Lansing Marijuana Rally: Local Dispensary Owners Meet With Area Legislators

Jacob Bell

New Member
LANSING – Rep. Greg MacMaster, R-Kewadin, said he's in agreement with local supporters of medical marijuana he met with during a rally in Lansing Wednesday and said new legislation has to address "inconsistencies" with the current law.

During the rally, MacMaster met with Choice Collective owner Drew Driver and Northern Lab Services owner Dan Tomaski to discuss proposed changes to the Michigan Medical Marihauna Act. It was his second such meeting with Driver.

"We're open minded to see this legislation move forward in a way that is responsibly governed, so we can best serve the public and their needs without abusing the system," MacMaster said. "We recognize the legislation drafted by the previous administration didn't cover everything and had inconsistencies. We want to work it to the best interests of the patients."

Choice Collective is a dispensary in Gaylord, which has stopped selling medical marijuana following an August judgment by the state court of appeals which ruled such facilities are illegal.

"It's a business, and we have to respect it as such," MacMaster said. "It has to be regulated, where any amount of drugs prescribed have to be in strict accordance with the law and maintained in a way like prescription drugs."

MacMaster said he does not like seeing billboards or large signs advertising the service and would favor more discreet signage by dispensaries.

"The patients who need it know where the business is," MacMaster said.

Tomaski, whose business tests marijuana for quality and purity, estimated 3,000 people attended the rally, including some from Gaylord. He described the three-hour event as "peaceful and well organized," and was happy to meet with both MacMaster and Sen. John Moolenaar, R-Midland.

"I think they heard us," Tomaski said. "We opened their eyes a bit and they're interested in having some legislation coming from our side of the issue."

Moolenaar was not immediately available for comment.

Karen Sides, owner of Natural Remedies, a collective in Gaylord, said the rally was "very positive and very emotional at the same time," describing patients as upset at last month's ruling which prohibited patient-to-patient transfers of marijuana – the activity on which her business was based.

"They've made it basically impossible for this law to work now," she said, noting speakers included attorneys, members of collectives, patients and dispensary owners. "We hope we were heard."

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News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: petoskeynews.com
Author: Chris Engle
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Copyright: Gaylord Herald Times
Website: Lansing marijuana rally: Local dispensary owners meet with area legislators
 
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