Early Sunday morning, Bill Baechler woke up with three men hovering over his bed asking, "Where the weed at?"
Baechler is a paraplegic and has been for 12 years. After the state of Michigan legalized medical marijuana in November 2008, he was able to start growing it and using it for his pain.
"I have lots of pain because of my accident. It's better for me to smoke marijuana than for me to use methadone or vicodin," said 54-year-old Baechler.
As a legal, card holding patient, Baechler is allowed to grow 12 plants for himself and have 2.5 ounces on him. The men who broke into his home stole a pound and a half, which Baechler believes is worth between $10,000 and $20,000.
Since he has a medical marijuana card and he's able to use and grow medical marijuana, he thinks that has made him a target.
"[Drug dealers] are probably mad because people like me aren't giving them money anymore. That probably had something to do with it," said Baechler.
The law doesn't clarify many details for using and getting marijuana. James McCurtis, the spokesman for the Michigan Department of Community Health says that there are a lot of gray areas that will eventually need to be ironed out in court.
"It doesn't tell you anything about dispensaries, it doesn't tell you anything about how to obtain marijuana for medicinal purposes," said McCurtis.
McCurtis added that complications can arise when there isn't clear language and when there is such a high street demand for marijuana.
Since Baechler was robbed of his medical pot, he has opted to have the Green Leaf University smokers club as his caregiver. This way he said he can get the medicine he needs without having to worry about his safety.
"There won't be any growing here anymore so there's no point in anyone coming back here," said Baechler.
The Green Leaf club was raided last month and closed briefly after the owner, Rev. Frederick Wayne Dagit was arrested for selling marijuana illegally.
The Lansing City Council has been debating medical marijuana for months now and is in the process of drafting an ordinance that would allow the city to regulate.
Police are still investigating the invasion at Baechler's home and have commented on what they found or if there are any suspects.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: WILX.com
Author: Meaghan M. Norman
Copyright: 2010 Gray Television, Inc
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
Baechler is a paraplegic and has been for 12 years. After the state of Michigan legalized medical marijuana in November 2008, he was able to start growing it and using it for his pain.
"I have lots of pain because of my accident. It's better for me to smoke marijuana than for me to use methadone or vicodin," said 54-year-old Baechler.
As a legal, card holding patient, Baechler is allowed to grow 12 plants for himself and have 2.5 ounces on him. The men who broke into his home stole a pound and a half, which Baechler believes is worth between $10,000 and $20,000.
Since he has a medical marijuana card and he's able to use and grow medical marijuana, he thinks that has made him a target.
"[Drug dealers] are probably mad because people like me aren't giving them money anymore. That probably had something to do with it," said Baechler.
The law doesn't clarify many details for using and getting marijuana. James McCurtis, the spokesman for the Michigan Department of Community Health says that there are a lot of gray areas that will eventually need to be ironed out in court.
"It doesn't tell you anything about dispensaries, it doesn't tell you anything about how to obtain marijuana for medicinal purposes," said McCurtis.
McCurtis added that complications can arise when there isn't clear language and when there is such a high street demand for marijuana.
Since Baechler was robbed of his medical pot, he has opted to have the Green Leaf University smokers club as his caregiver. This way he said he can get the medicine he needs without having to worry about his safety.
"There won't be any growing here anymore so there's no point in anyone coming back here," said Baechler.
The Green Leaf club was raided last month and closed briefly after the owner, Rev. Frederick Wayne Dagit was arrested for selling marijuana illegally.
The Lansing City Council has been debating medical marijuana for months now and is in the process of drafting an ordinance that would allow the city to regulate.
Police are still investigating the invasion at Baechler's home and have commented on what they found or if there are any suspects.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: WILX.com
Author: Meaghan M. Norman
Copyright: 2010 Gray Television, Inc
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
