latest Michigan medical marijuana news.....
- Thread starter buckaroo bonzai
- Start date
st0wandgrow
Well-Known Member
fattie-mac ..... haven't seen you around in a while brother! (I saw you "like" bucks post) 
I hope all is well! Shoot me a pm, got a question/offer for ya....
I hope all is well! Shoot me a pm, got a question/offer for ya....
Murfy
Well-Known Member
buckaroo-
is well connected. twice now you have mentioned the exact thing in your consideration that i needed to hear most at the time. i have listened to you well.
the place in capac is a great source for supplies, although they arent much for some organics, they carry a full line of commercial, water soluble ferts . they carry all soils except for dairy doo.
is well connected. twice now you have mentioned the exact thing in your consideration that i needed to hear most at the time. i have listened to you well.
the place in capac is a great source for supplies, although they arent much for some organics, they carry a full line of commercial, water soluble ferts . they carry all soils except for dairy doo.
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buckaroo bonzai
Well-Known Member
^^^^make sure you mention 'murfy' sent me....
thanks for that eddy!
thanks for that eddy!
buckaroo bonzai
Well-Known Member
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2013/09/several_genesee_county_communi_1.html
Because if we pass an ordinance, some federal lawyer could come along and sue us based on the guidelines
Some Genesee County communities still hazy on regulation of medical marijuana sales
By Roberto Acosta | [email protected]
on September 18, 2013 at 7:00 AM, updated September 18, 2013 at 7:38 AM
View full sizeRegulation on medical marijuana facilities continues to vary in Genesee County communities.MLive.com File photo
GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- While some Genesee County communities have continued moratoriums on medical marijuana dispensaries, others have moved to set guidelines or let state and federal regulations determine whether they can stay in business.
Officials in Davison have let a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries expire, allowing state guidelines to rule.
"We already got the recommendation from (the planning commission) just to let it go," said Mayor Tim Bishop of the moratorium, which expired last week. "We just based it on the fact that the state had said; what they claim is they have control of this."
City Council members voted in May to keep the moratorium in place until state and federal officials provided more clarity on medical marijuana dispensaries.
The state Supreme Court ruled in February that patient-to-patients transfers could not take place at dispensaries, while giving local prosecutors the power to declare such locations a public nuisance.
"We decided we are going to go with the state and federal law and how they handle it," said Bishop.
Davison council member Paul Hammond said the board has decided not to pass an ordinance, Because if we pass an ordinance, some federal lawyer could come along and sue us based on the guidelines.
If theres any argument, its between the state and the federal government, he said, pointing out potential personal liability for board members if an ordinance was approved. Not the city of Davison.
Grand Blanc is reviewing its policy, with a six-month moratorium expiring last month. City Manager Paul Brake said state law is still taking shape with court cases such as Ter Beek versus the city of Wyoming, waiting to be heard before the state Supreme Court.
In that case, attorney and medical marijuana patient John Ter Beek argued against a city ordinance that didn't allow any areas in the city where marijuana could be sold. While Ter Beek lost the case before a Kent County Circuit Court judge, a three-judge Court of Appeals panel sided against the city.
As we reviewed different possible draft ordinances, aside from spending a lot of attorney time and draft time, it needs to be more definitively spelled out, said Brake about the state law.
He pointed out the city does have an ordinance in place that states until federal law legalizes use and possession of marijuana
Were taking the stance if federal law prohibits it, we do too, he said. Brake added that the city could end up regulating marijuana facilities under zoning regulations, with setbacks from buildings including schools.
Other Genesee County communities, inclusing Clayton Township and Flushing, have already put regulations in place for marijuana dispensaries..
Flushing Police Chief Mark Hoornstra said the city has an ordinance noting compliance with the states medical marijuana law passed in 2008, but it also regulates dispensaries with a zoning ordinance that requires a special use permit and for such facilities to operate in the general business area with no visible signs.
While some clarity has been provided by the state Supreme Court, he said other cases leave the picture a little hazy on what moves local governments can take.
It makes it a lot more difficult for those changes to be made, Hoornstra said. I dont know if all of the legislators are on the same page, of what they want to see.
He noted The law was really poorly written and left a lot of loopholes regarding enforcement.
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said nobody has stepped forward to demand action against dispensaries.
We dont have any pending requests to file public nuisance actions against any alleged marijuana dispensaries, he said. We will enforce state law with respect to alleged dispensaries. Since we dont have any investigators in our office, we rely on area investigators.
Hoornstra said that while some people take the stance government should not be involved in the issue, If youve got someone who has a caregiver situation set up in an apartment complex and has mold, or a fire breaks out, thats a concern for the public.
Swartz Creek City Manager Paul Bueche said the city has taken a straightforward approach with medical marijuana dispensaries.
"We would rather treat the things just like storefront businesses that are in a mall, rather than put them in an industrial corner there, so theres no problems with seedy locations," he said.
In looking over the issue with zoning officials, Bueche said while no dispensaries in the city are in commercial zones, the city is using the same distance restrictions and requirements on establishments that sell alcohol.
"Why not treat them like a tavern and throw them in commercial zones?" he said. "They're retail. They're commercial shops. The use becomes let's treat those like bars. That's regulated and time-tested over the years."
Bueche said the facilities become problems when owners try to open up a business on the cheap, adding, "The law was designed not to profit, but to provide medical marijuana to patients."
Anyone wanting to do business in Swartz Creek would have to receive approval from the city attorney, Bueche said, which helps cut down on the constantly evolving law at the state and federal levels.
"Were not going to sit there and play the game where were interpreting for you," he said. "In other words, that it meets the law at that time. If thats what you want to do, were going to treat them like any other business."
In taking what Hammond called "the middle ground" on the issue, he said, "We just leave the battle between the feds and the state.""Just let it go and if somebody wants to start growing, we have the state law to control it," Hammond said. "As far as I believe, it's a settled issue with the council."
Some Genesee County communities still hazy on regulation of medical marijuana sales
By Roberto Acosta | [email protected] on September 18, 2013 at 7:00 AM, updated September 18, 2013 at 7:38 AM
GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- While some Genesee County communities have continued moratoriums on medical marijuana dispensaries, others have moved to set guidelines or let state and federal regulations determine whether they can stay in business.
Officials in Davison have let a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries expire, allowing state guidelines to rule.
"We already got the recommendation from (the planning commission) just to let it go," said Mayor Tim Bishop of the moratorium, which expired last week. "We just based it on the fact that the state had said; what they claim is they have control of this."
City Council members voted in May to keep the moratorium in place until state and federal officials provided more clarity on medical marijuana dispensaries.
The state Supreme Court ruled in February that patient-to-patients transfers could not take place at dispensaries, while giving local prosecutors the power to declare such locations a public nuisance.
"We decided we are going to go with the state and federal law and how they handle it," said Bishop.
Davison council member Paul Hammond said the board has decided not to pass an ordinance, Because if we pass an ordinance, some federal lawyer could come along and sue us based on the guidelines.
If theres any argument, its between the state and the federal government, he said, pointing out potential personal liability for board members if an ordinance was approved. Not the city of Davison.
Grand Blanc is reviewing its policy, with a six-month moratorium expiring last month. City Manager Paul Brake said state law is still taking shape with court cases such as Ter Beek versus the city of Wyoming, waiting to be heard before the state Supreme Court.
In that case, attorney and medical marijuana patient John Ter Beek argued against a city ordinance that didn't allow any areas in the city where marijuana could be sold. While Ter Beek lost the case before a Kent County Circuit Court judge, a three-judge Court of Appeals panel sided against the city.
As we reviewed different possible draft ordinances, aside from spending a lot of attorney time and draft time, it needs to be more definitively spelled out, said Brake about the state law.
He pointed out the city does have an ordinance in place that states until federal law legalizes use and possession of marijuana
Were taking the stance if federal law prohibits it, we do too, he said. Brake added that the city could end up regulating marijuana facilities under zoning regulations, with setbacks from buildings including schools.
Other Genesee County communities, inclusing Clayton Township and Flushing, have already put regulations in place for marijuana dispensaries..
Flushing Police Chief Mark Hoornstra said the city has an ordinance noting compliance with the states medical marijuana law passed in 2008, but it also regulates dispensaries with a zoning ordinance that requires a special use permit and for such facilities to operate in the general business area with no visible signs.
While some clarity has been provided by the state Supreme Court, he said other cases leave the picture a little hazy on what moves local governments can take.
It makes it a lot more difficult for those changes to be made, Hoornstra said. I dont know if all of the legislators are on the same page, of what they want to see.
He noted The law was really poorly written and left a lot of loopholes regarding enforcement.
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said nobody has stepped forward to demand action against dispensaries.
We dont have any pending requests to file public nuisance actions against any alleged marijuana dispensaries, he said. We will enforce state law with respect to alleged dispensaries. Since we dont have any investigators in our office, we rely on area investigators.
Hoornstra said that while some people take the stance government should not be involved in the issue, If youve got someone who has a caregiver situation set up in an apartment complex and has mold, or a fire breaks out, thats a concern for the public.
Swartz Creek City Manager Paul Bueche said the city has taken a straightforward approach with medical marijuana dispensaries.
"We would rather treat the things just like storefront businesses that are in a mall, rather than put them in an industrial corner there, so theres no problems with seedy locations," he said.
In looking over the issue with zoning officials, Bueche said while no dispensaries in the city are in commercial zones, the city is using the same distance restrictions and requirements on establishments that sell alcohol.
"Why not treat them like a tavern and throw them in commercial zones?" he said. "They're retail. They're commercial shops. The use becomes let's treat those like bars. That's regulated and time-tested over the years."
Bueche said the facilities become problems when owners try to open up a business on the cheap, adding, "The law was designed not to profit, but to provide medical marijuana to patients."
Anyone wanting to do business in Swartz Creek would have to receive approval from the city attorney, Bueche said, which helps cut down on the constantly evolving law at the state and federal levels.
"Were not going to sit there and play the game where were interpreting for you," he said. "In other words, that it meets the law at that time. If thats what you want to do, were going to treat them like any other business."
In taking what Hammond called "the middle ground" on the issue, he said, "We just leave the battle between the feds and the state.""Just let it go and if somebody wants to start growing, we have the state law to control it," Hammond said. "As far as I believe, it's a settled issue with the council."
GregS
Well-Known Member
These people exist for our amusement.
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2013/09/several_genesee_county_communi_1.html
“Because if we pass an ordinance, some federal lawyer could come along and sue us” based on the guidelines
Some Genesee County communities still hazy on regulation of medical marijuana sales
on September 18, 2013 at 7:00 AM, updated September 18, 2013 at 7:38 AM
View full sizeRegulation on medical marijuana facilities continues to vary in Genesee County communities.MLive.com File photo
GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- While some Genesee County communities have continued moratoriums on medical marijuana dispensaries, others have moved to set guidelines or let state and federal regulations determine whether they can stay in business.
Officials in Davison have let a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries expire, allowing state guidelines to rule.
"We already got the recommendation from (the planning commission) just to let it go," said Mayor Tim Bishop of the moratorium, which expired last week. "We just based it on the fact that the state had said; what they claim is they have control of this."
City Council members voted in May to keep the moratorium in place until state and federal officials provided more clarity on medical marijuana dispensaries.
The state Supreme Court ruled in February that patient-to-patients transfers could not take place at dispensaries, while giving local prosecutors the power to declare such locations a public nuisance.
"We decided we are going to go with the state and federal law and how they handle it," said Bishop.
Davison council member Paul Hammond said the board has decided not to pass an ordinance, “Because if we pass an ordinance, some federal lawyer could come along and sue us” based on the guidelines.
“If there’s any argument, it’s between the state and the federal government,” he said, pointing out potential personal liability for board members if an ordinance was approved. “Not the city of Davison.”
Grand Blanc is reviewing its policy, with a six-month moratorium expiring last month. City Manager Paul Brake said state law is still taking shape with court cases such as Ter Beek versus the city of Wyoming, waiting to be heard before the state Supreme Court.
In that case, attorney and medical marijuana patient John Ter Beek argued against a city ordinance that didn't allow any areas in the city where marijuana could be sold. While Ter Beek lost the case before a Kent County Circuit Court judge, a three-judge Court of Appeals panel sided against the city.
“As we reviewed different possible draft ordinances, aside from spending a lot of attorney time and draft time, it needs to be more definitively spelled out,” said Brake about the state law.
He pointed out the city does have an ordinance in place that states until federal law legalizes use and possession of marijuana
“We’re taking the stance if federal law prohibits it, we do too,” he said. Brake added that the city could end up regulating marijuana facilities under zoning regulations, with setbacks from buildings including schools.
Other Genesee County communities, inclusing Clayton Township and Flushing, have already put regulations in place for marijuana dispensaries..
Flushing Police Chief Mark Hoornstra said the city has an ordinance noting compliance with the state’s medical marijuana law passed in 2008, but it also regulates dispensaries with a zoning ordinance that requires a special use permit and for such facilities to operate in the general business area with no visible signs.
While some clarity has been provided by the state Supreme Court, he said other cases leave the picture a little hazy on what moves local governments can take.
“It makes it a lot more difficult for those changes to be made,” Hoornstra said. “I don’t know if all of the legislators are on the same page, of what they want to see.”
He noted “The law was really poorly written” and left a lot of loopholes regarding enforcement.
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said nobody has stepped forward to demand action against dispensaries.
“We don’t have any pending requests to file public nuisance actions against any alleged marijuana dispensaries,” he said. “We will enforce state law with respect to alleged dispensaries. Since we don’t have any investigators in our office, we rely on area investigators.”
Hoornstra said that while some people take the stance government should not be involved in the issue, “If you’ve got someone who has a caregiver situation set up in an apartment complex and has mold, or a fire breaks out, that’s a concern for the public.”
Swartz Creek City Manager Paul Bueche said the city has taken a straightforward approach with medical marijuana dispensaries.
"We would rather treat the things just like storefront businesses that are in a mall, rather than put them in an industrial corner there, so there’s no problems with seedy locations," he said.
In looking over the issue with zoning officials, Bueche said while no dispensaries in the city are in commercial zones, the city is using the same distance restrictions and requirements on establishments that sell alcohol.
"Why not treat them like a tavern and throw them in commercial zones?" he said. "They're retail. They're commercial shops. The use becomes let's treat those like bars. That's regulated and time-tested over the years."
Bueche said the facilities become problems when owners try to open up a business on the cheap, adding, "The law was designed not to profit, but to provide medical marijuana to patients."
Anyone wanting to do business in Swartz Creek would have to receive approval from the city attorney, Bueche said, which helps cut down on the constantly evolving law at the state and federal levels.
"We’re not going to sit there and play the game where we’re interpreting for you," he said. "In other words, that it meets the law at that time. If that’s what you want to do, we’re going to treat them like any other business."
In taking what Hammond called "the middle ground" on the issue, he said, "We just leave the battle between the feds and the state.""Just let it go and if somebody wants to start growing, we have the state law to control it," Hammond said. "As far as I believe, it's a settled issue with the council."
cephalopod
Well-Known Member
Copied this from the farm...
by Dan Drevin • Politics • Tags: lara,marijuana, pain, snyder
The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, the agency led by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette that also administers the Michigan Medical Marihuana Program for the State, has encouraged Governor Snyder to designate the month of September, Pain Awareness Month.
The Attorney General’s office has declared that 4 million Michiganders suffer from chronic pain, nearly half the State’s 9,876,187 residents, a serious concern that has been growing. Both the Governor and Attorney General are advocating the use of non-opioid medication to treat chronic pain, including medical marijuana as an alternative treatment method. It is with no doubt that chronic pain is the single leading reason for the use of medical marijuana as reported by the department and reported in the Detroit News earlier this year.
This shift in sentiment about marijuana is due in large part to common sense, and the fact that our leaders are concerned for the health of Michigan citizens, specifically, the effects that many prescription pills can have on an aging population and shrinking State budget. As the number of medical marijuana users in the State increases, it will be in part to the efforts of our brave and compassionate leadership in the State Government.
Governor Snyder’s Press Releasehttp://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7-277-57577_59874-285197–,00.html
September 2012: Pain Management Awareness Month
WHEREAS, millions of Michiganders of all ages feel the impacts of chronic pain; it is estimated that undertreated and untreated pain costs Michigan citizens as much as $16 billion annually in health care expenses, lost productivity and lost wages; and,
WHEREAS, many types of treatment, both non-pharmacological and pharmacological, are available to manage or greatly ease most pain; when pain is properly treated, many people can resume their normal, active lives; and,
WHEREAS, Michigan is a nationally recognized leader in the development of pain management policies and statewide strategies to educate health care professionals and the public in an effort to improve pain and symptom management in our state; and,
WHEREAS, during this month, we continue to raise awareness of chronic pain issues in Michigan; we encourage citizens throughout the Great Lakes State to learn more about the issues and to respect the conditions of those living with chronic pain;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Rick Snyder, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim September 2012 as Pain Management Awareness Month in Michigan.
http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154–280177–,00.html
by Dan Drevin • Politics • Tags: lara,marijuana, pain, snyder
The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, the agency led by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette that also administers the Michigan Medical Marihuana Program for the State, has encouraged Governor Snyder to designate the month of September, Pain Awareness Month.
The Attorney General’s office has declared that 4 million Michiganders suffer from chronic pain, nearly half the State’s 9,876,187 residents, a serious concern that has been growing. Both the Governor and Attorney General are advocating the use of non-opioid medication to treat chronic pain, including medical marijuana as an alternative treatment method. It is with no doubt that chronic pain is the single leading reason for the use of medical marijuana as reported by the department and reported in the Detroit News earlier this year.
This shift in sentiment about marijuana is due in large part to common sense, and the fact that our leaders are concerned for the health of Michigan citizens, specifically, the effects that many prescription pills can have on an aging population and shrinking State budget. As the number of medical marijuana users in the State increases, it will be in part to the efforts of our brave and compassionate leadership in the State Government.
Governor Snyder’s Press Releasehttp://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7-277-57577_59874-285197–,00.html
September 2012: Pain Management Awareness Month
WHEREAS, millions of Michiganders of all ages feel the impacts of chronic pain; it is estimated that undertreated and untreated pain costs Michigan citizens as much as $16 billion annually in health care expenses, lost productivity and lost wages; and,
WHEREAS, many types of treatment, both non-pharmacological and pharmacological, are available to manage or greatly ease most pain; when pain is properly treated, many people can resume their normal, active lives; and,
WHEREAS, Michigan is a nationally recognized leader in the development of pain management policies and statewide strategies to educate health care professionals and the public in an effort to improve pain and symptom management in our state; and,
WHEREAS, during this month, we continue to raise awareness of chronic pain issues in Michigan; we encourage citizens throughout the Great Lakes State to learn more about the issues and to respect the conditions of those living with chronic pain;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Rick Snyder, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim September 2012 as Pain Management Awareness Month in Michigan.
http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154–280177–,00.html
abe supercro
Well-Known Member
breaking news:
broham knocked out pain w doob, but waited until after 6:00pm for the first time in months.
where's buck?
broham knocked out pain w doob, but waited until after 6:00pm for the first time in months.
where's buck?
abe supercro
Well-Known Member
cephalopod
Well-Known Member
Good point Rrog, I only could find this in medical cannabis threads.
buckaroo bonzai
Well-Known Member
----->
abe supercro
Well-Known Member
Look what's happening in NJ -September 13, 2013New Jersey Agrees to Loan a Dispensary $357,200 History in the MakingTags: marijuana business financingBy Anne HollandIn a nationally historic move, New Jerseys Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) has agreed to loan a a state-licensed dispensary, the Compassionate Care Foundation of Egg Harbor Township NJ, $350,000 plus $7,200 for finance fees.*To MMJ Business Dailys knowledge, this is the first time any state development office has made a significant loan to a medical marijuana facility.Compassionate Care Foundation CEO Bill Thomas told MMJ Business Daily that he does not foresee any problem in using a commercial bank account to receive and manage this funding.* He said, This money is from loans.* Not from selling marijuana.*According to the formal project summary for the loan, the dispensary will pay an interest rate of under 5%.*This stands in stark contrast to the 25% interest rate the Foundation is currently paying private investors.Also, under the terms of the loan, the dispensary is not obligated to begin repaying capital for six months, and the first six months of interest-only payments were included in the financing. The loan runs for three years, indicating the states faith that medical cannabis will continue to flourish.As Compassionate Care Foundation is in the process of producing its first crop, it will not open for business until mid-October of this year. Thomas said he intends to use the $350,000 to buy indoor gardening equipment such as lights, tables, carbon dioxide generators, nutrients and processing equipment to open a second grow room.*This will triple our production.Currently, the dispensarys single grow room takes 14 weeks to produce and process product.*By running two rooms at the same time, Thomas estimates he can cut production time to just five weeks.Related StoriesWeek in Review: Improving Marijuana Funding & Investment Climate + NY, Nevada on MMJ PrecipicePrivate Investors Charging 25% Interest Rate to New Jersey MMJ DispensaryCannabis Event Aimed at MMJ Investors & Entrepreneurs in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey
abe supercro
Well-Known Member
[video=youtube;pd56CIFSMI4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd56CIFSMI4[/video]
TheMan13
Well-Known Member
This may just be bigger than we think. Chris Christie was a longtime Justice Department insider and hopefully attacking his citizens will draw just the kick in the teeth the current asshats in charge of the Justice Department truly need to get their fucking boot off our throats.
abe supercro
Well-Known Member
http://www.freep.com/article/20131009/NEWS06/310090149/medical-marijuana-Michigan-Supreme-Court-ACLU
one day this will all bee old news
one day this will all bee old news
cephalopod
Well-Known Member
[h=1]Michigan Senators: Get Your Kush At CVS[/h] [h=2]
Virtual repeal of 2012-s synthetic marijuana ban, no local control, sales through pharmacies are highlights of the new Prairie Plant Bill[/h]It’s been known by many names- the Anti-Local Option Bill, the Anti-Dispensary Bill, or merely the ‘Prairie Plant Paid For It Bill’. Whatever you choose to call it, the Michigan Senate is on the threshold of introducing legislation that would establish a system of medical marijuana greenhouses who distribute cannabis through your corner pharmacy.
Yes, pot sold through national big-box chain pharmacies.
The plan would not kick in until federal policy on marijuana law changes, which is rapidly evolving in a pro-marijuana direction. The proposed bill is not idle speculation pushed by some liberal lawmaker out to satisfy a vocal segment of their constituency, it is a tangible effort pushed by the Senate’s top three Republicans and a wealthy Canadian corporation.
Read the latest draft of the proposed bill HERE
[h=3]WHO IS DRIVING THIS LEGISLATION[/h]Prairie Plant Systems describe their specialty as “plant-based bio-pharmaceutical production that combines strict genetic containment, accelerated plant growth and unrivaled environmental control.” They market marijuana to Health Canada under the trademarked name “Cannimed”.
They successfully lobbied the Canadian government to eliminate the ability for qualifying patients to grow their own cannabis or to have another trusted individual cultivate on their behalf, opting instead for a system of large commercial cultivation sites that supply the entire nation’s medicinal cannabis patients. Prairie Plant is one of only two companies allowed to create and sell cannabis in Canada; that system is the commercialized model they are trying to establish in Michigan.
Prairie Plant Systems very famously brought legislators to tour their current cultivation operation, which utilizes Michigan’s abandoned mines to produce herbs and other foodstuffs underground. Their subsidiary, SubTerra, is the corporation’s Michigan agent. Several Representatives and Senators, and their staff members, have admitted to being given the Prairie Plant mine tour in Michigan or the garden tour in Canada.
Although Prairie Plant’s underground garden tour was publicized in April of 2012, and the bill supporting their cause was introduced in October of that same year, their Michigan lobbying firm has been working to establish a state-run cultivation system for nearly as long as the MMA has been in effect- April, 2009. Some of the current bill’s sponsors were among the first to be wined and dined by the commercial powerhouse, and Lansing is awash with stories of legislators recently being flown to giant Canadian cultivation centers to encourage their support.
This new version of last year’s failed bill, SB 1349, has some subtle changes- it no longer robs the MMA’s Medical Marihuana Fund for financial start-up resources, for example- but it contains many of the negatives that caused the cannabis community so much discomfort when it was first introduced, including an extensive set of testing requirements that managed to find their way into an early version of the Provisioning Centers Act, a dispensary-empowering bill that is also a carryover from the 2012 legislative session. That testing segment has since been modified to reflect standards currently utilized by Michigan’s marijuana testing businesses.
The 2013 version of the Prairie Plant Bill is being launched from Senator Roger Kahn’s office. Kahn, a medical doctor, co-sponsored last year’s version of the same bill along with the Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville and Senator Rick Jones. Although the 2013 bill has not formally announced sponsors, Lansing insiders confirm that this trio is again at the helm.
Richardville is the leader of the Senate Republicans and his influence is vast. As Majority Leader he decides which bills are voted on by the Senate and which wither and die on the vine. 2012-s SB 1349 was assigned to his Committee- Governmental Oversight- and it is anticipated that this year’s version will be given the same assignment. That gives him the power to control debate, amendments and advancement of the Prairie Plant Bill.
Jones is on record as being in opposition to Michigan’s Medical Marihuana Act (MMA) for most of Michigan’s registered patients. He’s been confrontational in Committee meetings toward medical marijuana patients- even insulting patients and limiting public commentary on marijuana-related bills passing through the Senate Judiciary Committee he chairs.
In 2009, Senators Kahn, Kuipers, Van Workem and Cropsey introduced a package of bills intended to gut the then-new MMA and replace it with a state-run system of marijuana production and distribution. That proposal featured a half-dozen large marijuana growing operations instead of the produce-your-own system the voters selected in 2008 by a staggering 63% landslide. After some damning testimony from the ACLU and the medical marijuana community in 2010, that effort never made it out of Kahn’s Senate Judiciary Committee. Kahn is in the last of his term-limited sessions in the Senate; Cropsey works in the office of Michigan’s Attorney General.
Kahn’s office did not return multiple telephone calls for a quote.
Some highlights:
The exception listed in (1)(e) in the Prairie Plant Bill authorizes the distribution, creation and acquisition of synthetic cannabinoids, and makes those substances a Schedule 2 drug in Michigan- as long as they are created in Prairie Plant Bill facilities and are sold in pharmacies. Synthetic cannabis is a classification which includes K2, spice, bath salts, herbal incense and any other derivation chemists can come up with.
The elimination of these protections diminishes the work of legislators, parents and the Governor in favor of a system that allows for commercial exploitation of a product that, unlike marijuana, has demonstrably caused death. The re-emergence of synthetic marijuana is not supported by any marijuana law reform organization, in Michigan or nationally.
[h=3]LOOSER REGULATIONS THAN THE MMA[/h]In some respects, the Prairie Plant Bill allows more Michiganders the right to use medicinal cannabis.
In the MMA, the responsibility of making a ‘recommendation’ for medicinal cannabis use is reserved for “a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery (DO) fully licensed in the state of Michigan,” per the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs website. In the Prairie Plant Bill, “a physician” may make the recommendation.
No establishment of a prior relationship between the doctor and patient is articulated in the Prairie Plant Bill; the current system of specialty physicians, often referred to as ‘pot docs’ by the very supporters of this legislation, would flourish and prosper. The language of the MMA requires a bona-fide doctor-patient relationship, and that relationship was further defined in legislation Governor Snyder signed into law in 2013. The Prairie Plant Bill makes no such distinction, and eliminates the records review, record keeping, in-person evaluation and follow-up care requirements drafted into law for participants in the MMA.
Under current law, registered medical marijuana patients are restricted to 2.5 ounces of dried usable cannabis; the Prairie Plant Bill contains no restrictions on possession amounts. Similarly it lacks any definition as to the amount of cannabis that licensed and certified facilities can grow, or hold, or sell, or transfer to pharmacies. All the safeguards that were contained in the MMA are left undefined, opting instead to allow LARA to decide those limitations on their own after the bill is passed into law, without legislative debate or a vote.
The Prairie Plant Bill allows law enforcement to learn the registered patient’s illnesses and symptoms, the name and address of the recommending physician, and the history of obtaining marijuana prescriptions (if technology allows it). This relaxation of the privacy provisions contained in the MMA is of great concern to the medical cannabis community.
Lansing politicos have opined that the new Prairie Plant Bill will be assigned a Senate Bill number and be introduced during the last week of October.
Source: The Compassion Chronicles
Virtual repeal of 2012-s synthetic marijuana ban, no local control, sales through pharmacies are highlights of the new Prairie Plant Bill[/h]It’s been known by many names- the Anti-Local Option Bill, the Anti-Dispensary Bill, or merely the ‘Prairie Plant Paid For It Bill’. Whatever you choose to call it, the Michigan Senate is on the threshold of introducing legislation that would establish a system of medical marijuana greenhouses who distribute cannabis through your corner pharmacy.Yes, pot sold through national big-box chain pharmacies.
The plan would not kick in until federal policy on marijuana law changes, which is rapidly evolving in a pro-marijuana direction. The proposed bill is not idle speculation pushed by some liberal lawmaker out to satisfy a vocal segment of their constituency, it is a tangible effort pushed by the Senate’s top three Republicans and a wealthy Canadian corporation.
Read the latest draft of the proposed bill HERE
[h=3]WHO IS DRIVING THIS LEGISLATION[/h]Prairie Plant Systems describe their specialty as “plant-based bio-pharmaceutical production that combines strict genetic containment, accelerated plant growth and unrivaled environmental control.” They market marijuana to Health Canada under the trademarked name “Cannimed”.
They successfully lobbied the Canadian government to eliminate the ability for qualifying patients to grow their own cannabis or to have another trusted individual cultivate on their behalf, opting instead for a system of large commercial cultivation sites that supply the entire nation’s medicinal cannabis patients. Prairie Plant is one of only two companies allowed to create and sell cannabis in Canada; that system is the commercialized model they are trying to establish in Michigan.
Prairie Plant Systems very famously brought legislators to tour their current cultivation operation, which utilizes Michigan’s abandoned mines to produce herbs and other foodstuffs underground. Their subsidiary, SubTerra, is the corporation’s Michigan agent. Several Representatives and Senators, and their staff members, have admitted to being given the Prairie Plant mine tour in Michigan or the garden tour in Canada.
Although Prairie Plant’s underground garden tour was publicized in April of 2012, and the bill supporting their cause was introduced in October of that same year, their Michigan lobbying firm has been working to establish a state-run cultivation system for nearly as long as the MMA has been in effect- April, 2009. Some of the current bill’s sponsors were among the first to be wined and dined by the commercial powerhouse, and Lansing is awash with stories of legislators recently being flown to giant Canadian cultivation centers to encourage their support.
This new version of last year’s failed bill, SB 1349, has some subtle changes- it no longer robs the MMA’s Medical Marihuana Fund for financial start-up resources, for example- but it contains many of the negatives that caused the cannabis community so much discomfort when it was first introduced, including an extensive set of testing requirements that managed to find their way into an early version of the Provisioning Centers Act, a dispensary-empowering bill that is also a carryover from the 2012 legislative session. That testing segment has since been modified to reflect standards currently utilized by Michigan’s marijuana testing businesses.
The 2013 version of the Prairie Plant Bill is being launched from Senator Roger Kahn’s office. Kahn, a medical doctor, co-sponsored last year’s version of the same bill along with the Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville and Senator Rick Jones. Although the 2013 bill has not formally announced sponsors, Lansing insiders confirm that this trio is again at the helm.
Richardville is the leader of the Senate Republicans and his influence is vast. As Majority Leader he decides which bills are voted on by the Senate and which wither and die on the vine. 2012-s SB 1349 was assigned to his Committee- Governmental Oversight- and it is anticipated that this year’s version will be given the same assignment. That gives him the power to control debate, amendments and advancement of the Prairie Plant Bill.
Jones is on record as being in opposition to Michigan’s Medical Marihuana Act (MMA) for most of Michigan’s registered patients. He’s been confrontational in Committee meetings toward medical marijuana patients- even insulting patients and limiting public commentary on marijuana-related bills passing through the Senate Judiciary Committee he chairs.
In 2009, Senators Kahn, Kuipers, Van Workem and Cropsey introduced a package of bills intended to gut the then-new MMA and replace it with a state-run system of marijuana production and distribution. That proposal featured a half-dozen large marijuana growing operations instead of the produce-your-own system the voters selected in 2008 by a staggering 63% landslide. After some damning testimony from the ACLU and the medical marijuana community in 2010, that effort never made it out of Kahn’s Senate Judiciary Committee. Kahn is in the last of his term-limited sessions in the Senate; Cropsey works in the office of Michigan’s Attorney General.
Kahn’s office did not return multiple telephone calls for a quote.
Some highlights:
- The state will license marijuana production facilities, called a “Pharmaceutical-grade cannabis licensed facility”, which exclusively manufacture, cultivate and tests cannabis. No distribution of cannabis would be allowed at any location other than a pharmacy.
- All cannabis must be sold from the cultivation facility to a pharmacist directly. “A pharmaceutical-grade cannabis licensed facility shall sell pharmaceutical-grade cannabis only to a licensed pharmacist or retail pharmacy to be dispensed only to patients…” Direct interactions between patients and the cultivation facilities are crimes.
- Local communities could not refuse to accept a cultivation facility in their area; “a local governmental unit shall not enact or enforce an ordinance regarding pharmaceutical-grade cannabis licensed facilities.” Any locally-enacted zoning requirements could not eliminate the Facilities, and must meet a state-defined standard of “reasonable”.
- Each ‘prescription’ for medicinal cannabis would have to contain the “Name, address, and federal Drug Enforcement Administration number of the dispensing pharmacy and the initials of the pharmacist who fills the prescription.”
- No caregivers are allowed under the proposed system, so those who are too sick to visit the pharmacist are not able to designate a surrogate to acquire on their behalf.
- The Prairie Plant Bill would create a parallel registry program similar to the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act (MMA), including registry identification cards, but individuals must sacrifice their MMA status and all rights to cultivate cannabis if they choose to enroll in the Prairie Plant Bill program.
- Pediatric cannabis use is not allowed under the Prairie Plant Bill guidelines, regardless of how many physicians believe the child would receive therapeutic benefit.
- No transfers between patients- even if there is no compensation involved.
- Although the Prairie Plant Bill is predicated on a change in federal laws, the proposed bill has enough push behind it to get it introduced for a second legislative session in a row.
(e) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (2), COMPOUNDS of structures of substances referred to in subdivision (d), regardless of numerical designation of atomic positions, are included.
The Prairie Plant Bill also completely eliminates the 32-line Section (1)(x) that outlawed synthetic cathinones, used as a catch-all segment intended to give prosecutors a tool against emergent drugs not previously defined but containing dangerous components.
The exception listed in (1)(e) in the Prairie Plant Bill authorizes the distribution, creation and acquisition of synthetic cannabinoids, and makes those substances a Schedule 2 drug in Michigan- as long as they are created in Prairie Plant Bill facilities and are sold in pharmacies. Synthetic cannabis is a classification which includes K2, spice, bath salts, herbal incense and any other derivation chemists can come up with.
The elimination of these protections diminishes the work of legislators, parents and the Governor in favor of a system that allows for commercial exploitation of a product that, unlike marijuana, has demonstrably caused death. The re-emergence of synthetic marijuana is not supported by any marijuana law reform organization, in Michigan or nationally.
[h=3]LOOSER REGULATIONS THAN THE MMA[/h]In some respects, the Prairie Plant Bill allows more Michiganders the right to use medicinal cannabis.
In the MMA, the responsibility of making a ‘recommendation’ for medicinal cannabis use is reserved for “a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery (DO) fully licensed in the state of Michigan,” per the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs website. In the Prairie Plant Bill, “a physician” may make the recommendation.
No establishment of a prior relationship between the doctor and patient is articulated in the Prairie Plant Bill; the current system of specialty physicians, often referred to as ‘pot docs’ by the very supporters of this legislation, would flourish and prosper. The language of the MMA requires a bona-fide doctor-patient relationship, and that relationship was further defined in legislation Governor Snyder signed into law in 2013. The Prairie Plant Bill makes no such distinction, and eliminates the records review, record keeping, in-person evaluation and follow-up care requirements drafted into law for participants in the MMA.
Under current law, registered medical marijuana patients are restricted to 2.5 ounces of dried usable cannabis; the Prairie Plant Bill contains no restrictions on possession amounts. Similarly it lacks any definition as to the amount of cannabis that licensed and certified facilities can grow, or hold, or sell, or transfer to pharmacies. All the safeguards that were contained in the MMA are left undefined, opting instead to allow LARA to decide those limitations on their own after the bill is passed into law, without legislative debate or a vote.
The Prairie Plant Bill allows law enforcement to learn the registered patient’s illnesses and symptoms, the name and address of the recommending physician, and the history of obtaining marijuana prescriptions (if technology allows it). This relaxation of the privacy provisions contained in the MMA is of great concern to the medical cannabis community.
Lansing politicos have opined that the new Prairie Plant Bill will be assigned a Senate Bill number and be introduced during the last week of October.
Source: The Compassion Chronicles