Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
As a lifelong Michigan resident, small-business owner, and friend to people whose lives have been changed by medical marijuana, I am deeply concerned about the inability for registered patients to safely access this potentially life-saving medication.
For the past seven years, the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, approved overwhelmingly by Michigan's voters in 2008, has provided some protections for patients, but not for the caregivers or the businesses who serve them.
I am sure we agree that patients, due to their serious illness, deserve to use medical marijuana as a complementary therapy.
However, without a regulatory structure that allows cultivators, processors, testing facilities and provisioning centers to lawfully operate, there is no way to get safe medical cannabis to patients, and this is hurting patients, their families, and our state.
Despite this complete lack of regulation, many legitimate, responsible businesses have forged ahead out of a deep concern and dedication to Michigan's medical marijuana patient community. Of course, because of this lack of regulation, many bad actors have proliferated as well, taking advantage of the confusion and uncertainty that has developed over the past seven years and, unfortunately, grabbing many more headlines than those who are doing things the right way. (As covered by LSJ reporter Eric Lacy on Aug. 7.)
I want my children to grow up in a state where this kind of uncertainty and chaos do not exist. That is why I, along with many others, have been working closely and tirelessly with policymakers, legal experts, the law enforcement community, and numerous other groups to develop a solution.
The Michigan Cannabis Development Association, on whose board I serve, supports a common sense regulatory framework that will make safe forms of medical cannabis more widely available to qualifying patients, provide the local businesses who serve Michigan's patients a licensing process which will protect and reward responsible behavior, and provide Michigan's communities the assurance of state-level oversight, local zoning control and tax revenue.
Medical marijuana should be cultivated in licensed commercial facilities, tested for purity, transported safely and dispensed by trained staff in a safe environment easily accessible to patients and their families.
Legislation is now pending that will create this common sense framework – a framework that will allow municipalities to zone, permit and control medical marijuana businesses and will allow serious ill patients wide access to a variety of safe medicines.
Only by passing these laws now can we begin to make safe medicine, safe patient access and safe communities a reality.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Tim Ratliff: Take common sense approach to marijuana regulation
Author: Tim Ratliff
Contact: How to Reach Us | lansingstatejournal.com
Photo Credit: Flickr
Website: Lansing State Journal - Home
For the past seven years, the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, approved overwhelmingly by Michigan's voters in 2008, has provided some protections for patients, but not for the caregivers or the businesses who serve them.
I am sure we agree that patients, due to their serious illness, deserve to use medical marijuana as a complementary therapy.
However, without a regulatory structure that allows cultivators, processors, testing facilities and provisioning centers to lawfully operate, there is no way to get safe medical cannabis to patients, and this is hurting patients, their families, and our state.
Despite this complete lack of regulation, many legitimate, responsible businesses have forged ahead out of a deep concern and dedication to Michigan's medical marijuana patient community. Of course, because of this lack of regulation, many bad actors have proliferated as well, taking advantage of the confusion and uncertainty that has developed over the past seven years and, unfortunately, grabbing many more headlines than those who are doing things the right way. (As covered by LSJ reporter Eric Lacy on Aug. 7.)
I want my children to grow up in a state where this kind of uncertainty and chaos do not exist. That is why I, along with many others, have been working closely and tirelessly with policymakers, legal experts, the law enforcement community, and numerous other groups to develop a solution.
The Michigan Cannabis Development Association, on whose board I serve, supports a common sense regulatory framework that will make safe forms of medical cannabis more widely available to qualifying patients, provide the local businesses who serve Michigan's patients a licensing process which will protect and reward responsible behavior, and provide Michigan's communities the assurance of state-level oversight, local zoning control and tax revenue.
Medical marijuana should be cultivated in licensed commercial facilities, tested for purity, transported safely and dispensed by trained staff in a safe environment easily accessible to patients and their families.
Legislation is now pending that will create this common sense framework – a framework that will allow municipalities to zone, permit and control medical marijuana businesses and will allow serious ill patients wide access to a variety of safe medicines.
Only by passing these laws now can we begin to make safe medicine, safe patient access and safe communities a reality.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Tim Ratliff: Take common sense approach to marijuana regulation
Author: Tim Ratliff
Contact: How to Reach Us | lansingstatejournal.com
Photo Credit: Flickr
Website: Lansing State Journal - Home
