POLICE RAID OAK PARK MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

People at an Oak Park medical marijuana dispensary said officers
entered their building Wednesday evening, searched people there and
seized money, and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said the raid
was a result of a tip that patients were selling to nonpatients.

Rick Thompson, who writes for Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine, a
publication located in the same building as the dispensary and Big
Daddy's Hydro, said between eight and 10 officers came into the
building at 5 p.m.

"They were very polite, there was no yelling or flash grenades," he
said, noting three officers were masked. "They were courteous to the
10 patients and employees, and even let one pregnant woman go to the bathroom."

Undersheriff Michael McCabe said the masks were to conceal undercover
officers' identity. He stated the raid was the result of a
months-long investigation.

McCabe said the Sheriff's Office arrested drug dealers who were
selling marijuana out of their homes.

The dealers told the Sheriff's Office that they were "purchasing all
their marijuana at Big Daddy's and then selling (from their homes)
illegally," said McCabe.

He said the original people arrested were from the northeast part of
Oakland County.

McCabe said officers seized 9 pounds of harvested marijuana, 5 pounds
of packaged marijuana, 10 pounds of baked goods with marijuana,
documents, a digital scale and a laptop computer.

A confidential informant made undercover purchases at the dispensary
and that person "was buying from other patients in the facility," said McCabe.

Thompson said officers asked to see driver's licenses and medical
marijuana cards.

"Since everybody had proper ID, there were no concerns," said Thompson.

Officers seized $2,874, said officials. No one was arrested during
the Wednesday raid.

"They didn't take patients' money or medicine, but they have done
that in the past," Thompson said. "They took some medication,
whatever we had on hand, and brownies and suckers."

Thompson said the dispensary uses a locker system, similar to one
used at a Mount Pleasant compassion club.

"It was found to be in compliance and we have a similar system of
distribution," he said.

He explained caregivers bring medicine in for their patients and then
dispensary workers distribute it to patients "in a way that means
caregivers don't have to stay all day long," he said. "It's safe and
secure and legally correct."

Thompson said he found the raid's timing odd.

"What is odd is if they wanted to arrest someone for doing illegal
transfers, they could have done that or if they had wanted to halt
business for not operating within the law they could have done that.
They didn't toss the place but only focused on one or two rooms."

Thompson said he believes the raid was a response to recent court
matters involving the DEA's request for patient information.

"This was just reactionary action directed by Lansing to intimidate
us and the Michigan Association of Compassion Clubs and our stand to
protect patients' rights," he said.

A judge in Grand Rapids postponed a hearing Wednesday to determine if
the state of Michigan should cooperate with a federal subpoena
seeking medical marijuana records.

The delay Wednesday was due to a last-minute request to intervene by
a group called the Michigan Association of Compassion Clubs.

Federal drug investigators have served a subpoena on the state
seeking information on certain people with medical marijuana or
marijuana caregiver cards.

The Drug Enforcement Administration won't talk about the Lansing-area
probe, but says it's not cracking down on medical marijuana users.
The agency says it pursues large-scale drug traffickers. The state
says it will comply if there is a court order.

More than 45,000 people in Michigan are registered to use marijuana
to ease the symptoms of cancer and other health problems.

Thompson said officers said, "'Don't blame us, it comes from above.'"

No undercover officers first attempted to buy medical marijuana, he said.

"Now they (officers) come in almost apologetic," he said. "This tells
me this wasn't directed by the Oakland County Sheriff."

Jamie Lowell with the Michigan Association of Compassion Centers said
"it appears as though Oakland County has adopted a very narrow view
of the rights afforded people under the Michigan Medical Marihuana
Act that is contrary to what the voters and drafters intended.

"From what I understand, law enforcement in Oakland County Narcotics
entered properties, destroyed and took items of value. The Michigan
Medical Marihuana Act is specific about protecting people from such
forfeitures.

"These issues could be resolved for everyone if the authority figures
in Oakland County understood and respected the (act) and the broad
set of rights and protections it creates."