Saginaw Pot Doc Will Remain Behind Bars

Jacob Bell

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Saginaw-based Dr. Ruth A. Buck will remain behind bars, U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington ruled in U.S. District Court in Bay City about noon Thursday.

In an orange jail suit she stared forward, barely blinking, her glasses pinned her dirty-blond hair behind her ears, as she listened to the judge explained why she presented a danger to the public.

Minutes earlier she entered the Bay City courtroom almost seeming cheerful and waved to six supporters in the courtroom.

The court revoked Buck’s bond after the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint alleging that Buck aided and abetted the distribution of marijuana in violation of federal law by providing medical marijuana recommendations to patients from her office, Mid-Michigan Medical Marijuana Clinic, 2137 Warwick in Saginaw.

Buck was charged separately with three counts of unlawfully distributing controlled substances in June of 2010.

Those charges stem from allegations that, between January 2006 and July 2009, Buck prescribed more than 1.5 million doses of painkillers such as Vicodin, OxyContin, Xanax, morphine, methadone and Dilaudid from her former office in Thomas Township, authorities have said.

Buck had been released on bond, but Ludington said, based on the criminal complaint filed on April 5, it appears she intended to continue prescribing medicine — whether or not the medicine is considered legal under federal law — with insufficient medical support for its necessity.

“It appears that she simply switched drugs” and continues “enabling” patients to receive legitimate medications for illegitimate needs, Ludington said.

The complaint says Buck issued 1,870 medical marijuana recommendations up until Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided her home, office and the office of a co-worker on March 17.

An undercover DEA agent acquired a recommendation from Buck after presenting a “fictitious” license and stating that he suffered headaches whenever he stopped smoking marijuana, the complaint said.

Carl J. Marlinga, Buck’s Clinton Township-based attorney, said the government has 30 days to get an indictment on the marijuana charge from a grand jury. Buck may work out a plea agreement with the prosecutor up until June 29, otherwise a trial will begin on Aug. 2.

Marlinga said he wasn’t surprised by the outcome but doesn’t believe his client is guilty on any of the charges.


News Hawk- Jacob Husky 420 MAGAZINE
Source: stamfordadvocate.com
Author: Gus Burns
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Copyright: Michigan Live LLC
Website: Saginaw pot doc will remain behind bars pending resolution of prescription pill case
 
"“It appears that she simply switched drugs” and continues “enabling” patients to receive legitimate medications for illegitimate needs, Ludington said."

Most curious to see how they proceed with this.

In one statement it's said that Dr. Buck has violated federal law (true), but later statements by Judge Ludington labeled the cannabis as legitimate medication.

A paradox of sorts no doubt...we have a judge acknowledging that federal law prohibits the use of legitimate medication. We also have a doctor that may or may not be a criminal, but the integrity of this case is already lost. With that lost integrity goes general respect for law and order...and the wheel keeps spinning.
 
Those charges stem from allegations that, between January 2006 and July 2009, Buck prescribed more than 1.5 million doses of painkillers
1.5 million doses in 3 yrs? thats doses not rx's. it doesn't say how many patients that was for or how many doses per rx. numbers can be very misleading. my doctor gives me 168 doses of my pain med per month and thats just one of several med's. if my math is correct thats 2,216 doses per year, 6,648 over 3 years and i'm just one of his patients. i'm not saying the dr. was innocent but i can't help but wonder if the dr. was abusing prescribing meds why was nothing done until medical Cannabis came into the picture?

"It appears that she simply switched drugs"
it would be a good thing if the dr. switched drugs. switching from legal drugs that can kill you to a healing plant that has never killed anyone.
 
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