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Hijacked! Provisioning Centers Act Corrupted; Snyder Appointee Involved


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Hijacked! Provisioning Centers Act corrupted; Snyder appointee involved   by Rick Thompson/June 24, 2015

 

LANSING– 1,500 marijuana plants in a single garden? Armed guards transporting pot brownies from the kitchen to the warehouse? A 16% tax on medical marijuana?

 

With the release of the latest draft of Michigan’s medical marijuana dispensary bill, HB 4209, sponsor Rep. Michael Callton (R-Nashville) has taken The Provisioning Centers Act in a “drastically different” direction. The flip-flop by Callton has longtime supporters insistent on change and threatening to abandon their support for the four-year old proposal.

 

Seemingly involved in the major shift in direction: the Michigan Cannabis Development Association (MCDA) and Lansing-area real estate mogul Ron Boji, Commissioner of the Department of Transportation for the State of Michigan serving a term through 2017.

 

Robin Schneider, Legislative Liaison for the pro-patient lobbying group National Patients Rights Association (NPRA) appeared on The Planet Green Trees Radio Show’s June 18 broadcast to discuss Draft 5 of HB 4209. The NPRA is the leading lobbying organization in Michigan advocating for the restoration of legality for patient use of non-smoked forms of cannabis and to establish organized and regulated distribution of medical marijuana in the state.

 

In studio with host Michael Komorn were co-hosts Jamie Lowell and this author, Rick Thompson, two men who helped draft the original version of this bill in 2011.

 

Lowell called the new language a “distinct departure” from the version introduced in the House earlier this year. The bill took testimony during two House Judiciary sessions, one May 1 and one on May 7, but none of these radical changes were offered or suggested during those hearings.

 

ENTER: THE MIDDLEMAN

Jamie Lowell began the segment on PGT by announcing that Rep. Michael Callton (R-Nashville) declined to appear on the show.

 

“I asked Rep. Callton tonight if he would come on (the radio show) and if he’d be willing to explain what’s been going on, what happened, whether or not he supports this bill in this form,” Lowell explained.

 

“His response to me was:

“I can’t do the show tonight. There are very dynamic and sensitive negotiations going on right now with police groups and the Governor’s office that I can’t really talk about on the radio.”

 

One of those sensitive issues must be the newly-created concept of adding a middleman to deny direct sales of cannabis from grower to Provisioning Center.

 

“In the most recent draft (Draft 5), there is something called a (marijuana) distributorship.” The NPRA is “fundamentally very opposed to that concept,” Schneider said.

 

“What that means is a grower would be able to sell marijuana to a distributor and the distributor would transport it, store it, test it, and then sell it to the provisioning centers.”

 

“Provisioning centers would only be allowed to buy marijuana from a distributor. “

 

Schneider said the program was “similar to the three-tiered alcohol model.”

 

The distributor controls transport of all cannabis going in to and out of a processor’s business, a grower’s garden and from the distributor to the provisioning centers themselves, Schneider explained, integrating their businesses far more than just “a middleman that is buying it and selling it and jacking up the price.”

 

“It’s transport and warehousing,” Thompson said. “(Distributors) would purchase all the cannabis from the grow facilities, they would hold it and then distribute it to whom they decided and to whom was willing to pay the price they wanted.”

 

“That’s right,” Schneider agreed.  “It’s pretty clear it is somebody interjecting themselves into a position to make a lot of money.”

 

Inserting a mandatory warehouse program carries consequences to the consumer, Schneider offered. “There would be an added middleman in between the grower and the provisioning center. That’s certainly a concern for us because it’s not a very necessary step in there… but mostly because it’s going to add an enormous cost to the final price of the medicine.”

 

“Over the years, we’ve always tried to keep the focus on the patients, what’s best for them, but we do have a lot of business interests coming in and corrupting the process.”

 

Schneider said changes to the draft of the bill were needed in order for the NPRA ”to continue supporting the bill.”

 

TAXES, ASSESSMENTS AND 1500 PLANTS

The bill proposes to create giant mega-pot farms in Michigan. “It would be a maximum number of 1500 plants (per license) in this bill,” Schneider revealed. Currently, each patient is allowed to cultivate up to 12 marijuana plants on their own or through a caregiver.

 

The emphasis is heavy on taxes and assessments.

“They want to charge a 16% tax on the marijuana between the distributor and the dispensary,” Schneider said, and called the tax “insane and not appropriate to charge for a medically-needed product.”

 

HB 4209 requires a new governmental agency be established to regulate the distributors and Provisioning centers. In order to jump-start the program an initial assessment is necessary to offset costs, Schneider said. Businesses approved to participate in the program would collectively pay the fee. “There would also be an assessment paid through the licensing of the businesses of $12 million in the first year.”

 

The PGT on-air staff members were shocked to hear this number, but Schneider said “the original number was $50 million.”

 

By comparison, “The entire state of Alaska runs their entire recreational program on $1.5 million,” she added.

 

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

Earlier this year, professional lobbyist Ken Cole from Lansing powerhouse firm GCSI told a group of marijuana business owners during a public meeting he could “hijack” a pair of bills in the Michigan legislature, HB4209 and HB4210. He suggested the bills could be flipped from pro-patient to pro-business, therefore creating a unique advantage for his clients- the MCDA- in the medical marijuana marketplace.

 

With the publication of Draft 5 of The Provisioning Centers Act, it appears Cole has earned his money.

Since that public meeting, the two bills were given a pair of hearings in the House Judiciary

Committee, led by Rep. Klint Kesto (R-Commerce Township). The hearings began with a presentation by the Michigan State Police (MSP) on the evils of marijuana and cannabis consumers, based on information provided by the Colorado Police Chiefs Association, where the MSP claimed a single marijuana grower in Michigan produces 18,000 joints in a single year.

 

The hearings featured testimony from parents of sick children, industry representatives and concerned citizens. None of the changes appearing in Draft 5 were offered, discussed or even hinted at. The draft was released by Callton’s office just days before the legislature is prepared to break for summer recess, minimizing the fallout for Lansing politicos who have offered a proposal that is, very predictably, not going to be well-received.

 

Komorn asked about that special summer session of the legislature.

“(The legislature) are having a couple of special sessions this summer, one in July and possibly another one in August,” Schneider said. “From what I was told we’ll be in a workgroup for the next month and we’ll be coming back in July.”

 

“Law enforcement wants to keep these two bills as a package and tackle them at the same time,” Schneider said later during the interview. “As far as we’re concerned, HB 4209 needs a lot of work.”

“We’re nowhere near being ready to support it.”

 

Giving the bill a hearing during a special summer session should minimize the media attention and public participation, a strategy that has been used to shelter politically unpopular legislation.

 

ORIGIN

When asked by host Komorn about the impetus for the changes, Schneider said, “some of those were to address law enforcement concerns, some of it came from the governor’s office and administration, and of course there’s this distributorship thing. I’m assuming it came from business interests that want to be the middleman and distribute all the marijuana in the state.”

 

Lowell identified one name that had come up repeatedly in conversations in Lansing regarding the “dramatic changes” to the bills: “Ron Boji.”

 

When asked, Schneider said, “Yes, I do have knowledge that he is lobbying for a marijuana distributorship at this time.”

 

The Boji Group owns the Boji Tower or Capital View, Lansing’s tallest building and the new home of the Michigan Senate. Boji is a Snyder appointee to the position of Transportation Commissioner in 2013 and was named Lansing Entrepreneur of the Year by a trade organization earlier this year.

Schneider singled out the spike in new lobbyists haunting Lansing as a factor in the derailing of the Provisioning Centers Act. “When you have these corporate interests show up, approaching this from a ‘how much money can I make’ point of view, it makes it very difficult to get something passed that is good for the patients.”

 

She added, “I would definitely say that we’re the only ones in there fighting for the little guy. It’s very intimidating, very overwhelming. It’s difficult.”

 

Later, Schneider said, “I would recommend, now that (Draft 5) has been circulated and that everybody knows that Ron Boji is pushing for a distributorship/middleman, I would say anyone that is concerned about that should go ahead and give Rep. Callton a call. Absolutely. Let him know how you feel about that.”

 

“Rep. Kesto, with that being in his Committee, that would also be welcomed as well.”

 

Rep. Callton’s contact information:

Phone: 517-373-0842

Toll Free: 855-373-0842

Fax: 517-373-6979

Email: MikeCallton@house.mi.gov

Rep. Kesto can be reached through his office at:

Phone: (517) 373-1799

FAX: (517) 373-8361Email: KlintKesto@house.mi.gov

 

Listen to the entire episode at the Planet Green Trees site on blogtalkradio.com at:

www.blogtalkradio.com/planetgreentrees/2015/06/19/pgt-episode-253-michigan-dispensary-bill-blows-up

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NPRA wanted regulated dispensaries.

 

NPRA fundraised for callton, richardville and other republicans.

 

NPRA is getting exactly what they paid for now.

 

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/topic/46656-robin-schneider-npra-to-hold-fundraiser-for-richardville/

 

If you lie down with dogs you get fleas.

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I couldn't read it all because I am not going to contribute to that scenario. I am not going to provide my hard work and skills for some ding dong distributor to make a profit off of me. I am not planning on making any big profits, why should I help somebody else make a big profit?

 

You will not see my products available through a distribution system operating in that manner.

 

Tincture, essential oil, inhalant, ointment, infusion, salves. teas, tonics, that is what I have to offer, but not through that type of system.

 

I have made much progress over this past year.

 

If they are going to take away my ability to directly deal with my patients or directly deal with a dispensary, then I cannot participate. I will not allow somebody to take my work, dilute my products, and scam my patients. Why else would there be special rights to some scumbag distributor. I am not about money, I am about medicine and helping people.

 

You can trust me on this. Topicals and many other products that have been posted here in the past, you know what I am referring to. That is ancient, outdated. There are much better products that can be made that have not been mentioned here on this site.

 

When you combine the information in these books with cannabis, especially naturally decarbing, it can potentially outdo any medicine spoken of on these forums. (Just my opinion)

Herbs And oils 6 23 15 045

 

sorry for the rant guys...Just sick and tired of rules and restrictions so some butt hole can make a buck from patients that are desperate. 

 

Edit: This reminds me of mafia type ethics. The police huddling with the government and narrowing it down to a distributor. Sounds like big money and control for them. Where does that leave the patients and growers?

 

Edit 2: Another thought came to mind. As I was listening to Family Life Radio today, they were talking about a bottled water distributor who lied about the testing results to continue to make profits. The water has been found to contain e-coli. E-coli can come from human and animal feces. Supposedly this e-coli came from the bottling companies natural spring. This water has been recalled, but still on some store shelves.

 

A distribution model would open doors wide open for corruption.

Edited by GrowGoddess
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ecoli is found in many food products every day. no need to find any corrupt manf, theres plenty of legit companies pumping out ecoli tainted foods.

 

marijuana runs into the same problem all crops do.

sprayed with pesticides, fungicides, herbicides.

picked unripe/early , shipped frozen, irraidiated.

stored in warehouses where birds get in and poop on stuff, bugs crawl in it, etc.

 

touched by a lot of people who dont even wash their hands.

 

grow your own!

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Cmon guys.

Empty out all your pockets, bank accounts.

And leave your ethical thoughts at the door people.

This is about Money..

See this is why I told you guys on this forum that Michigan would better off not to start this sheet..

It is a Wickedly Corrupt Government in Michigan.

Hell they will probably push it through at 4 am just like they did with right to work.

Trying to screw us Union mbers over..

You patients will pay the price..

 

Me I am all good,

I will Never enter a facility such as this.

My guy has top quality organic meds at good prices.

Distribution centers, high jacked up taxes and not knowing my supplier..no thank you.

 

Good luck getting this one killed...

Big money has their hands in it now..

Patients needs are jettisoned for profits..

Sleeping with dogs?

Sounds more like beastiality with dogs.

And whelping mutant pups that bite everything they see except for their handlers..

Next your grow rights will be gone in order to accomplish their goal of market control..

 

 

The Black market is where I will stay forever with these stupid regulations, fees, taxes and the like..

My buddy needs myoney for his house payment and that's where I will spend my dollars.

Screw Big Business, for they will Surely Screw You for Profit..

Good luck Michigan but I believe your Eden is about to be invaded.

By People that Do Not Care about how you feel today.

Only about how much money you have in your pocket...

 

Huh, some people related me to chicken little when this discussion started.

Guess the sky is falling for all the little people that wanted to make use of years of growing and processing skills.

There is Going to be a gutting of the MMMP soon.. Good luck brothers and sisters.

 

Black Market All they Way.. Forever...

I suggest you do the same.. By the way you caregivers will become Black Market.

Just give them time and their money will pull all the right strings.

Money Talks, Bullsheet walks.

And All patients have is Talk.

Edited by ilynnboy
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ecoli is found in many food products every day. no need to find any corrupt manf, theres plenty of legit companies pumping out ecoli tainted foods.

 

marijuana runs into the same problem all crops do.

sprayed with pesticides, fungicides, herbicides.

picked unripe/early , shipped frozen, irraidiated.

stored in warehouses where birds get in and poop on stuff, bugs crawl in it, etc.

 

touched by a lot of people who dont even wash their hands.

 

grow your own!

While you can

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Cmon guys.

Empty out all your pockets, bank accounts.

And leave your ethical thoughts at the door people.

This is about Money..

See this is why I told you guys on this forum that Michigan would better off not to start this sheet..

It is a Wickedly Corrupt Government in Michigan.

Hell they will probably push it through at 4 am just like they did with right to work.

Trying to screw us Union mbers over..

You patients will pay the price..

 

Me I am all good,

I will Never enter a facility such as this.

My guy has top quality organic meds at good prices.

Distribution centers, high jacked up taxes and not knowing my supplier..no thank you.

 

Good luck getting this one killed...

Big money has their hands in it now..

Patients needs are jettisoned for profits..

Sleeping with dogs?

Sounds more like beastiality with dogs.

And whelping mutant pups that bite everything they see except for their handlers..

Next your grow rights will be gone in order to accomplish their goal of market control..

 

 

The Black market is where I will stay forever with these stupid regulations, fees, taxes and the like..

My buddy needs myoney for his house payment and that's where I will spend my dollars.

Screw Big Business, for they will Surely Screw You for Profit..

Good luck Michigan but I believe your Eden is about to be invaded.

By People that Do Not Care about how you feel today.

Only about how much money you have in your pocket...

 

Huh, some people related me to chicken little when this discussion started.

Guess the sky is falling for all the little people that wanted to make use of years of growing and processing skills.

There is Going to be a gutting of the MMMP soon.. Good luck brothers and sisters.

 

Black Market All they Way.. Forever...

I suggest you do the same.. By the way you caregivers will become Black Market.

Just give them time and their money will pull all the right strings.

Money Talks, Bullsheet walks.

And All patients have is Talk.

 

 

Well thank you Sir. 

 

I understand how you feel and do agree theirs no groups or organization going after anyones grow rights it Lansing and Leo that want your right to grow Cannabis on you own some have been waiting on things like this to happen as you have told us to watch out  

 

But all we can do is do what we all can to make the MMMP better protected thats how i felt about going to Lansing to help add sickness to the list to use cannabis i felt like the more thats added to most likely the Act would get stronger it took a Great Law suit to get the State just to have that meeting the State was stalling on it because they know things we don't 

 

Anyways thank for post your feelings i agree things are messed up

 

MILEGALZE  

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Thanks Bob.

That is not the way that I wish it to be that is just the way that I see it becoming.

Hell sometimes my pain is so bad I end up using an eighth a day.

Hell at dispensary prices, I would be a Broke Patient in Pain..

No thanks..

That's My Point!!!

$200 an Ounce from my Organic guy Or

$90 a Quarter from a dispensary..

Who can afford that besides the recreational smoker?

And your grow rights Will Go up in Smoke..

Every recreational state has tried / or is trying to remove it..

The whole thing REEKS!!

Free the Weed..Like Tomatoes..

I Love this Marvelous Medicinal plant, but Not the people who would prefer extreme profits off sick people's backs..

I thought this was supposed to be FOR PATIENTS.

Not Profit..

They are making a mockery of a what was started as a Holistic endeavor..

Money Grubbers..just like the rest of the Medical Field..

Hell my wife was billed $80 for an Ibuprofen when she was in the hospital..

What a farce..

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Hell at dispensary prices, I would be a Broke Patient in Pain..

 

I have to agree with this at the moment. Dispensary prices are what initially got me in to growing. I have the distinct inkling that these dispensaries will not be as willing to give out "free" meds for pepsi's as I've done in the past for my low income patients (he didn't have money, but what he did have were war stories, coffee, and pepsi- more than money right there). Nothing in my world is free per say, but I don't ask for much at all.

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I have to agree with this at the moment. Dispensary prices are what initially got me in to growing. I have the distinct inkling that these dispensaries will not be as willing to give out "free" meds for pepsi's as I've done in the past for my low income patients (he didn't have money, but what he did have were war stories, coffee, and pepsi- more than money right there). Nothing in my world is free per say, but I don't ask for much at all.

 

 

Thank you

 

I  have been told the  war stories i tell people like

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The Tomato Plan is genius.  

Everyone can relate to the tomato, even Voting non cannabis users.

Lots of people love to grow their own and Will relate to the plight of the Home Grow

I bet you would see 75-80 % 

People want to help people.........we dont care what they say, Corporations are Not people!

 

Put your name on the Tomato Plan and you wil be forever honored in the history books, er cloud!

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Thanks Bob.

That is not the way that I wish it to be that is just the way that I see it becoming.

Hell sometimes my pain is so bad I end up using an eighth a day.

Hell at dispensary prices, I would be a Broke Patient in Pain..

No thanks..

That's My Point!!!

$200 an Ounce from my Organic guy Or

$90 a Quarter from a dispensary..

Who can afford that besides the recreational smoker?

And your grow rights Will Go up in Smoke..

Every recreational state has tried / or is trying to remove it..

The whole thing REEKS!!

Free the Weed..Like Tomatoes..

I Love this Marvelous Medicinal plant, but Not the people who would prefer extreme profits off sick people's backs..

I thought this was supposed to be FOR PATIENTS.

Not Profit..

They are making a mockery of a what was started as a Holistic endeavor..

Money Grubbers..just like the rest of the Medical Field..

Hell my wife was billed $80 for an Ibuprofen when she was in the hospital..

What a farce..

That^^^^

 

The reason I began growing^ no way could I afford what I need without producing it myself. It was liberating to

stop supporting the cartels.

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