Lansing bans pot dispensaries for six months - Medical Cannabis News - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

BeardedClam · 12-07-2010, 03:40 PM

https://michiganmessenger.com/44429/l...for-six-months

The Lansing City Council capped months of debate and division by voting unanimously Monday night to freeze the approval of new medical marijuana dispensaries until July 1, 2011. The vote came after a host of citizens — many of them medical marijuana dispensary owners — spoke to the council about the proposed moratorium. Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero weighed in, via letter read by his chief of staff Jerry Ambrose. Bernero said he opposed the moratorium, saying he thought it “only serves to thwart the intent of voters” who approved marijuana for medical use in 2008.
Last week, council members had a heated exchange over the proposal, with some saying they would not support it. They echoed the concerns of Bernero.
But Carol Wood, chair of the public safety committee of the council, says the temporary moratorium is a way to create a safe, uniform program to allow patients to access medical marijuana in the city.
Sitting in her office before the vote, a four inch thick binder labeled medical marijuana resource book, Wood explained why the council began looking at the issue in February.
“We were hoping the rules (from Michigan Department of Community Health) would give us a clearer understanding,” says Wood. That clarity, she said, never came. As a result, Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III approached the council with concerns about problems in the law’s implementation.
Wood said Dunnings saw no legal basis for dispensaries.
The Public Safety Committee wanted to bring the issue forward, but City Attorney Brigham Smith was not sold on the idea of a moratorium, Wood said. After months of meetings, and research, the moratorium was drafted. It came only after the city developed an ordinance regulating the sale of medical marijuana from people’s homes.
The issue is key, she said, to showing the city was working with regional partners. Nearly every municipality in the area had approved some form of moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries while each works towards rules and regulations.
Wood said the moratorium was important from an economic development view.
“People were starting to invest in these, and if we passed regulations that effected the size or location of their store, that business owner could incur more monetary or economic issues for their business,” she said.
The moratorium approved by council Monday night grandfathers in an estimated 60 dispensaries already operating in the city.
Councilmember Tina Houghton, who last week had expressed opposition to the moratorium, changed her mind after surveying several dispensaries over the weekend, she said.
“After visiting several establishments this weekend, I have to concede I really have no idea what this medical marijuana is all about,” Houghton said. After explaining what she saw during her tours which included the various growing techniques, specialized strains of marijuana and more, she said she was convinced it was a medical issue. “This is truly an alternative medication to help people with chronic pain and illness.”
As for the businesses, Houghton says she saw people who wanted to succeed and assist people, and recognized the need for a workable set of rules to protect the viability of those operations.
“They don’t want neon signs that say ‘we’re open for robbery,’ or ‘criminal activities,’” Houghton said.

pixie · 12-13-2010, 03:45 AM

Look at us here in California & you know they'll be hammering this one for awhile. 14 years after Proposition 215 was passed & we're still arguing over the dispensaries. Why is it so hard to find a common ground on this issue? There's even division between patients, growers, & caregivers on this subject. I'm sorry to hear that it's going this direction in Michigan now too.

BrainSellz · 12-13-2010, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixie

Why is it so hard to find a common ground on this issue?

because some folks believe they stand on the "higher ground"....mo

IKILL3RI · 12-13-2010, 07:54 AM

To tell you guys the truth this kind of shit is going go on for years no fkn joke fkn feds trying there hardest to close down collectives but it aint going fkn happen. So hereS a mesSage to the feds FUCK YOU!!!!!!! i'M TIRED OF ALL THIS FKN bULLSHIT ALREADY SERIOUSLY IM TO THE POINT OF FKN EXPLODING. Couldn't agree more pixie......................... .............................. ..

12-13-2010, 09:38 AM

Would part of the cause of the recent crackdown on dispensaries be because of the original intention of making available medical cannabis to (AIDS, chemo etc) actual patients (who make up about 5% of the dispensaries business), not to the other 95% of dispensary biz who are recreational smokers who have a get-out-of jail medical cannabis card, has made these dispensaries seem more like an Amsterdam coffee shop than a pharmacy in the eyes of the controllers and so the crackdowns are being stepped up?...

of course this wouldn't be happening if had 19 passed.....now the control freaks are empowered and are on a roll.

pixie · 12-13-2010, 05:01 PM

As a patient who is a part of that 5% I do agree that when Prop 215 was passed most of us never imagined the whole dispensary scene. I thought it was about people helping people on a more personal level. I didn't see a bigger picture. There's bound to be some growing pains as we feel out new territory, but as some of the in-fighting from Prop 19 showed, we have a long way to go. Hopefully we've all learned something from this that will work to our benefit in the future.

12-07-2010, 03:40 PM	#1
BeardedClam Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 601	Lansing bans pot dispensaries for six months https://michiganmessenger.com/44429/l...for-six-months The Lansing City Council capped months of debate and division by voting unanimously Monday night to freeze the approval of new medical marijuana dispensaries until July 1, 2011. The vote came after a host of citizens — many of them medical marijuana dispensary owners — spoke to the council about the proposed moratorium. Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero weighed in, via letter read by his chief of staff Jerry Ambrose. Bernero said he opposed the moratorium, saying he thought it “only serves to thwart the intent of voters” who approved marijuana for medical use in 2008. Last week, council members had a heated exchange over the proposal, with some saying they would not support it. They echoed the concerns of Bernero. But Carol Wood, chair of the public safety committee of the council, says the temporary moratorium is a way to create a safe, uniform program to allow patients to access medical marijuana in the city. Sitting in her office before the vote, a four inch thick binder labeled medical marijuana resource book, Wood explained why the council began looking at the issue in February. “We were hoping the rules (from Michigan Department of Community Health) would give us a clearer understanding,” says Wood. That clarity, she said, never came. As a result, Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III approached the council with concerns about problems in the law’s implementation. Wood said Dunnings saw no legal basis for dispensaries. The Public Safety Committee wanted to bring the issue forward, but City Attorney Brigham Smith was not sold on the idea of a moratorium, Wood said. After months of meetings, and research, the moratorium was drafted. It came only after the city developed an ordinance regulating the sale of medical marijuana from people’s homes. The issue is key, she said, to showing the city was working with regional partners. Nearly every municipality in the area had approved some form of moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries while each works towards rules and regulations. Wood said the moratorium was important from an economic development view. “People were starting to invest in these, and if we passed regulations that effected the size or location of their store, that business owner could incur more monetary or economic issues for their business,” she said. The moratorium approved by council Monday night grandfathers in an estimated 60 dispensaries already operating in the city. Councilmember Tina Houghton, who last week had expressed opposition to the moratorium, changed her mind after surveying several dispensaries over the weekend, she said. “After visiting several establishments this weekend, I have to concede I really have no idea what this medical marijuana is all about,” Houghton said. After explaining what she saw during her tours which included the various growing techniques, specialized strains of marijuana and more, she said she was convinced it was a medical issue. “This is truly an alternative medication to help people with chronic pain and illness.” As for the businesses, Houghton says she saw people who wanted to succeed and assist people, and recognized the need for a workable set of rules to protect the viability of those operations. “They don’t want neon signs that say ‘we’re open for robbery,’ or ‘criminal activities,’” Houghton said. __________________
	Quote

12-13-2010, 03:45 AM	#2
pixie New Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Trinity County, California Posts: 4	Look at us here in California & you know they'll be hammering this one for awhile. 14 years after Proposition 215 was passed & we're still arguing over the dispensaries. Why is it so hard to find a common ground on this issue? There's even division between patients, growers, & caregivers on this subject. I'm sorry to hear that it's going this direction in Michigan now too.
	Quote 1 members found this post helpful.

12-13-2010, 07:54 AM	#4
IKILL3RI Prop. 215 SB420 compliant Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Indoor Hydroponic Addict Posts: 237	To tell you guys the truth this kind of shit is going go on for years no fkn joke fkn feds trying there hardest to close down collectives but it aint going fkn happen. So hereS a mesSage to the feds FUCK YOU!!!!!!! i'M TIRED OF ALL THIS FKN bULLSHIT ALREADY SERIOUSLY IM TO THE POINT OF FKN EXPLODING. Couldn't agree more pixie......................... .............................. .. __________________ What I require If there is one thing I just can't stop, It's my urge and need to smoke pot! It is my saviour, my deep desire, Weed is all that I require.
	Quote

12-13-2010, 09:38 AM	#5
Chamba Guest Posts: n/a	Would part of the cause of the recent crackdown on dispensaries be because of the original intention of making available medical cannabis to (AIDS, chemo etc) actual patients (who make up about 5% of the dispensaries business), not to the other 95% of dispensary biz who are recreational smokers who have a get-out-of jail medical cannabis card, has made these dispensaries seem more like an Amsterdam coffee shop than a pharmacy in the eyes of the controllers and so the crackdowns are being stepped up?... of course this wouldn't be happening if had 19 passed.....now the control freaks are empowered and are on a roll. Last edited by Chamba; 12-13-2010 at 12:08 PM..
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12-13-2010, 05:01 PM	#6
pixie New Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Trinity County, California Posts: 4	As a patient who is a part of that 5% I do agree that when Prop 215 was passed most of us never imagined the whole dispensary scene. I thought it was about people helping people on a more personal level. I didn't see a bigger picture. There's bound to be some growing pains as we feel out new territory, but as some of the in-fighting from Prop 19 showed, we have a long way to go. Hopefully we've all learned something from this that will work to our benefit in the future.
	Quote