On one side of the table sat four people who use marijuana for medical purposes.
On the other side was Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton, who until Dec. 4 would have considered their behavior illegal.
Their meeting was friendly, respectful, at times jovial. But they also cut to the chase.
"You don't consider our clubs some kind of criminal enterprise do you?" asked Brad Forrester, of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association.
"I am a man of the law and I will follow the law," Leyton said, noting his personal opinions weren't relevant.
Leyton met Friday with advocates of the newly passed medical marijuana law to discuss an unfamiliar legal world -- where patients of debilitating diseases can grow and use the long-illegal substance as treatment.
By today(SAT), the state Department of Community Health was to allow eligible patients a way to obtain state identification cards identifying them and designated caregivers as being able to legally possess, grow, acquire, transport and use marijuana as a treatment for certain conditions.
But many gray areas remain largely unresolved and legally sticky.
Among the questions: If a patient gives a cannabis seed to another patient, is that considered distribution of marijuana -- which is still illegal. And if an officer takes away marijuana you legally were allowed to have, how do you get it back?
"These are cutting-edge questions," Leyton said, noting he doesn't have all the answers.
Leyton's biggest problem with the law is that it doesn't provide for any distribution system, which "puts me in a difficult position, as it does law enforcement."
"How anyone gets it in the first place is really a problem," he said. "Federal law still makes all of this a crime."
Members of the group share diverse personal stories.
Tom Yeager, 23, of Mt. Morris Township, uses marijuana to treat Crohn's Disease and helped start the Genesee County Compassion Club to provide support for others.
Breast cancer survivor Barb Hoos, 56, of Burton lost the right to see her granddaughter because she used marijuana to relieve the pain of chemotherapy.
Flint's Charles Snyder III was sent to jail when he was caught using marijuana for Nail-Patella syndrome, a rare genetic bone disorder affecting the joints and connective tissue that causes chronic pain, severe nausea and muscle spasms.
"It is a human right issue to alleviate pain," said Snyder.
It definitely wasn't the kind of conversation Leyton ever imagined having in his conference room.
Words like brownies, tea, marijuana pills, and vaporization methods were casually used.
"I'm sorry," Leyton said at one point, putting his hands up. "This is all too new to me."
But Leyton and the law's advocates said the meeting was worthwhile.
Forrester said compassion clubs want to help people comfortably use marijuana for medical purposes without shame or fear of getting in trouble.
"We are trying to fight a mindset that's been going on for years," Forrester said.
"Many still look at marijuana like a four letter word. We have to change minds."
News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: MLive.com
Author: Beata Mostafavi
Contact: MLive.com
Copyright: 2009 Michigan Online LLC
Website: Medical Marijuana Users, Genesee County Prosecutor Meet to Discuss Enforcement, Gray Areas of New Law
On the other side was Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton, who until Dec. 4 would have considered their behavior illegal.
Their meeting was friendly, respectful, at times jovial. But they also cut to the chase.
"You don't consider our clubs some kind of criminal enterprise do you?" asked Brad Forrester, of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association.
"I am a man of the law and I will follow the law," Leyton said, noting his personal opinions weren't relevant.
Leyton met Friday with advocates of the newly passed medical marijuana law to discuss an unfamiliar legal world -- where patients of debilitating diseases can grow and use the long-illegal substance as treatment.
By today(SAT), the state Department of Community Health was to allow eligible patients a way to obtain state identification cards identifying them and designated caregivers as being able to legally possess, grow, acquire, transport and use marijuana as a treatment for certain conditions.
But many gray areas remain largely unresolved and legally sticky.
Among the questions: If a patient gives a cannabis seed to another patient, is that considered distribution of marijuana -- which is still illegal. And if an officer takes away marijuana you legally were allowed to have, how do you get it back?
"These are cutting-edge questions," Leyton said, noting he doesn't have all the answers.
Leyton's biggest problem with the law is that it doesn't provide for any distribution system, which "puts me in a difficult position, as it does law enforcement."
"How anyone gets it in the first place is really a problem," he said. "Federal law still makes all of this a crime."
Members of the group share diverse personal stories.
Tom Yeager, 23, of Mt. Morris Township, uses marijuana to treat Crohn's Disease and helped start the Genesee County Compassion Club to provide support for others.
Breast cancer survivor Barb Hoos, 56, of Burton lost the right to see her granddaughter because she used marijuana to relieve the pain of chemotherapy.
Flint's Charles Snyder III was sent to jail when he was caught using marijuana for Nail-Patella syndrome, a rare genetic bone disorder affecting the joints and connective tissue that causes chronic pain, severe nausea and muscle spasms.
"It is a human right issue to alleviate pain," said Snyder.
It definitely wasn't the kind of conversation Leyton ever imagined having in his conference room.
Words like brownies, tea, marijuana pills, and vaporization methods were casually used.
"I'm sorry," Leyton said at one point, putting his hands up. "This is all too new to me."
But Leyton and the law's advocates said the meeting was worthwhile.
Forrester said compassion clubs want to help people comfortably use marijuana for medical purposes without shame or fear of getting in trouble.
"We are trying to fight a mindset that's been going on for years," Forrester said.
"Many still look at marijuana like a four letter word. We have to change minds."
News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: MLive.com
Author: Beata Mostafavi
Contact: MLive.com
Copyright: 2009 Michigan Online LLC
Website: Medical Marijuana Users, Genesee County Prosecutor Meet to Discuss Enforcement, Gray Areas of New Law
