LAWMAKERS SHOULD RETHINK HAZY ACT

In November 2008, Huron County residents voted 8,484 to 8,319 for the
state-wide proposal to legalize the use of medical marijuana.

Last week, Huron County Planning commissioners made plans to possibly
ban using medical marijuana within the county. While it would be easy
to jump to the conclusion that the commissioners are overstepping
their bounds by going against the will of county voters, state
legislators have put them in a very difficult position.

It's been more than a year and a half since the Michigan Medical
Marijuana Act was implemented, and its boundaries still are extremely
hazy. Because of privacy laws, police are not able to get a list of
locals who are legally able to use or grow marijuana. This became a
problem last October when Bad Axe Police raided a suspected growing
operation on W. Huron Avenue. Local police faced a lot of criticism
after the raid, but there was no way they could have known the grower
had certificates to legally grow and harvest medical marijuana. The
Bad Axe Police believed they were busting an illegal growing
operation, and they were acting on good faith to take down a
suspected criminal.

More than a year after that Sept. 25, 2009 raid, the grower still has
not been charged, and, while police still suspect he was acting
outside the law, it's unclear whether charges ever will be brought against him.

This is just one example of raids that have taken place across the
state since the act became law. Medical marijuana growers who are
acting in accordance with the law are becoming the targets of police
who have no way of differentiating them from criminal drug dealers.

Police are wasting time and resources investigating law-abiding
citizens, and legal growers are at risk of having their lives
disrupted by police breaking down their door.

Michigan legislators owe it to law enforcement officials and legal
growers to give police the means to quickly and easily determine who
is growing medical marijuana and who is growing it for illegal purposes.

From a county planning standpoint, it's extremely difficult -- if
not impossible -- to zone for a use that's acceptable in some
situations and not in others. And then there are all the gray areas
where marijuana use has left law officials across the state confused
about what is legal and what is not.

Until the law is amended, it makes sense for local government to
protect to police from wasting their resources, not to mention facing
potential wrongful arrest lawsuits.

It's a shame that people who depend on medical marijuana for relief
could suffer because lawmakers have failed to clear up gray areas in
the law, but county officials are right protect our local police.

This issue is one of many related to the Michigan Medical Marijuana
Act. It's been more than a year and a half. It's past time for
lawmakers to look at the problems this act has caused and take
common-sense action to fix them.

And if it's a matter of not knowing how, or being unable, to zone a
use that's legal in the state but banned by the federal government,
then maybe federal lawmakers should get on board with the rest of
America, as it's clear the majority of citizens favor legalizing
medical marijuana.