ROCHESTER HILLS EXTENDS MORATORIUM ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

ROCHESTER HILLS - An additional six months have been tacked onto a
moratorium to start medical marijuana grow operations and
dispensaries in one Oakland County Community.

Rochester Hills City Council approved the measure at its Monday night
meeting, citing the vagueness of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act.

Included in the moratorium was wording that the city would support
clarifications that the state legislature made to the Act.

The council had approved a 180-day moratorium on businesses
associated with medical marijuana in July.

Public officials had said the moratorium was to give the city time to
study how to approach the regulation of dispensaries.

Rochester Hills Planning and Development Director Ed Anzek told the
council the city's research involved looking at how different
communities have handled the law.

Some municipalities have banned the dispensaries, others have
adjusted zoning ordinances, and some have given free reign, he said.

"We feel in trying to develop standards of implementation, we could
end up in the crosshairs of the federal government," Anzek said.

Marijuana is still illegal under federal law regardless of Michigan
law allowing it for medical purposes.

Several council members said they don't want to overturn the will of
the voters, but would like to have clarification on the law.

"Frankly I'm not sure six months is quite going to work, I've seen
the legislature in action," quipped Councilman Michael Webber.

Resident Alice Benbow said Michigan approved medical marijuana to
help people with diseases, and the law should be respected.

"I can appreciate the concerns," she told the council, adding she
doesn't support the use of marijuana without a viable medical reason.
"Please don't deny people help."

Dr. Bradley Barnes told the council the matter is far from settled
and there are too many questions involved in the law.

"The research is very mixed, and of course it can't be done because
it's illegal to give anyone marijuana," he said.

"So we have no good scientific evidence that any of these diseases
are really helped. We don't know what the risk-benefit ratio is."