Robin Schneider: Lawmakers Must Protect Medical Marijuana Patients

[bobandtorey]

The Michigan Legislature has spent three long years debating the regulation of and access to medical marijuana. They have debated testing, labeling, licensee requirements, what forms the medicine should be available in and more. Meanwhile I’ve watched patient after patient run out of time while they wait for the legislature to do something.

As a patient advocate I witnessed a Lansing resident and cancer patient named Greg struggle to access the liquid form of medical marijuana that went into his feeding tube. He died before this was resolved. I watched another Lansing patient with AIDS struggle to find clean, tested and safe medical marijuana, a must for a patient with a weakened immune system. He also died waiting for a resolution. I’ve also witnessed many children with epilepsy reduce their seizures and even stop them completely after their doctor recommended medical marijuana. It is unjust that their parents continue to jump through hoops and take legal risks as they attempt to obtain their medicine.

The voters were clear in 2008 when they declared that marijuana is medicine. We now know that marijuana can stop seizures, help a cancer patient eat and prolong the life of an AIDS patient. It is an absolute crime that we have not made this treatment medically safe and easily accessible to patients.

The ballot initiative passed seven long years ago but the state has failed to implement a medical marijuana program that works. Cities remain in legal limbo as they wait for the legislature to clarify the law and implement the needed regulatory framework. Across the state patients and their providers continue to be targets of paramilitary style raids, forfeitures and arrests.

Our courts remain clogged with “test cases” against medical marijuana program participants. The defendants all have they same story: “I was trying to follow the law.”

I think we can all agree this is not what we voted for. Patients, providers, cities and citizens deserve clarity right now. It is time for the leaders of this state to wrap up this ridiculously long debate and implement a clear, workable medical marijuana program.

 

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/opinion/contributors/viewpoints/2015/06/12/robin-schneider-lawmakers-must-protect-medical-marijuana-patients/71105248/

[t-pain]

the supreme court said thats what you voted for.

 

maybe next time mpp will learn to write better laws.

[+Malamute]

They progressively got better until after Michigan/Arizona.

 

When they at least started writing in immunities, that was progress.

 

 As grumpy as I get about bad model language, at least they had the nads to put up the cash and try to get something passed and changed though.

 

It isn't their fault we have been inept at getting the advancements, amendments and changes we as Michiganders feel we need in our marijuana laws.

 

 They gave us a big boost.  It is now our responsibility.

 

We have an atrocious Republican controlled government who has done nothing but stymie us at every pass and a justice system who has railroaded our law at every given chance.  We, as Michiganders, are electing destructive, incompetent and old minded individuals to our system of government. From Judges and prosecutors, to governors and attorney generals, to a super majority of Republican state senators who do not have our best interest at heart, to a state house that continually  remains clueless about our issue.

 

 We can only blame ourselves.  Not one person I have voted for in my districts has been elected.  It is my own fault for not working harder to get more reasonable minded people elected.  I try. But if it actually means enough to us, we will put in the effort. 

 

 But yes.  How much heartache could have been avoided with a better written law.  Stupid mistakes and ridiculous restrictions mixed with a truly republican conservative minded judiciary has made our law and the lives of many, very difficult. 

 

 Vote in Better republicans. Vote in more democrats with a spine on our issue.

 

 Remove drug crusader judges.  Defeat drug war minded prosecutors. Elect sane politicians with forward thinking.

 

 And.... learn to write a law properly, while erring on the side of rights, protections and the people.

[bobandtorey]

 The writers did give the sick a big boost the Law was not meant for everyone only the sick but some Doctors got greedy and started giving out Recamendations 

 

to anyone that had $$ people didn't even need medical records IMHO if things like that wouldn't have happen as they did maybe things would be better 

 

I guess anyone could look back on things that made the Law as it is today

 

Peace

[Restorium2]

 The writers did give the sick a big boost the Law was not meant for everyone only the sick but some Doctors got greedy and started giving out Recamendations 

 

to anyone that had $$ people didn't even need medical records IMHO if things like that wouldn't have happen as they did maybe things would be better 

 

I guess anyone could look back on things that made the Law as it is today

 

Peace

I don't think that some bad actors justify anything they are doing now. They, the legislature, would like people to believe that but it's just another excuse to get things the way they want them under false pretenses. They even have you brainwashed now. There are bad actors in everything, not just cannabis. There are bad doctors writing prescriptions when they should not. There are/were laws already in place to take care of anything a bad cannabis actor could think of doing. 

[bobandtorey]

Thanks

 

I talk to a lot of people that are non cannabis users  mostly old people  we need them to vote  just to get a feel as to there thinking am just repeating what they say 

[Restorium2]

Thanks

 

I talk to a lot of people that are non cannabis users  mostly old people  we need them to vote  just to get a feel as to there thinking am just repeating what they say 

Yup. There are some crazy mean old coots out there that think that a lot of stuff our crooked legislature is doing is OK. They are the enablers. 

[Wild Bill]

patient with AIDS struggle to find clean, tested and safe medical marijuana

 

We could never grow anything in our homes that wasn't toxic. We need more commercial warehouse grows so everyone will be safe. FA-Q Schneider!

 

public safety

 

Yeah those guys are the embodiment of public safety.