RX FOR MARIJUANA CREATES CONFLICT FOR PATIENTS, COPS

Michigan voters overwhelmingly approved a 2008 law to allow doctors
to prescribe marijuana to patients suffering from chronic pain and
nausea, as well as serious illnesses like cancer and HIV.

The law contains restrictions about how much marijuana a patient can
have, and where he or she can get it.

But here are some of the problems that have arisen:

* Police and prosecutors contend that some doctors are prescribing
medical marijuana to patients they meet for the first time, after a
brief exam, for a fee ranging up to $200. The law does not require
extensive documentation about the patient's ailment -- only
state-issued identification cards -- and law enforcement contends
some people are getting approved for marijuana use for very minor
ailments and are, in effect, using marijuana as a recreational drug.

But marijuana advocates say it is not the role of the government or
law enforcement to judge a patient-doctor relationship, even one that
is brief. They argue one patient's back pain may be another patient's anguish.

* The law is clearly written to prevent widespread marijuana
operations, limiting patients to 12 plants each, or 2 1/2 ounces of
marijuana. In an attempt to help patients who are too sick or
otherwise unable to grow their own marijuana, the law allows licensed
caregivers to provide up to five patients with the drug. Law
enforcement contends that some of these caregivers are far exceeding
amounts allowed, essentially operating drug houses -- not medical
dispensaries or so-called compassion clubs.

Medical marijuana suppliers and patients counter that that they
follow the guidelines. Sometimes households have two patients who are
also licensed as caregivers. Under the law, that would allow them to
possess 144 plants, something law enforcement considers to be a
significant commercial marijuana operation.