Posted on Fri, Aug 17, 2012 : 5:05 p.m.
Informational meeting on the regulations surrounding medical marijuana on Monday
By Cole Bertsos
Editor's note: This article has been changed to correctly reflect House Bill 5580.
The 3rd Coast Compassion Center will be holding a town hall-style meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at the Ypsilanti Township Civic Center, 7200 S. Huron River Drive.
Members of 3rd Coast are encouraging local officials to attend the meeting to learn more and discuss House Bill 5580, the Provisioning Center Act, a proposal to regulate the provisioning, distributing and usage of medical marijuana.
The meeting will be attended by state Rep. Michael Callton, who also was an original supporter of the bill.
Cole Bertsos is a news producer for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at colebertsos@annarbor.com.
Comments
Caring
Tue, Aug 21, 2012 : 10:26 p.m.
I voted for medical marijuana, but have found one aspect troublesome. Caregivers are encouraged to grow the pot in their homes, in locked grow rooms. It does not seem to matter if young children live in the house, which then becomes a target of criminals. Also, in an effort to keep the location secret (because of the target issue), visiting children and their parents have no idea their children are in a drug facility, even overnight. Neighbors also do not know they are next to a target. How about restricting the grow rooms to industrial or commercial areas, and not allow them in residential areas? A residential facility can explain away those who come to buy illegal drugs by saying they are just family friends, while a less personal space would not make it easy for the grow room to be used as a cover for illegal dealing. I think it sounds safer all around.
Left is Right
Sun, Aug 19, 2012 : 12:10 a.m.
Hold on....there seems to be some sort of stain here on the word "compassion." Ah, there it is. It seems to have been mixed with a lack of authenticity.
Joe_Citizen
Sat, Aug 18, 2012 : 10:32 p.m.
Vote No on all these bills, we voted in the bill for medical Cannabis, and it is not up for big business to manipulate. Leave the laws alone, and start enforcing them as is. The only problem with Med Cannabis, is the republicans can't have a monopoly, so they hate it. The people voted and it is what it is, and keep our greedy hands off our Cannabis trade. The sponsors TCCC, are from California, and the laws there are so messed up the feds are having a field day with them, so we don't need any Californians coming here to mess it up for Michigan.
Joe_Citizen
Sat, Aug 18, 2012 : 10:17 p.m.
The Third Coast Compassion Center is based out California, they are not wanting Cannabis, to be legal, because then they would be out of business. What this Bill is for is to make the dispensary's, the central hub for Medical Cannabis. This bill is BUNK, and is only geared to give the power of trade to the dispensary. Rename them "provisioning centers", this will bring in big business to Cannabis, and will not be good for Michigan. This bill doesn't make Cannabis legal, it will give companies like Third Coast, able to make more money, and enable to bring in Big Cannabis companies. Basically it will take the Free Trade out of the equation, and people who are prominent in the medical field will be kicked to the curb. I see it as a monopoly, rather then a farmers market. So if this law is voted in, then Big Business will have the power over your medical needs just like big tobacco, and big Pharmaceutical.
Angry Moderate
Sat, Aug 18, 2012 : 10:23 p.m.
You must be reading a different bill than everyone else.
shepard145
Sat, Aug 18, 2012 : 8:48 p.m.
This should be quite a meeting - don't forget to fill out the sign in sheet with your name, address and phone number! LOL
jusayin
Sat, Aug 18, 2012 : 3:07 p.m.
Talking out of both sides of your mouths again, Republicans? Exactly how does creating this huge bureaucracy represent "smaller government"? Who's paying for all this regulation/inspection/government oversight into peoples lives? Can't get it straight can you-repubs.
bobslowson
Mon, Aug 20, 2012 : 6:51 p.m.
The hypocrisy of the right is so laughable...
jamie
Sat, Aug 18, 2012 : 12:01 p.m.
The 3rd Coast Compassion Center as well as MACC and the Ann Arbor Medical Cannabis Guild are sponsoring this meeting. There will be others in the legislature as well, and the ability to learn about the only medical marijuana patient friendly bill that has been introduced to date. Contact your State Senators and Representatives and request a NO vote on bills 4851 and 4834, and encourage them to support HB 5580.
David Cahill
Sat, Aug 18, 2012 : 1:13 a.m.
Thanks for the quick correction, AnnArbor.com!
xmo
Fri, Aug 17, 2012 : 10:41 p.m.
We now have the "TEA PARTY" is this know as the "DOBIE PARTY"? Where will it all end? or will it go up in smoke?
bobslowson
Mon, Aug 20, 2012 : 3:48 p.m.
Dobie Gillis party??
nickcarraweigh
Fri, Aug 17, 2012 : 10:13 p.m.
Don't bother with the meeting, folks. Brazenly sloppy work here because, as Mr. Cahill points out, the bill in question doesn't do what this story says it does. One of the links in the story actually directs readers to a previous annarbor.com story on a different, albeit related topic -- the failed petition drive that actually would have put legalization on the ballot. But House Bill 5580 -- the language of which is itself linked in this story -- seems not to be about making "marijuana legal for people 21 or older," but rather spelling out in greater detail what local governments are permitted and not permitted to do about regulating production and distribution of the devil weed to medical users. This is very bad journalism.
jamie
Sat, Aug 18, 2012 : 11:54 a.m.
A journalist simply cross referenced marijuana issues. It is a mistake that should not happened, but did and was corrected. HB 5580 is a patient friendly bill that provides guidance for municipalities and law enforcement concerning dispensaries or provisioning centers. If the municipality embraces the opportunity, these centers are then recognized on a state level.
FormerMichRes
Fri, Aug 17, 2012 : 10:01 p.m.
Legalize it ... and tax the heck out it like liquor and cigarettes. The current Medical Marijuana law is a farce that has been totally gamed by recreational users and physicians who dole out the prescriptions like candy.
jusayin
Sat, Aug 18, 2012 : 3:10 p.m.
"law is a farce that has been totally gamed..." Just as it should be!
Milton Shift
Sat, Aug 18, 2012 : 12:38 a.m.
Really? That's interesting, because I have yet to meet one without real health issues. Are you determining that they aren't "sick" because they aren't in a wheelchair? Most issues are invisible until they approach terminal status, and bear in mind that if a treatment is working, they will appear to be healthy.
cinnabar7071
Fri, Aug 17, 2012 : 11:47 p.m.
Milton I've met plenty of "Patients", and not one of them is sick in anyway, not one! Have you ever met a doctor that prescribs only one drug? Me either, they are drug dealers and nothing more
Milton Shift
Fri, Aug 17, 2012 : 11:04 p.m.
You should meet some of the patients out there. The overwhelming majority of them have legitimate need. Something like 40% of Michiganders suffer from chronic pain, and pain is responsible for a huge chunk of doctor's visits. Only 1% of Michiganders have a MMJ card. Most of the recreational users are too afraid of putting their name on a government list to try to fake their way into getting a card.
David Cahill
Fri, Aug 17, 2012 : 9:45 p.m.
This article is wrong. House Bill 5580 does not legalize marijuana for people 21 and older. Instead, it would set rules for medical marijuana dispensaries, which the bill rather mysteriously renames "provisioning centers."
smokeblwr
Fri, Aug 17, 2012 : 9:22 p.m.
If booze is legal I really see no problem making pot legal, whatever man.....
Madeleine Borthwick
Sun, Aug 19, 2012 : 9:32 p.m.
smokeblwr, you are absolutely right. besides, booze is FAR MORE DANGEROUS.
Anna
Sat, Aug 18, 2012 : 12:21 a.m.
Right on, dude...