This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on April 12, 2012.
Unorganized-independent-medical-marijuana-growers and caregivers that meet at “farmers market” or have mobile delivery services and sell to patients the medicine want to know, “are we legal to do this?”
Depending on what area of Michigan you transact, the wealthy or poor part, law enforcement will answer the question, often with force. A recent Court of Appeals decision and a pending Supreme Court hearing of that case attempt to further deter this “non Walgreens” type of dispensing.
So why this topic? After reading through the Michigan statutes surrounding Veterans I read what I believe to be a great answer to the question. Full disclosure, I am a Veteran.
The answer has to do with transient merchant and public health code laws, and how a Veteran is exempt from the act and not subject to regulation. There are many other areas where us Veterans have “special privelages” and this medical marijuana dispensing seems blessed as well.
Transient laws have to do with who can sell items at temporary markets like weekend swap meets, peddlers at events or sporting games and farmers markets. The statute clearly says that Veterans are implictly allowed by statute to not require a license or any interference from the Government.
Does this mean that Veterans can take over the medical marijuana market, perhaps. My advice is to tread cautiously in this industry, prosecutors have a funny way of reading the law and don’t care about your military status, so be smart and always be ready for war.
It as if the legislature, in their infinite wisdom knew that only Veterans could survive the challenges of growing any new cottage industry, Medical marijuana is no different and we are ready.
Unlike the majority of my civilian life, other than visits to the Home Depot, I am going to invoke my Veteran status, I may even get a bumper sticker for the car. Perhaps a simple Air Force moniker, our slogan may be a bit much.