that smart people are in favor of marijuana, or they just don't think it deserves all the attention that it is receiving.

 

And then there is poor old Bill Schuette. His side hasn't won a battle for a while, but it apparently hasn't deterred him from keeping up the "good fight". It could be that Bill's hatred has blinded him to the fact that the War on Marijuana is coming to an end. He may end up being the Don Quixote of Medical Marijuana.

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DETROIT — Detroit could become a leader in the push to make medical marijuana dispensaries legal in Michigan.

 

City Council member James Tate wants the city to lobby Lansing for a bill to legalize dispensaries, with an estimated 50 to 180 in Detroit alone. Tate told the Detroit

 

Free Press (http://on.freep.com/1BaJA9X ) that the city should draw up its own rules to eliminate "bad actors" and encourage ethical shops.

 

An early draft of proposed city regulations would require dispensaries to obtain a city-issued business license. Other recommendations include a restriction that

 

dispensaries could not be less than 1,000 feet from each other, nor within 2,000 feet of a school, library, museum, child care center or city recreation center.

 

Tate said the city needs to ensure that dispensaries aren't selling marijuana to children, violating building codes or disrupting neighbors' quality of life. Some opposition

 

comes from residents who see them as a potential danger.

 

"Do we want the kind of business that invites holdups and robbery and gunplay?" said Pam Weinstein, of the Rosedale Park Improvement Association, which represents

 

an area on Detroit's west side. "They're like fortresses, which makes you feel uneasy."

 

Gov. Rick Snyder's spokeswoman Sara Wurfel said last week that the governor's office was working with lawmakers on legislation "to help create a clear, better

 

regulatory structure and give local governments more ability to manage medical marijuana dispensaries."

 

Michigan voters approved marijuana use for some chronic medical conditions in 2008, but the legality of dispensaries was thrown into doubt by court rulings. The

 

Michigan Supreme Court deemed dispensaries illegal in 2013. Some have shut down but many still operate.

 

In a building on Detroit's east side, across the street from the suburb of Grosse Pointe Park, a steady stream of customers buys medical marijuana from one dispensary.

 

"We've reached out to many people who were against this and turned them around," said owner Adam MacDonald, 40, of Grosse Pointe Farms. He is chairman of the

 

National Patients Rights Association, a group of mostly Michigan dispensary owners, lobbyists and lawyers.

 

Last year, Republican Rep. Mike Callton introduced a bill in the state legislature to legalize dispensaries, or businesses that sell marijuana, to registered patients and

 

caregivers. The bill died in the Senate last month, but Callton plans to re-introduce it in the current session.

 

http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/67c1b72890c147ddb3819d919af7f16d/MI--Medical-Marijuana-Michigan/

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"Do we want the kind of business that invites holdups and robbery and gunplay?" said Pam Weinstein, of the Rosedale Park Improvement Association, which represents


 


an area on Detroit's west side. "They're like fortresses, which makes you feel uneasy."


 


Time to get rid of the banks... Who want's business that invites holdups, robberies, and gunplay...


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"Do we want the kind of business that invites holdups and robbery and gunplay?" said Pam Weinstein, of the Rosedale Park Improvement Association, which represents

 

an area on Detroit's west side. "They're like fortresses, which makes you feel uneasy."

 

Time to get rid of the banks... Who want's business that invites holdups, robberies, and gunplay...

 

 

You're awesome. Great angle!

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Same as before the case where the courts have taken peoples Kid's because a judge said if someone was growing cannabis they may get robed so should we take peoples kid's because someone has a $$$ painting on their walls 

 

The hysteria is so readily consumed is the problem. The knowledge of what to fear is comforting for some I think.

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Yup from day one it was, then they made some little word changes, EX: from - "A" "their" "the" "connected",, etc,

This one was a doozy... just couldnt understand how they couldnt understand english. Literally... 'A' cg may assist 'A' patient in their medical use of mj... goes to may only assist their 5 patients that are connected through the registry.

 

One really good thing that co did w the medical mj portion of their law (the orig portion of the law) was to make it a constitutional amendment... makes it really difficult to alter & degrade. The entirety of 1284 (their disp bill) was carved out in a matter that couldnt touch patient/cg rights. You still have docs out there that make patient recommendations for the medical necessity of 50-99 plants for treatment... and it holds because those rights & relationships are constitutionally protected.

 

Think the disp bill peeps want that to exist? Aint bunny muffin they could do about it, nor the cops, the prosecitors, the judges...

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And,  can someone explain to me how we can claim to be  'A'  , reciprocal state, no cg nor a patient can assist them? Sooo Like were do they get there meds.. the typical ... secluded  parking lot.. and the cops do NOT turn a blind eye...so I'm really confused.... Oh and dont forget if they bring them in the transport laws will get them, or be arrested anyway...for bringing across state lines... a no win picture... Oh right,, I forgot they wont do anything if your with a card...But be warned, dont carry postit notes.... very bad... 

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MM Brainstorming session in the "D"... Media now has a story.

 

Could "they"... Would "they"... Why would "they"?..... $... MM Compassion O_o?

 

Cultivation Centers: Illinois

 

"Cultivation centers under Illinois law are the only entities that perform any function (besides testing) related to the production of cannabis medicine. Only a cultivation center may grow cannabis plants and use parts of the cannabis plant to make products such as oils, concentrates, extracts, butters, edibles, tinctures, dabs and topicals. The Department of Agriculture promulgates regulations for cultivation centers and is authorized to award no more than one license in each of the 22 districts of the Illinois State Police. Ag Dept. will award initial licenses through a competitive application process.

 

This page contains my blog posts related to Illinois cannabis cultivation center law and business."

 

"21 cultivation centers = 525 new jobs

Up to 21 cultivation centers will obtain the right to produce cannabis medicine, which entails:

 

Growing cannabis plants

Manufacturing cannabis extracts and infused medicines

Manufacturing edible food items containing cannabis

Laboratory analysis and research

Packaging, labeling, and inventory

Security of facility and transportation

Sanitation and maintenance of facility

Standard business and management roles (sales, account management, administration, human resources, etc.)"

 

Dispensary Jobs:

 

"Security Guards: Dispensaries and their private security contractors have an immense demand for trained law enforcement and security professionals. Most if not all dispensaries will desire to use 24/7 manned security protection. Duties include ensuring the integrity of the facility’s security systems and protecting the facility and its customers from outside criminal disturbance. Desired backgrounds include military, law enforcement, and security experience.

 

Patient Advisers (associates): Dispensaries have immense demand for professionals who can communicate articulately and compassionately with customers about medical cannabis and debilitating medical conditions. Desirable backgrounds include medical profession, pharmacy, social work, education, customer service. Knowledge of cannabis, the varieties of cannabis medicine, and the conditions for which they may be effective is highly relevant.

 

 

Dispensary Associates know the varieties of medicine and the conditions they treat."

 

 

http://medicalmarijuanalawillinois.com/illinois-cannabis-jobs/

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Illinois medical marijuana hb 1Illinois approved a pilot medical marijuana program in 2013. The program started in 2014 with one caveat – there was no actual medical marijuana to legally obtain. Safe access to medical marijuana for patients requires licenses being issued to growers and distributors, as patients can’t grow their own medical marijuana in Illinois. As of this post, there have been no licenses issued, and there are no immediate plans by the State of Illinois to do so.

 

The task to issue licenses was up to outgoing Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, who announced that there will be no licenses issued until the next Governor takes office. Incoming Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner stated during his campaign that he would have vetoed the medical marijuana bill, which doesn’t exactly sound encouraging. The problems plaguing Illinois’ medical marijuana program implementation have brought some critical comments from the program’s original sponsor, Illinois Representative Lou Lang. Per the State Journal-Register:

 

Despite departing Gov. Pat Quinn declining to award licenses to grow and distribute medical marijuana, Rep. Lou Lang said he’s still holding out hope for Illinois’ program.

 

The Democrat from Skokie said he was upset Quinn decided to neglect the issue in recent weeks, particularly because Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, said during the campaign he likely would have vetoed the medical marijuana bill passed last year.

 

Lang said Quinn’s refusal to award licenses is a catastrophic blow to the four-year pilot initiative.

 

“This single failure may doom the medical cannabis program,” Lang said at a Capitol news conference Tuesday. “This single failure said to all of those folks that made applications to be cultivators or dispensary owners that we took your $5 million (in fees), but we’ll get to you when we feel like it.”

 

The patients of Illinois deserve safe access. Denying their safe access for what can only be described as political purposes is unacceptable. This foot dragging is also unacceptable for those that have paid application fees. They have received no answers to their questions, and there is the looming possibility that they will be out the money they have spent this far entirely. People have paid more than just application fees, they have also paid for research, which isn’t cheap. One representative that I met with about a month ago told me that he and a group of investors had spent roughly one million dollars during the process of trying to get licenses to grow medical marijuana in Illinois. It would be a shame if that were all for not.

http://www.theweedblog.com/representative-illinois-medical-marijuana-program-may-be-doomed/

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