CIVIC LEADERS CALL FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA BAN IN ROYAL OAK

The concerns raised by residents, parents and community leaders
associated with marijuana, related crime and a reduced police force
were responded to by the City Commission's decision to reject the
proposed location of a commercial marijuana mega warehouse that was
to be located within close proximity to a school, park and
neighborhood. The majority of the Royal Oak City Commission acted
wisely in rejecting the development of commercial manufacturing and
distribution of marijuana in the City of Royal Oak adjacent to major
roads and the Woodward corridor. Furthermore, the City Commission has
taken the important step to ban manufacturing and distribution within
the city by passing the first of two necessary readings of the
proposed ordinance to ban these activities.

We are very concerned and alarmed that the City Commission may decide
to set aside the wisdom of those actions and implement a plan that
would create pot-friendly neighborhoods throughout Royal Oak. The
wisdom that rejected the idea of commercial manufacturing of
marijuana due to the close proximity to homes may now give way to a
disastrous plan that would allow any resident to grow and distribute
pot even if they live across the street from our schools, churches
and playgrounds.

One needs only to look to other states for the negative effects
associated with implementing such a proposal forwarded by those who
have hijacked the medical marijuana legislation while profiting at
the expense of the entire community. Recent national headlines have
included "1,050 pot plants found In Liberty Twp. home" and "Medical
Marijuana used as cover for drugs grown in Fort Collins". Just this
month, we saw the Oakland County Sherriff's Department bust a
marijuana dispensary in Oak Park for the alleged sale of product to
drug dealers who are accused of setting up shop in neighborhood
homes. Royal Oak's neighborhoods do not need to become the next
victim in this poorly crafted agenda.

Good people on all sides of this issue understand the State of
Michigan's medical marijuana law is fatally flawed and must be fixed.
Patients seeking medicine need to be able to access it through
established and safe pharmaceutical practices. Resolution to this
issue must be resolved at the state level. In the meantime, pressure
from those trying to profit from the current environment should not
be allowed to alter the fabric of the Royal Oak community. If the
plan being pushed by some to permit the manufacturing and
distribution of marijuana within our neighborhoods is allowed to move
forward by revising zoning laws we will never be able to roll back
that decision. Those who "set up shop" will be forever grandfathered
in and protected as a result of this short-sighted approach.

We implore our City Commissioners to follow the lead of communities
like Birmingham and Bloomfield and carry out the duty of their
position and protect our neighborhoods. Years have been spent
eliminating the harmful effects of drug infested motel establishments
on neighborhoods. Years have been spent creating a safe community
that has built home values. Years have been spent building a strong
school system that strives to be drug free. Years have been spent
building a diverse and vibrant community. We do not want all of that
to go up in smoke in a single irreversible and misguided

action. A decision to transform our neighborhoods into community pot
farms would have lasting and devastating effects. We ask the City
Commission to pass the ban on the manufacture and delivery on Second
Reading and we implore the Michigan State Legislature to fix this
problem so the real issue facing patients in need of their medication
can be addressed.

Authorized and signed by:

Ed Anderson

Daren Bossenberger

Gary Briggs

Nancy Briggs

Ann Covell

Marie Dunstan

Jay Dunstan

Patty Dunstan

Jackie Galesky

Kirk Jude Goddard

Steve Gustafson, DDS

William Harrison

Laura Harrison

Jim Johnson Sr.

Carla Johnson

Norm Johnson

Shannon Jovic

Ilene Lanfear

Mandy Meinecke

Emmett Mills

Gayle Mills

Shari Morningstar, DDS

Dave Olshevsky

Linda Anton-Olshevsky

Andrew Prentice

Dawne Ripinski

Mike Ripinski

Dan Saad

Doris Saad

Patti Salter

Sandy Simon

Bob Sullivan

Brett Tillander

Jim Tuman

Goeff Vasquez

Peter H. Webster