MORATORIUM ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA BUSINESSES TO BE DISCUSSED BY OSHTEMO
TOWNSHIP ON TUESDAY

OSHTEMO TOWNSHIP - Oshtemo Township will consider a six-month
moratorium on new medical marijuana busi-nesses with the second
reading of an ordinance at the township board's meeting Tuesday.

The ordinance imposes a temporary moratorium on establishing or
expanding locations for dispensing and cultivating medical marijuana
in the township in order to give the Planning Commission time to
consider how best to incorporate the state medical marijuana law into
the township's zoning ordinance.

Many municipalities in Michigan have enacted similar moratoriums since
state voters approved a law legalizing the use of marijuana for
approved medical reasons in 2008.

The ordinance does not prohibit licensed physicians from prescribing
medical marijuana. It also does not apply to buildings where one
qualifying pa-tient cultivates marijuana for personal use or one
primary caregiver has cultivated marijuana in accordance with the
state law since before the establishment of the ordinance.

The board approved first reading of the moratorium on a 6-1 vote Feb.
22, with Treasurer Nancy Culp dissenting.

After questioning how the moratorium would affect existing medical
marijuana businesses and not receiving an answer, Culp said there were
too many unanswered questions for her to support the moratorium.

The board heard from four people who are involved with medical
marijuana businesses, all of whom emphasized the safety and legality
of their businesses and urged the board to look into the issues and
work with them to find the middle ground.

The moratorium prohibits the establishment or expansion of any
township property or structure that is used to acquire, possess,
cultivate, manufacture, use, deliver, transfer or transport marijuana
or paraphernalia for 180 days while the Planning Commission develops
recommendations on the regulation of marijuana for medical use.

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BOARD MEETING

What: Oshtemo Township will consider a temporary moratorium on
establishment or expansion of medical marijuana businesses

Where: Oshtemo Township Hall, 7275 W. Main St.

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday

More Information: Call 269-375-4260, e-mail oshtemo@oshtemo.org or
visit www.oshtemo.org.