Medical marijuana supporters protest a local sheriff saying he's harassing them for no good reason.
However, the sheriff says, he's simply enforcing the law.
Medical marijuana patients, growers, care-givers, and activists demonstrate at the Saginaw County Courthouse.
They say, law enforcement is raiding their homes and giving them a hard time. They say, law enforcement doesn't like medical marijuana and is violating their rights.
Tara Corum, from the Tri-City Compassion Club, says "We're not criminals. We're law-abiding citizens. It was passed as a law, and we're trying to stay within those laws."
John Roberts, vice president of the Tri-City Compassion Club, says "Our patients had to suffer because they don't believe in it. I don't give a rat's {expletive} what they believe in."
In 2008, Michigan voters approved a measure by 63% allowing medical marijuana with restrictions.
Roberts says, "They fail to recognize that these people are patients, and they're preying on the weakest and vulnerable."
However, the sheriff says many of these protesters are either unaware of the current laws or are intentionally disregarding them.
Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel says, "The one person I saw out there on the street corner is one of the people that was in question. We had raided his house, and I can't speak about his case specifically, but he himself admitted to me that he was in violation, that he didn't know, but ignorance of the law is no excuse."
The sheriff says, many of the activists are trying to expand the law on their own by bending or breaking it.
Federspiel says, "If you go 20 MPH over the speed limit, you're probably going to get a ticket for 20 MPH over. Same with medical marijuana. If you're supposed to have 10 plants and have 20 plants, then I must enforce the law."
Federspiel says he supports the use of medical marijuana. He has an aunt with a chronic illness.
Some of the protesters say they voted for Federspiel because he supports the use of medical marijuana, and now they feel betrayed.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: WNWO NBC24
Author: Dan Armstrong
Contact: WNWO NBC24
Copyright: 2010 Barrington Broadcasting Group, LLC
Website: Medical marijuana supporters protest
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
However, the sheriff says, he's simply enforcing the law.
Medical marijuana patients, growers, care-givers, and activists demonstrate at the Saginaw County Courthouse.
They say, law enforcement is raiding their homes and giving them a hard time. They say, law enforcement doesn't like medical marijuana and is violating their rights.
Tara Corum, from the Tri-City Compassion Club, says "We're not criminals. We're law-abiding citizens. It was passed as a law, and we're trying to stay within those laws."
John Roberts, vice president of the Tri-City Compassion Club, says "Our patients had to suffer because they don't believe in it. I don't give a rat's {expletive} what they believe in."
In 2008, Michigan voters approved a measure by 63% allowing medical marijuana with restrictions.
Roberts says, "They fail to recognize that these people are patients, and they're preying on the weakest and vulnerable."
However, the sheriff says many of these protesters are either unaware of the current laws or are intentionally disregarding them.
Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel says, "The one person I saw out there on the street corner is one of the people that was in question. We had raided his house, and I can't speak about his case specifically, but he himself admitted to me that he was in violation, that he didn't know, but ignorance of the law is no excuse."
The sheriff says, many of the activists are trying to expand the law on their own by bending or breaking it.
Federspiel says, "If you go 20 MPH over the speed limit, you're probably going to get a ticket for 20 MPH over. Same with medical marijuana. If you're supposed to have 10 plants and have 20 plants, then I must enforce the law."
Federspiel says he supports the use of medical marijuana. He has an aunt with a chronic illness.
Some of the protesters say they voted for Federspiel because he supports the use of medical marijuana, and now they feel betrayed.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: WNWO NBC24
Author: Dan Armstrong
Contact: WNWO NBC24
Copyright: 2010 Barrington Broadcasting Group, LLC
Website: Medical marijuana supporters protest
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
