MI Passes Law To Contain Medical Marijuana

[Truth Seeker]

Michigan lawmakers passed a bill Dec. 14 that requires registered medical marijuana patients to transport their marijuana within a sealed container and in the trunk of their vehicle. If the vehicle does not have a trunk, the marijuana must be stored in a locked container out of reach from the patient.

The floor summary, found on Michigan Legislature - Home, said the broad intentions of House Bill 4856 are to "restrict the transportation or possession of medical marijuana in or upon a vehicle designed for land travel."

Jamie Lowell, co-founder of Third Coast Compassion Center located at 19 N. Hamilton St. in Ypsilanti, said the bill was "unnecessary" and questions the motivation behind it.

"When reading the language of the bill, it is very similar to how a gun would be treated," he said.

"The people of Michigan, by passing the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, said, 'We need to look at this entire issue differently.' House bill 4856 does not reflect this mandate," Lowell said.

In a recent poll from his blog, located at MMJ Advocates Invite Pat Kennedy to Better Understand Medical Marijuana, Lowell found 77 percent of responders said the new legislation was "an unnecessary restriction," and 23 percent "view it as a reasonable protection."

Denise Pollicella, a lawyer and founder of Cannabis Attorneys of Mid-Michigan from Howell, responded in the weekly poll and blog that the new law was "tolerable."

"Too many times in the past four years have I seen cars torn apart and drivers arrested over a joint in the ashtray," Pollicella said. "Like most laws, this one is aimed at the lowest common denominator of our society, and the rest of us with more common sense must bear the irritation."

Eastern Michigan University junior Danielle Weatherspoon said the new law will be helpful, and it "sets a good tone."

"Even though marijuana is legal for some, it still needs to have regulations in place," she said.

EMU freshman Aaliyah Sherman said she agrees with the law for safety reasons.

"Pill containers have childproof lids, and you can't drive around with open alcohol. It doesn't hurt to lock it up," she said.

Antonio Scott, a personal trainer and Ypsilanti resident, said lawmakers shouldn't bother with irrelevant restrictions.

"Putting limits on laws that have just passed doesn't make much sense," he said.

Violators of the law could receive a misdemeanor with fines up to $500 and/or imprisonment for up to 93 days. The law was ordered into immediate effect.

Voters approved the MMMA in November 2008, and the program has received over 344,000 applications since April 2009.

News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: easternecho.com
Author: Kenneth Bowen
Contact: The Eastern Echo :: About Us
Website: The Eastern Echo :: MI passes law to contain medical marijuana

 

[skyhighrobert]

sky high robert got out of town just in time. michigan has gone off the rails. when the dust settles,will folk wake up and toss the crazies out?

 

[whodathot]

Nothing in the law about it being in a locked case if there is no trunk, just enclosed. To me, a cardboard box might work. They complained how ambiguous "our" law was, and this is the best they could do??!

(a) Enclosed in a case that is carried in the trunk of the vehicle.
(b) Enclosed in a case that is not readily accessible from the interior of the vehicle, if the vehicle in which the person
is traveling does not have a trunk.

Please revise your statement to reflect the law. There is no requirement for a lock.

 

[whodathot]

And to that student that says, it doesn't hurt to lock it up, why don't people have to lock up oxycontin, antipsychotics, adderal, the pharma crap that are also controlled substances? Why not just pass a law that says you can't medicate while you're driving (we already have a crazy court of appeals ruling that says any THC in your system makes you in violation if you're driving BTW). The reason it hurts is because it treats medical marijuana patients like an underclass. It's another way to get them violated, force them to take the cops to their home and reveal more pot, overages, all kinds of things. It's a ruse. It prevents no harm. It's another way to dilute a law that WE THE PEOPLE passed. A bunch of hooey this is. It's a slippery slope when the best you can do to justify a law is to say, well it's not that big of a deal, just let the GOVERNMENT take your rights away. It's very scary and I object!

 

[tannter1477]

well said friend. BRAVO!! how do you think their next campaigns are going to go if anybody runs against them that is pro MMJ and simply exposes this for what it is, As you have stated above. slippery slop indeed.

 

[yooper38]

They say to e-mail your congressmen/senators and to voice your opinion. How many of them say, "i see most of the e-mails i get are against me voting for this and I WILL vote against it!" Them people could care-less for anyone! I vote cause i want to bitch. It's hard to fight a bull-headed person stuck in there ways. If we voted for it then why are they making it harder and harder on themselves, i'm not going to vote for someone that DOES NOT support medical marijuana! Why don't they go back to giving themselves a pay raise behind everyones back and you want michigan out of debt? Cut your pay checks in half!