PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM MARIJUANA CLINIC

The Meridian Township board just rezoned a day care center across from
Okemos' Chippewa Middle School for a medical marijuana clinic. The
clinic's owner is the same doctor who operates medical marijuana
clinics on East Michigan Avenue and North Grand River Avenue in
Lansing, serving approximately 23,000 mid-Michigan patients. The
township board thinks the location across the street from our seventh
and eighth grade school is just the right place for this new major
medical marijuana facility.

How did Michigan's medical marijuana law go this wrong so fast? In
November 2008, millions of compassionate people, two-thirds of our
state's voters, approved medical marijuana to aid the suffering of
patients with chronic pain. When I voted for the law in 2008, I
imagined that a few hundred sick and suffering patients would qualify
to use medical marijuana.

Perhaps I was naive, but I never dreamed my compassion would abet
substance abuse, profiteering and serious crime. In less than two
years under the new law, the state has received 111,451 medical
marijuana applications.

A handful of doctors who write patients marijuana recommendations have
collected more than $10 million for that service.

Marijuana growers and suppliers have earned many millions more.
Medical marijuana facilities are blighting our urban and suburban
landscape, with more local locations than Starbucks, and are powerful
magnets for violent crime.

Regardless of where you stand on the medical marijuana debate, no
marijuana facility belongs across the street from our middle school.

Marijuana is still an illegal drug under both state and federal law.
It is still a gateway to the use of more dangerous drugs. It is still
a major source of crime and violence. Marijuana doesn't need to be
held on prominent display for our children.

The Federal Safe and Drug-Free Schools Act recognizes "drug-free
school zones" within 1,000 feet of school property. The purpose of
these zones is to provide children a place where they can study and
play and be safe from drugs. The proposed Meridian medical marijuana
clinic encroaches on that zone. Hundreds of children will have to walk
right past this medical marijuana clinic every day, to and from
school, and play in its dark shadow.

Parents and citizens of Meridian Township can do something about this
medical marijuana clinic. We can circulate a petition in the township
to allow all township voters to decide whether the clinic should be
permitted across from the school.

We must collect 2,900 signatures by April 5 to preserve our right to
vote.

Our vote can reject the medical marijuana clinic and protect our
children from drug abuse and crime.