This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on January 10, 2012.

Our little organization that began with a couple patients, caregivers and professionals, all active in the Michigan medical marijuana industry has now just become a little larger. We are proud to announce the registration of our 10,000th member today, January 9, 2012.

Our work is far from done but with so many members ready to protect the rights of medical marijuana patients we feel confident in our mission.

We have many goals in mind, and we are sure that other issues will present themselves as time moves on.  But right now, Medical Marijuana in Michigan is facing some intense opposition.  Headlines regarding Medical Marijuana are focused on the minority of individuals in the community seeking to exploit the sick and suffering and profit from an illegal drug trade.

Doctors are under investigation for issuing false recommendations, caregivers are arrested and charged as drug dealers, and patients are labeled as drug abusers. One of the primary goals of the MPO is to change that.  Too often our community is plagued by stereotyping, generalizations, and misinformation.  In order to change this outlook, however, we need to work together to distance ourselves from the illegitimate and illegal operations that bring a negative light on the community as a whole.

Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Act as it stands today is unclear.  We at MPO are not looking to change the law, but are looking to clarify it and ensure that patients, caregivers, doctors, and others in the community have a clear concise understanding of what is and is not allowed.  We are advocates for the law that Michigan voters approved in 2008.

As the law develops, MPO will be a voice of the patient community to ensure your needs are addressed appropriately.  We have a tough path ahead of us, but as a community it’s imperative that we work together to get through it.

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