A Detroit City Council committee passed today on amending a city ordinance to allow adults in the city to legally possess a small amount of marijuana. Instead voters will get to decide in November.
Brought to you by the Coalition for a Safer Detroit — the same group that successfully got medical marijuana placed on the ballot in 2004 which passed — the ordinance amendment would allow anyone 21-years-old or older to legally possess less than an ounce of marijuana on private property, amending Chapter 38 of the city code regulating controlled substances.
Tim Beck, a registered medical marijuana user who filed the petitions, says the amended ordinance would "free up the police department to pursue crimes with actual victims."
Dennis Mazurek, assistant corporation counsel with the city Law Department, told the council's Internal Operations Committee that the ordinance amendment violates state law, specifically, the Michigan Public Health Code, and cannot be enacted. The state only allows registered medical marijuana use.
According to the City Clerk's Office, the Coalition submitted 5,750 signatures in May; 3,895 were required and 4,598 were validated.
The City Charter allows voters to enact a city ordinance, or "initiative," like this by petition. Council is required to act within 30 days or pass on the initiative, which the council's Internal Operations Committee did today by not voting on the initiative.
The initiative will now automatically be reviewed by the Detroit Elections Commission, which must approve the petitions to be placed on the November ballot.
Beck is confident voters will pass the ordinance, as they passed the medical marijuana ordinance in 2004.
"It's going to win," he said. "I have no doubt about that."
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Detroit Free Press
Author: NAOMI PATTON
Contact: Detroit Free Press
Copyright: 2010 Detroit Free Press
Website: Marijuana ordinance up to voters in fall
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
Brought to you by the Coalition for a Safer Detroit — the same group that successfully got medical marijuana placed on the ballot in 2004 which passed — the ordinance amendment would allow anyone 21-years-old or older to legally possess less than an ounce of marijuana on private property, amending Chapter 38 of the city code regulating controlled substances.
Tim Beck, a registered medical marijuana user who filed the petitions, says the amended ordinance would "free up the police department to pursue crimes with actual victims."
Dennis Mazurek, assistant corporation counsel with the city Law Department, told the council's Internal Operations Committee that the ordinance amendment violates state law, specifically, the Michigan Public Health Code, and cannot be enacted. The state only allows registered medical marijuana use.
According to the City Clerk's Office, the Coalition submitted 5,750 signatures in May; 3,895 were required and 4,598 were validated.
The City Charter allows voters to enact a city ordinance, or "initiative," like this by petition. Council is required to act within 30 days or pass on the initiative, which the council's Internal Operations Committee did today by not voting on the initiative.
The initiative will now automatically be reviewed by the Detroit Elections Commission, which must approve the petitions to be placed on the November ballot.
Beck is confident voters will pass the ordinance, as they passed the medical marijuana ordinance in 2004.
"It's going to win," he said. "I have no doubt about that."
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Detroit Free Press
Author: NAOMI PATTON
Contact: Detroit Free Press
Copyright: 2010 Detroit Free Press
Website: Marijuana ordinance up to voters in fall
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
