Jacob Bell
New Member
Danny Trevino is not sure what police were looking for when they raided HydroWorld shops last week in Jackson and Lansing.
He is not sure what, if any evidence, led police to believe his business violated the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act.
And he is not sure, in the wake of the raid, how police are interpreting a now three-year-old law passed by Michigan voters.
"I want to know why did they raid us," Trevino said Friday. "We never changed our style.
"When I looked on the news, they said we sell to people without cards, and everybody who goes to HydroWorld knows that's not true. Everybody knows that HydroWorld will check you."
Michigan State Police investigators said a months-long investigation showed that HydroWorld sold marijuana to people without cards and violated other aspects of the law.
Trevino, unsure exactly what the police are alleging but completely denying any criminal actions, believes the state police are interpreting the law incorrectly. He thinks police may have an issue with the store accepting copies of signed Medical Marijuana Program applications in lieu of hard cards, the actual state issued identification card.
"We didn't do anything wrong," he said. "I believe they did. They interpreted the law wrong. And in a courtroom, I feel comfortable saying that because they knew no answers in the beginning, they still know no answers now."
Under the law and rules passed by the legislature to administer it, a copy of the application is valid 20 days after it is submitted to the state. The Michigan Department of Community Health will review an application and either approve or deny it within 15 days, but the issuing of cards takes between six and eight months.
"Maybe they think I should only be dealing with people with hard cards," Trevino said. "But you know what, if they would come out and say that directly ...If the cops really want only the people with hard cards to have it, they need to come out and say 'We're going to go after shops that serve people without hard cards.' But they are going to have to go after the state and make them hurry up because eight months is ridiculous."
The Jackson HydroWorld is a simple store. There is front lobby with a wall lined in computer chairs. People can go to one of two windows, one for clinical services and one for medicine. At the clinical window, an employee asks a series of questions, reviews or requests medical records and prepares a packet to send to HydroWorld's doctor. The interview takes 20 to 30 minutes, Trevino said. The doctor reviews the packet and either approves or denies a patient's request.
It is possible to become a legal medical marijuana user without seeing a doctor, Trevino said. If a patient has a medical record of treatment for a qualifying condition, why would a doctor need to physically see a patient to determine whether marijuana would help, he reasons.
At the medicine window, patients sign in, show their card or paperwork, and are then led in through a door. An employee then double checks the card or paperwork. One Friday, three patients came in and left with marijuana. Each checked twice. An employee records the patient's name, whether cash or a credit card was used and the strain of marijuana sold.
HydroWorld stocks different stains of marijuana provided by Jackson-area growers who are registered caregivers. The state law allows a caregiver to supply marijuana to up to five patients. Marijuana at HydroWorld costs $15 for a gram, $45 for an eighth of ounce, $90 for a quarter ounce, $180 for a half ounce and $300 for an ounce. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Trevino drops prices to help patients who are short on cash midweek.
Between the three stores, HydroWorld employs 25 to 30 people and has a network of 75 to 100 growers. The Jackson shop will do $2,000 to $5,000 in business a day. On a typical day, nearly 150 patients come into the Jackson store. By 1:30 p.m. Friday, 66 had come.
Trevino said since day one, the business has not changed operating procedures. He was in compliance then, and because the law has not yet change, he is in compliance now.
"If my interpretation is so wrong, why do cities write ordinances allowing it," he said.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: mlive.com
Author: Aaron Aupperlee
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Michigan Live LLC.
Website: Owner of Jackson and Lansing medical marijuana dispenaries raided last week says police are interpreting law wrong
He is not sure what, if any evidence, led police to believe his business violated the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act.
And he is not sure, in the wake of the raid, how police are interpreting a now three-year-old law passed by Michigan voters.
"I want to know why did they raid us," Trevino said Friday. "We never changed our style.
"When I looked on the news, they said we sell to people without cards, and everybody who goes to HydroWorld knows that's not true. Everybody knows that HydroWorld will check you."
Michigan State Police investigators said a months-long investigation showed that HydroWorld sold marijuana to people without cards and violated other aspects of the law.
Trevino, unsure exactly what the police are alleging but completely denying any criminal actions, believes the state police are interpreting the law incorrectly. He thinks police may have an issue with the store accepting copies of signed Medical Marijuana Program applications in lieu of hard cards, the actual state issued identification card.
"We didn't do anything wrong," he said. "I believe they did. They interpreted the law wrong. And in a courtroom, I feel comfortable saying that because they knew no answers in the beginning, they still know no answers now."
Under the law and rules passed by the legislature to administer it, a copy of the application is valid 20 days after it is submitted to the state. The Michigan Department of Community Health will review an application and either approve or deny it within 15 days, but the issuing of cards takes between six and eight months.
"Maybe they think I should only be dealing with people with hard cards," Trevino said. "But you know what, if they would come out and say that directly ...If the cops really want only the people with hard cards to have it, they need to come out and say 'We're going to go after shops that serve people without hard cards.' But they are going to have to go after the state and make them hurry up because eight months is ridiculous."
The Jackson HydroWorld is a simple store. There is front lobby with a wall lined in computer chairs. People can go to one of two windows, one for clinical services and one for medicine. At the clinical window, an employee asks a series of questions, reviews or requests medical records and prepares a packet to send to HydroWorld's doctor. The interview takes 20 to 30 minutes, Trevino said. The doctor reviews the packet and either approves or denies a patient's request.
It is possible to become a legal medical marijuana user without seeing a doctor, Trevino said. If a patient has a medical record of treatment for a qualifying condition, why would a doctor need to physically see a patient to determine whether marijuana would help, he reasons.
At the medicine window, patients sign in, show their card or paperwork, and are then led in through a door. An employee then double checks the card or paperwork. One Friday, three patients came in and left with marijuana. Each checked twice. An employee records the patient's name, whether cash or a credit card was used and the strain of marijuana sold.
HydroWorld stocks different stains of marijuana provided by Jackson-area growers who are registered caregivers. The state law allows a caregiver to supply marijuana to up to five patients. Marijuana at HydroWorld costs $15 for a gram, $45 for an eighth of ounce, $90 for a quarter ounce, $180 for a half ounce and $300 for an ounce. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Trevino drops prices to help patients who are short on cash midweek.
Between the three stores, HydroWorld employs 25 to 30 people and has a network of 75 to 100 growers. The Jackson shop will do $2,000 to $5,000 in business a day. On a typical day, nearly 150 patients come into the Jackson store. By 1:30 p.m. Friday, 66 had come.
Trevino said since day one, the business has not changed operating procedures. He was in compliance then, and because the law has not yet change, he is in compliance now.
"If my interpretation is so wrong, why do cities write ordinances allowing it," he said.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: mlive.com
Author: Aaron Aupperlee
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Michigan Live LLC.
Website: Owner of Jackson and Lansing medical marijuana dispenaries raided last week says police are interpreting law wrong
