TOWNSHIP LIMITS MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE

Medical marijuana patients in Bloomfield Township will have to go
outside the township to fill their prescriptions and have to register
with the township police under the specifications of two ordinances
approved by the township board Monday.

The township has been wrestling with the medical marijuana issue for
months, and had placed a moratorium on dealing with it as it weighed
the impact of the state law allowing medical marijuana, which was
approved by voters in 2008.

"The law is a total mess," Township Attorney William Hampton said.
"The Legislature must do something about this. It's such a poorly
written law."

For now, however, the township has determined that marijuana cannot be
cultivated and no dispensaries will be allowed in the township, but
patients are allowed to use marijuana in their homes. However, there
can be no more than two patient users in a home and use is allowed
only in residential areas.

The state law provides for "caregivers" who may have up to five
patients, and they can have up to 12 plants per patient.

In addition, patients -- but not caregivers -- must register with the
township police. That is for the safety of the patients and police,
said police Capt. Steve Cook, who outlined the ordinances to the
township board. Having a list of addresses of patients can prevent the
township police from mistakenly raiding a place where marijuana is
being used legally.

"If we get a tip on a location, I can check that it's not on my list,"
Cook said. Raids are serious affairs, Cook said, with officers wearing
body armor and carrying high-powered weapons. They are needed because
illegal dealers often have high-powered weapons of their own. Cook
said the patient registration would be confidential. Failure to
register is a misdemeanor.

Caregivers have to be registered with the state.

Other area communities have been dealt with the medical marijuana
issue in different ways. Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham do note allow
dispensaries, citing that it is a violation of federal law. Beverly
Hills has a moratorium on the issue.

The federal government said, however, it is not interested in pursuing
medical marijuana violations.