SHERIFF EXPLAINS ACTION AGAINST MEDICAL MARIJUANA SELLERS, GROWERS

PONTIAC - One day after an investigation that resulted in 15 arrests,
the closure of two medical marijuana dispensaries and the seizure of
approximately $750,000 worth of marijuana products, Oakland County
Sheriff Michael Bouchard spoke about what he sees as a growing problem.

"This is Michigan. This is not a Cheech and Chong movie," Bouchard
said during a Thursday afternoon press conference.

Ferndale's Clinical Relief medical marijuana dispensary, 362 Hilton,
was among the establishments that were raided Wednesday by undercover
officers with Oakland County's Narcotics Enforcement Team.

Police action may not have come as a surprise to employees there.
Bouchard said the Sheriff's Office recently warned those at the
facility that police believed they were participating in illegal activity.

Undercover officers allegedly bought marijuana at the facility
without a medical marijuana card, which is required for a legal
purchase of the drug. Marijuana also was being sold in the parking
lot, and undercover officers witnessed hand-to-hand drug deals, Bouchard said.

Other drugs were also confiscated, and the owner had solicited others
to buy high-end marijuana to sell in the establishment, he said.

"There were many commonalties with what we regularly see in drug
houses," Bouchard said. "One place had live alligators walking around
protecting the product."

The evidence was on display for the media, ranging from jars of a
wide variety of marijuana strains and marijuana plants to candy,
cookies, sugar and lollipops, along with several guns.

Everybody's Cafe, in Waterford Township, was raided under similar
circumstances Wednesday, after officers said they purchased marijuana
without proper credentials there. Police also raided multiple
residences, though the locations of those homes were not released.

Many arrest details are not yet available because no suspects have
been arraigned. Arraignment could be as soon as today, Bouchard said.

"(Marijuana is) illegal to use except in certain, limited
circumstances," Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper said during
the press conference. "In Michigan, it is very limited."

Limits include a cap on plants per patient (12) and patients per
caregiver (five). Patients are not able to purchase the drug legally
from anyone other than their designated caregiver, and marijuana
plants must be maintained in an enclosed, locked facility.

"No dispensaries are authorized," Cooper said. "No co-ops are authorized."

She said the state's medical marijuana act is quite different from
that of other states, like California.

"Most of the population does not understand that," Cooper said.
"Medical marijuana is an exception (that has been) carved out for
people who have a debilitating disease."

Both Bouchard and Cooper agreed that the statute needs clarification.
They suggested changes that might make the law clearer.

"New Jersey has one state-run dispensary," Cooper said. "That would
eliminate the need for caregivers and eliminate the need for growers."

Bouchard said a tamper-proof medical marijuana card with a photo ID
should be required. A photo is not required on the current cards.

"There's no way an officer or a deputy can verify that it's a valid
card," Bouchard said.

Law enforcement officials don't want to deal with the issue, Bouchard
said, noting that enforcement can be costly and require many resources.

"We don't want to deal with this at all if it's within the scope of
the law," Bouchard said. "It's going to divert a lot of precious
resources from things we could and should be doing. This is not
something we should be spending a lot of time and money on."

Bouchard said in his opinion, voters decided that people who were
suffering deserved to have their pain lessened when the measure
passed in November 2008.

"This has gone far (away) from that," he said. Patients have received
medical marijuana cards for things such as stomachaches and shoulder
pain, Bouchard said, while others have taken the opportunity to "take
an illegal operation and give it the air of legality."

An investigation is ongoing and more arrests could be made. Suspects
could face charges such as possession of marijuana with intent to
deliver and manufacturing marijuana, with penalties ranging from 90
days to 15 years imprisonment.

"This is a clear abuse of Michigan's medical marijuana exemption,"
Bouchard said. "It will get nothing but worse. There will be more
problems unless the Legislature does its job."