OXFORD TOWNSHIP PREPARES TO REGULATE MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Communities throughout Michigan are wrestling with the question of
whether to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries or prohibit them.

The debate began in November 2008 when voters in the state approved
marijuana use for the chronically ill.

The Oxford Township Board this week directed its planning commission's
Ordinance Review Subcommittee to draft an ordinance that would
regulate dispensaries in the township.

In addition, the board approved a moratorium on medical marijuana
dispensaries for 120 days or until the subcommittee has adequate time
to draft the ordinance.

One issue discussed by the board was how much to spend to develop the
new ordinance. The board passed a motion capping expenses at $2,500.

Some communities, including Livonia, Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills,
have chosen to prohibit medical marijuana facilities, citing federal
law.

Other communities, however, are developing ordinances to regulate the
dispensaries, in response to the 63 percent of Michigan voters who
approved medical use of marijuana in 2008. Last month, Orion Township
directed its planning commission to draft language to regulate
locations for marijuana dispensaries.

Earlier this week, the Bloomfield Township board extended its
moratorium on medical marijuana outlets to Sept. 12 while it continued
to research the issue. White Lake Township also issued a moratorium to
allow time for further study.

"The dilemma facing Michigan cities, villages and townships is the
failure of the Michigan legislature to provide reasonable and adequate
manufacturing and dispensing control over the new prescription drug -
marijuana," said Julie Brenner, executive director of the North
Oakland Community Coalition, a community group dedicated to reducing
alcohol and substance abuse in Lake Orion and Oxford.

"The legal and regulated dispensary of this controlled substance needs
to be the focus, and the Michigan legislature needs to address this
quickly," she added. "If not, then it will fall into the hands of
those who will misuse it."

Brenner said she appreciated that Michigan's communities are stepping
forward to develop regulations, recognizing that voters voiced their
support of the use of medical marijuana for the chronically ill.

"To place any other prescription drug in the hands of non-medically
trained persons would count as criminal action. Why the difference
with marijuana?" she said. "We would expect immediate action from our
government if morphine or valium were to be sold at gas stations and
party stores. We believe that the error in the controlled
manufacturing and dispensing of marijuana was an oversight in the law
and not the intention of the voters."

Oxford Township Supervisor Bill Dunn encouraged citizens with opinions
on the subject to attend the next Ordinance Review Subcommittee, which
is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, at the Oxford Veterans Memorial
Civic Center, 28 N. Washington in Oxford.