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Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed into law Senate Bill 660 on Monday, which creates a new "pharmaceutical grade" marijuana program to run in conjunction with the state's existing medical marijuana program. The law reclassifies marijuana at the state level to a Schedule II status, but will only take effect if the United States follows suit and reschedules cannabis at the federal level. Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I drug at the federal level.
Senate Bill 660, which is now Public Act 268 of 2013, was introduced late October by Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, and quickly passed through the House and Senate. The law allows "pharmaceutical grade" marijuana to be distributed through licensed pharmacies in the state, controlled in a manner similar to drugs such as OxyContin or Percocet. The law requires strict laboratory testing for quality and dosage standards. The bill was supported by Chuck Perricone, who represents Prairie Plant Systems, a Canadian company that grows and sells pharmaceutical cannabis.
The bill is opposed by many medical marijuana patients and activists who support the Michigan medical marijuana program, which has seen many changes since first passed by voters in 2008 and fear that with the passage of this law, Big Pharma may be trying to overtake the state's medical marijuana program. Some lawmakers in opposition to the pending bill said that legislators should focus on fixing Michigan's medical marijuana program, which has seen dispensaries come and go, while operating in a grey area of legal limbo.
"Why are we spending taxpayer time and resources for an out-of-state corporate constituent who may or may not come to the state," said Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) at a hearing on the bill last year. "And we're not doing squat for anything to help current constituents who cannot access medical marijuana." The new law does not change the state's current medical marijuana program, but instead it will, once implemented, supplement it as a separate, stand-alone industry. Some lawmakers in the legislature, however, view the new law as an opportunity to replace the state's medical marijuana program.
Sen. Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge) said he hopes the law will begin the process of getting marijuana cultivation out of homes and into the hands of pharmaceutical companies, vocalizing the fears of many within the medical marijuana community. "It's time to get marijuana out of houses and put it somewhere else," Sen. Jones said last fall. "Let the pharmaceutical companies grow it and sell it in pharmacies." Additional legislation would be needed to eliminate the current medical marijuana program in the state.
Patients and caregivers enrolled in the state's medical marijuana program, enacted by voters in 2008, would still be allowed to grow and possess medical marijuana under current state law. Those patients who would prefer the "pharmaceutical grade" medical marijuana in the newly passed law, once enacted, will have to surrender their existing medical marijuana cards and would no longer be allowed to grow their own medical marijuana in order to be enrolled in the pharmaceutical program.
Under the proposed system of "pharmaceutical grade" medical marijuana, the Michigan Department of Community Health would be responsible for licensing, registering and inspecting facilities growing or manufacturing medical marijuana. Anyone wishing to manufacture, distribute, prescribe or dispense marijuana would have to obtain a license from the Michigan Board of Pharmacy, as is currently required for other Schedule II controlled substances. The signing of the bill into law was part of a number of bill signings by Governor Snyder on Monday, as 2013 came to a close.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Thedailychronic.net
Author: Scott Gacek
Contact: About Us
Website: Michigan-governor-signs-pharmaceutical-grade-medical-marijuana-law
Senate Bill 660, which is now Public Act 268 of 2013, was introduced late October by Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, and quickly passed through the House and Senate. The law allows "pharmaceutical grade" marijuana to be distributed through licensed pharmacies in the state, controlled in a manner similar to drugs such as OxyContin or Percocet. The law requires strict laboratory testing for quality and dosage standards. The bill was supported by Chuck Perricone, who represents Prairie Plant Systems, a Canadian company that grows and sells pharmaceutical cannabis.
The bill is opposed by many medical marijuana patients and activists who support the Michigan medical marijuana program, which has seen many changes since first passed by voters in 2008 and fear that with the passage of this law, Big Pharma may be trying to overtake the state's medical marijuana program. Some lawmakers in opposition to the pending bill said that legislators should focus on fixing Michigan's medical marijuana program, which has seen dispensaries come and go, while operating in a grey area of legal limbo.
"Why are we spending taxpayer time and resources for an out-of-state corporate constituent who may or may not come to the state," said Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) at a hearing on the bill last year. "And we're not doing squat for anything to help current constituents who cannot access medical marijuana." The new law does not change the state's current medical marijuana program, but instead it will, once implemented, supplement it as a separate, stand-alone industry. Some lawmakers in the legislature, however, view the new law as an opportunity to replace the state's medical marijuana program.
Sen. Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge) said he hopes the law will begin the process of getting marijuana cultivation out of homes and into the hands of pharmaceutical companies, vocalizing the fears of many within the medical marijuana community. "It's time to get marijuana out of houses and put it somewhere else," Sen. Jones said last fall. "Let the pharmaceutical companies grow it and sell it in pharmacies." Additional legislation would be needed to eliminate the current medical marijuana program in the state.
Patients and caregivers enrolled in the state's medical marijuana program, enacted by voters in 2008, would still be allowed to grow and possess medical marijuana under current state law. Those patients who would prefer the "pharmaceutical grade" medical marijuana in the newly passed law, once enacted, will have to surrender their existing medical marijuana cards and would no longer be allowed to grow their own medical marijuana in order to be enrolled in the pharmaceutical program.
Under the proposed system of "pharmaceutical grade" medical marijuana, the Michigan Department of Community Health would be responsible for licensing, registering and inspecting facilities growing or manufacturing medical marijuana. Anyone wishing to manufacture, distribute, prescribe or dispense marijuana would have to obtain a license from the Michigan Board of Pharmacy, as is currently required for other Schedule II controlled substances. The signing of the bill into law was part of a number of bill signings by Governor Snyder on Monday, as 2013 came to a close.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Thedailychronic.net
Author: Scott Gacek
Contact: About Us
Website: Michigan-governor-signs-pharmaceutical-grade-medical-marijuana-law
