# Michigan's medical marijuana law takes effect next month



## FruityBud (Mar 20, 2009)

It's a done deal.

Starting April 4th, Michigan will become the 13th state where marijuana can be used legally for medical purposes.

To clear up any confusion, Berrien County Prosecutor Art Cotter held a meeting at the Three Oaks Library Thursday night.

Cotter worries that people weren't exactly sure what they voted for in November, and he worries that there's not enough oversight.

Joel Schmidt, a patient  says there will always be those who feel they're above the law.

Schmidt left his family in Michigan and moved across the country because he didn't want to break the law.

He says, I left my daughter and went to California where it would be legal.  I wasn't going to risk my life going to jail.

Joel Schmidt has Hepatitis C. Without marijuana,  he says some days can be miserable.

Schmidt says, When I eat pills they can't digest in my system and they back up after a weeks worth of taking them and I have seizures and about 17 hours of vomiting episodes where I have to go to the hospital.

There are no more worries for Joel, now that marijuana can be used legally in Michigan for medical purposes.

He says, I was like, yeah. I'm going home."

Cotter explained to the public what this new law means.

The law says a patient and their caregiver can posses up to two and a half ounces of marijuana in a closed, locked facility.

A patient must have a written certificate from a physician.

A caregiver can assist up to five patients.

Cotter says, I have some concerns about it. A physician who prescribes this is not subject to any kind of discipline or review by the medical association.

He also worries about the line in the law the explains if you're a patient, you can smoke it in a private place.

Cotter says, That's sort of open to interpretation. I know what I think it is, but some proponents may think much broader than that.

Schmidt says no matter what law is being discussed, If you go against the law, you're going to get caught.

*hxxp://tinyurl.com/dft5bh*


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## Dr. GreenBrain (Mar 21, 2009)

Suck it Cotter, why don't you try to fight against public use of alcohol. Michigan has terrible problems with the drink. However, I do love to see my home state making at least some progress in the fight against marijuana prohibition. Awesome that Schmidt can return to Michigan, but dude, you're leaving California for Michigan... Why?


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## NorCalHal (Mar 21, 2009)

Still unbelievable about the 2.5 oz max possesion.


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## Lemmongrass (Mar 21, 2009)

with dry to wet weight factoring in and the gov not considering that, its impossible to legally grow 2.5oz of dried pot isnt it.......


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## tcbud (Mar 21, 2009)

Maybe they can figure out how to tax the Medical MJ.  From what I hear, Michigan is one of the hardest hit states in the union by the "resesion/depression".


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## docfishwrinkle (Mar 21, 2009)

yeah taxs us some more! eff that! for smokers here we just got hit hard w/ state & in couple wks fed tobacco tax. so after said & done additional $2 per pack or tin of dip. total of oh $7 for a can of kodiak! sorry tc not tryin to dog ya but thats all we get here is taxed so eff MJ tax, but im sure jenny granmole will get hip to the hop soon enough. state is now letting bars stay open til 4am. why you ask so they sell more booze so more tax $ & more drunk driving tix. ave dui will cost 5-10k. i know 1st hand. sorry 4 rant but obviously sore subject.


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## NewbieG (Mar 21, 2009)

tcbud said:
			
		

> Maybe they can figure out how to tax the Medical MJ.  From what I hear, Michigan is one of the hardest hit states in the union by the "resesion/depression".



Why would you tax a medicine... honestly tc thats just kinda silly..


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## NewbieG (Mar 21, 2009)

docfishwrinkle said:
			
		

> yeah taxs us some more! eff that! for smokers here we just got hit hard w/ state & in couple wks fed tobacco tax. so after said & done additional $2 per pack or tin of dip. total of oh $7 for a can of kodiak! sorry tc not tryin to dog ya but thats all we get here is taxed so eff MJ tax, but im sure jenny granmole will get hip to the hop soon enough. state is now letting bars stay open til 4am. why you ask so they sell more booze so more tax $ & more drunk driving tix. ave dui will cost 5-10k. i know 1st hand. sorry 4 rant but obviously sore subject.



The government isn't making you buy 5 dollar beers, get **** faced then drive home... lol how about its none of the governments business to control hours of operation for a private enterprise?


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## docfishwrinkle (Mar 22, 2009)

newbie hate 2 inform but bars will stay open later 2 make more cheese & when economical downfall happens fact is more people drink. & no gov't didnt make me buy $5 beer i dont go 2 bars 4 that reason. im not sure where ur coming from? how do u propose we keep gov't outta private enterprise? nice disclaimer in ur sig. really think that will keep u from getting into trouble? ur missing the point. TAXES!!!


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## docfishwrinkle (Mar 22, 2009)

NewbieG said:
			
		

> Why would you tax a medicine... honestly tc thats just kinda silly..


there are states already that tax weed....silly indeed but still is.


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## IRISH (Mar 22, 2009)

thanks for that rant doc. it was well deserved. michigan can kiss my you know what, right where the sun dont shine, and that goes for granmole too. doubled up on cig tax this round. pack/carton price already hit, loose tobacco on the 1st of month. come on, 1lb tobacco, 45 dollars? i got one word for her and it starts with a B...


2.5 oz???   . thats 1 plant.

but, they say i can have 12 in flower??? how the ll am i to do this. we dont like your games no more. take your homely self back to canada, and your trash with you.

michigan unemployment rate...11.9% , i just heard someones baby cry...bb...


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## Dr. GreenBrain (Mar 22, 2009)

tcbud said:
			
		

> Maybe they can figure out how to tax the Medical MJ.  From what I hear, Michigan is one of the hardest hit states in the union by the "resesion/depression".



Yes, Michigan's economy is and has been worst STATE economies for some time now due to the failure of the auto, furniture, and other industries. Sad


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## tcbud (Mar 22, 2009)

BB,  My county unemployment rate is 15%, next county over 12%.  I dont know what is going on with tobacco here, but California has a bill in committee (I think, please dont quote me, I just heard this on the news) that may put a tax on MJ.  It is supposedly a billion+ dollar business here.  I can understand the state wanting some of that (i realize it is medicine, but in California our Medicine is very easy to get a perscription for, bout like getting an anti inflamatory for your arthritis).  I dont even know if you pay sales tax at the despencery, never noticed.  Taxes pay for things like roads, schools, hospitals, and California has a lot of all that.  I use those things and dont mind paying State Taxes.  It is the Feds who send our dollars to fuel wars, it is the Fed who gives money to AIG for Executive Bonuses that pisses me off.  States can be made better by voters, the Fed is just too big to really change, IMHO.  Your voters made MJ legal in Michigan.  What you voted on should have maybe been more tight as to amount of MJ for medical use.  States should take a lesson from California, write the inititive/law reasonabley, not vauge.  Supreme Court here is still trying to interpert our inititive and it was voted in in 1996.  Obama needs to take MJ off the hard drug list.   That would help abunch.
And as for your cig/tobacco taxes......the hospitals/docs/nurses that treat COPD need those taxes.  Ciggarettes kill people prematurely, and suicide is illegal.  (I smoked most of my life, and I know from first hand experience that it is the hardest of all the drugs I have ever quit to get over.  I have not been a heroine addict but the other "hard" drugs and booze were a big part of my life at one time or another.  I still dont know if I have quit smoking for the rest of my life, but my resolve is to never start again.  I watched my dad die of COPD, coughing his lungs out with his last breaths.  Sorry for the rant)


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## NewbieG (Mar 22, 2009)

docfishwrinkle said:
			
		

> there are states already that tax weed....silly indeed but still is.



I agree with you that the use of marijuana can/ will be taxed. I think this is just part of gov. workings AS LONG as its classified as a recreational drug.
If the government limits it to medicinal supply then I think its silly to be taxing a patient who needs his medicine for his medicine. If alcohol could cure chronic pain, I'd say let people drink it taxed high, but don't tax the medicinal purposes. This just doesn't seem fair.

I didn't mean to attack you if it sounded like i did, and your rght the government probably did extend hours at bars to raise tax revenue, but with that being said, they shouldn't have set limits in the first place on when closing time is, and now that they are being lifted i wouldn't get mad, I would be happy that things are going the way they are SUPPOSE TO. regardless of the gov. reasoning.


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## NewbieG (Mar 22, 2009)

docfishwrinkle said:
			
		

> there are states already that tax weed....silly indeed but still is.



I realize that they tax dispensaries and growers and that in turn the tax ultimately gets passed down to the consumer to some degree, but to SUGGEST that the growing of a medicine should be taxed IS still just silly lol.


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## NewbieG (Mar 22, 2009)

tcbud said:
			
		

> Taxes pay for things like roads, schools, hospitals, and California has a lot of all that.  I use those things and dont mind paying State Taxes.  It is the Feds who send our dollars to fuel wars, it is the Fed who gives money to AIG for Executive Bonuses that pisses me off.  States can be made better by voters, the Fed is just too big to really change, IMHO.  Your voters made MJ legal in Michigan.  What you voted on should have maybe been more tight as to amount of MJ for medical use.  States should take a lesson from California, write the inititive/law reasonabley, not vauge.  Supreme Court here is still trying to interpert our inititive and it was voted in in 1996.  Obama needs to take MJ off the hard drug list.   That would help abunch.
> And as for your cig/tobacco taxes......the hospitals/docs/nurses that treat COPD need those taxes.  Ciggarettes kill people prematurely, and suicide is illegal.  (I smoked most of my life, and I know from first hand experience that it is the hardest of all the drugs I have ever quit to get over.  I have not been a heroine addict but the other "hard" drugs and booze were a big part of my life at one time or another.  I still dont know if I have quit smoking for the rest of my life, but my resolve is to never start again.  I watched my dad die of COPD, coughing his lungs out with his last breaths.  Sorry for the rant)



I totally agree with you on the taxes for tobacco because of the strain it puts on our healthcare system. I'm really sorry to hear about your dad, and glad that you decided to quit smoking that bad stuff, just like I did.


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## tcbud (Mar 22, 2009)

Before, during and after prohibition Beer was the drug of choice for the "working man".  Send the kid down to the local bar and have them bring home a bucket of beer.  A Bucket of Beer would ease the joints and relax the muscles.  I am pretty sure Nyquil is mostly alcohol too.

When I lived in Alaska, Juneau was the only city that had a closing time for Bars.  They passed an ordinance to close them at 2a.m on weeknights.  That way the goverenment workers made it to work during the week.  Friday and Saturday bars closed at 5 a.m.  Most did, all over Ak.  Then some would open again at 6 a.m. giving the swamper an hour to sweep floors and clean heads.  The one I worked in, thank goodness opened back up at 10 a.m. or I would have been late to work.
Alcohol is used as a drug for many I think.  It sure helps a person forget things for a little while anyway.


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## marcnh (Mar 22, 2009)

I believe washington is "24 ounces of dried cured marijuana every 60 days and as many plants as needed to keep up with this personal supply."  Thats from the back of a medical marijuana card. It's easy to get one of these cards.


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## NorCalHal (Mar 23, 2009)

They have been taxing MMJ purchases at dispensary leval for a couple of years now.

Now, you guys are correct, they do not tax medicine.
BUT, MMJ is not considered a "medicine" as your doctor can only "RECOMEND" that you use MMJ, he/she does not "prescribe" it.
The difference being that MJ is not a FDA approved drug.

Loophole. BUT, I will take it as it is, as the Tax monies raised thusfar is what has got the conversation going in Cali about Legalizing it for all and taxing it. 
I will gladly pay my tax if it keeps me from going to jail.


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## tcbud (Mar 23, 2009)

NorCalHal said:
			
		

> They have been taxing MMJ purchases at dispensary leval for a couple of years now.
> 
> Now, you guys are correct, they do not tax medicine.
> BUT, MMJ is not considered a "medicine" as your doctor can only "RECOMEND" that you use MMJ, he/she does not "prescribe" it.
> ...


 
I would also gladly pay the tax, if it was made legal.  

Can You Imagine........:fid: 

The Golden State's forests not full of Marijauna Gardens and gun toten' Forest Service cops.  Feild after feild full of that aroma we all love as the legal grows line the I5 Freeway coridor.  Going into a store and comming out with a bag of bud, smiling, knowing that the cop down the road could care less if you bought white widow or blueberry.  The prison's population's shrink as all the people who are there for possesion or sales go free.  The buget crisis doesent happen every year because of the new tax on MJ.  The Law Enforcement Agency's can begin to watch the borders for illegal aliens instead of pot crossing for sale.  Mexico begins to grow legal too. And begins to supply California with MJ and it is taxed heavily as it is brought over the border along with canalope.   Mexico's poverty level starts to fade....
all because California goes against the Federal Government and makes MJ legal.....just to get the taxes from a plant that has been used for thousands of years.  Other state's begin to follow California's example....

Talk about a State's Right's issue, come on California Law Makers.....

Please do it in my lifetime.


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## Lemmongrass (Mar 23, 2009)

banjobuzz said:
			
		

> but, they say i can have 12 in flower???



i didnt see that.

that makes since. you can have 12 plants max staggered on a 4wk harvest. So you figure how long it takes to smoke 2.5oz and set the harvest to finish every amount of time that is. if you smoke 3 times that in a month, you could have 4 months worth of 2.5oz plants in a set and s sets. 

now since many med users smoke stony ind strains this kind of does make since, assuming the person who wrote it used an avg med strain grow length to figure the law. just stagger your plants by 2 weeks. grow 3 lowryders, one at 2, 4, and 6 weeks. that would give you .5-2oz every 2 weeks. now to ensure against getting a few low yielding plants, you could grow 6 of them, 2 on each set, and just trade the excess if they happen to both yield high to a despisary.

it kind of sucks, and totally doesn't make since for sativa strains. but then maybe they would expect you to select 2.5oz from the plant and donate it to a dispensary. i dunno. i can see how they thought it made since. even tho it doesn't from a professional growers perspective.


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## IRISH (Mar 23, 2009)

we like to keep our fridge stocked for a rainy day...bb...


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