Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
A marijuana dispensary owner who is among multiple people facing criminal charges following raids of dispensaries in Northern Michigan is speaking out.
Chad Morrow, owner of Cloud 45 dispensary, said he was arrested following police raids at his business and four others in Gaylord on Monday, July 24.
A demonstration was held in Gaylord on Friday, Aug. 4, to bring attention to the raids, which Morrow and others say are out of line and hurt medical marijuana patients' access to medicine.
During the raids of five dispensaries, police seized more than 20 pounds of processed marijuana, 22 marijuana plants, marijuana edibles including candy and ice cream, marijuana wax, marijuana "shatter" and other items containing marijuana.
Morrow, 37, who has been raided in the past, said police pulled him over on I-75 after he left his dispensary. He said they seized the car he was driving, which was a friend's 2007 Ford Fusion, and took him to jail.
He was released on bond, Morrow said, and charged with one count of delivering/manufacturing marijuana, two counts of possession with intent to deliver, and maintaining a drug house.
Morrow said he believes police should be focusing on enforcement of harder drugs, rather than busting people for medical marijuana.
Otsego County Prosecutor Brendan P. Curran said he sent a letter, dated May 16, to dispensaries instructing them to stay within the state's "five-patient limit," meaning each caregiver can only provide marijuana to five registered patients each. The letter said criminal charges would be possible if dispensaries did not comply, he said.
After the letter was sent, undercover police officers successfully bought marijuana from a number of the dispensaries, according to Curran.
Michigan State Police Inspector Mike Hahn, assistant commander of the 7th District, said dispensary owners made a conscious decision to continue to commit felonies by selling to people beyond their five patients after the letter was sent.
"These dispensary owners have hijacked the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act in order to line their own pockets," he said.
"If patients can't get their marijuana, it's probably because their caregivers have sold it to the illegal dispensary operators, who are then marking up the price and gouging the patients they've already deprived," he said.
"If the patients are going to be upset, it ought to be with the dispensaries for using them in an attempt to mask high dollar drug dealing," he said.
Morrow said dispensary owners make money, but not a lot, and he is in the industry to help people.
Police said they also found other substances during the enforcement effort, including LSD, Adderall, Vyvanse and Tramadol, and seized about $20,000 in cash, six vehicles, a motorcycle and other evidence. Police did not say which dispensaries the items were taken from.
As of Friday, Aug. 4, charges had been authorized against five people in the investigation, Curran said.
"People who sold to police, not in compliance with the five-patient limit, were charged with delivery of marijuana," Curran said. He said he expects to get more warrant requests from police.
Curran said he sent the letter to all known dispensaries in Otsego County at the time, but said he's not sure how many there are currently, because they tend to open and close "kind of quick."
Curran said the rules about dispensaries are the same statewide. Of complaints about enforcement being done in Otsego County that is not being done elsewhere, Curran said he can't speak to what's happening elsewhere.
Police won't stop enforcement if dispensaries continue to operate outside the law, Hahn said.
"If they remain open, they'll continue to be at risk for additional police action," the MSP inspector said.
"It's not a grey area. They've had since 2008 to know the law," Hahn said. "Ignorance of law not an excuse. They're committing felonies and they know they are."
Morrow said he received the prosecutor's letter but didn't see it as a sign that raids were coming.
He said he has worked with the city since he opened his dispensary years ago. He said he would have been willing to close his business if he had received a cease and desist letter, or if the city would have placed a moratorium on dispensaries, but he doesn't agree with the tactics used to shut them down.
He is in the business to help people, Morrow said, and that's part of the reason he's speaking out about his arrest and helping organize the rally.
"Somebody has to be out there saying this is right, this helps people," he said.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Arrested marijuana dispensary owner says Michigan raids hurt patients | MLive.com
Author: Brad Devereaux,
Contact: MLive contacts, services and support | MLive Contacts - MLive.com
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Website: Michigan Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - MLive.com
Chad Morrow, owner of Cloud 45 dispensary, said he was arrested following police raids at his business and four others in Gaylord on Monday, July 24.
A demonstration was held in Gaylord on Friday, Aug. 4, to bring attention to the raids, which Morrow and others say are out of line and hurt medical marijuana patients' access to medicine.
During the raids of five dispensaries, police seized more than 20 pounds of processed marijuana, 22 marijuana plants, marijuana edibles including candy and ice cream, marijuana wax, marijuana "shatter" and other items containing marijuana.
Morrow, 37, who has been raided in the past, said police pulled him over on I-75 after he left his dispensary. He said they seized the car he was driving, which was a friend's 2007 Ford Fusion, and took him to jail.
He was released on bond, Morrow said, and charged with one count of delivering/manufacturing marijuana, two counts of possession with intent to deliver, and maintaining a drug house.
Morrow said he believes police should be focusing on enforcement of harder drugs, rather than busting people for medical marijuana.
Otsego County Prosecutor Brendan P. Curran said he sent a letter, dated May 16, to dispensaries instructing them to stay within the state's "five-patient limit," meaning each caregiver can only provide marijuana to five registered patients each. The letter said criminal charges would be possible if dispensaries did not comply, he said.
After the letter was sent, undercover police officers successfully bought marijuana from a number of the dispensaries, according to Curran.
Michigan State Police Inspector Mike Hahn, assistant commander of the 7th District, said dispensary owners made a conscious decision to continue to commit felonies by selling to people beyond their five patients after the letter was sent.
"These dispensary owners have hijacked the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act in order to line their own pockets," he said.
"If patients can't get their marijuana, it's probably because their caregivers have sold it to the illegal dispensary operators, who are then marking up the price and gouging the patients they've already deprived," he said.
"If the patients are going to be upset, it ought to be with the dispensaries for using them in an attempt to mask high dollar drug dealing," he said.
Morrow said dispensary owners make money, but not a lot, and he is in the industry to help people.
Police said they also found other substances during the enforcement effort, including LSD, Adderall, Vyvanse and Tramadol, and seized about $20,000 in cash, six vehicles, a motorcycle and other evidence. Police did not say which dispensaries the items were taken from.
As of Friday, Aug. 4, charges had been authorized against five people in the investigation, Curran said.
"People who sold to police, not in compliance with the five-patient limit, were charged with delivery of marijuana," Curran said. He said he expects to get more warrant requests from police.
Curran said he sent the letter to all known dispensaries in Otsego County at the time, but said he's not sure how many there are currently, because they tend to open and close "kind of quick."
Curran said the rules about dispensaries are the same statewide. Of complaints about enforcement being done in Otsego County that is not being done elsewhere, Curran said he can't speak to what's happening elsewhere.
Police won't stop enforcement if dispensaries continue to operate outside the law, Hahn said.
"If they remain open, they'll continue to be at risk for additional police action," the MSP inspector said.
"It's not a grey area. They've had since 2008 to know the law," Hahn said. "Ignorance of law not an excuse. They're committing felonies and they know they are."
Morrow said he received the prosecutor's letter but didn't see it as a sign that raids were coming.
He said he has worked with the city since he opened his dispensary years ago. He said he would have been willing to close his business if he had received a cease and desist letter, or if the city would have placed a moratorium on dispensaries, but he doesn't agree with the tactics used to shut them down.
He is in the business to help people, Morrow said, and that's part of the reason he's speaking out about his arrest and helping organize the rally.
"Somebody has to be out there saying this is right, this helps people," he said.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Arrested marijuana dispensary owner says Michigan raids hurt patients | MLive.com
Author: Brad Devereaux,
Contact: MLive contacts, services and support | MLive Contacts - MLive.com
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Website: Michigan Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - MLive.com
