This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on October 2, 2013.
For those in Michigan, you understand that Oakland county has been the most hostile county regarding medical marijuana and lacks the ability to even acknowledge the state’s medical marijuana laws that passed in 2008. After tonight that stance will be changing. During this evening’s county commissioner meetings, Commissioner David Woodward discussed and explored rescinding or amending Resolution #00229 to his fellow commissioners, a standing resolution that all but ignores any legitimacy of medical marijuana in the county and reflects the behavior of the county sheriff’s and prosecutors office to this day.
Resolution #00229, a position that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners adopted in 2000 plagues this county still and set policies that have removed children from their home, put grandmothers in prison and established a prosecutor’s office with a zero-tolerance of accepting medical marijuana as a defense from arrest. Ignoring state law. A very frightening proposition for residents of the county.
Pronouncement of good intentions with nothing more amounts to monumental hypocrisy.
Federal Judge Damon Keith. Pontiac, MI Anti-Busing Case.
Fortunately, in October 2013, our commissioners (we expect) have decided to stand with the nearly 70% of Oakland county voters that said yes to medical marijuana in 2008 and erase this dated viewpoint from the record, for the health and well being of it’s citizens.
Below is the resolution that has encapsulated Oakland county policies and actions to this day.
BY: General Government Committee, Shelley G. Taub, Chairperson
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – OPPOSITION TO LEGALIZING MARIJUANA
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The General Government Committee, having reviewed the above-mentioned resolution on October 11, 2000, recommends to the Oakland County Board of Commissioners the resolution be adopted.
Chairperson, on behalf of the General Government Committee, I move the acceptance of the foregoing report.
GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #00229
BY: Charles E. Palmer, District #16
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – OPPOSITION TO LEGALIZING MARIJUANA
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS the Oakland County Board of Commissioners supports the goal of a safe and drug-free community; and
WHEREAS the marijuana plant contains more than 400 chemicals, including the mind-altering chemical THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol); and WHEREAS the research shows that smoking marijuana has numerous negative effects on the user, including cognitive impairments of learning, memory, perception, problem-solving, coordination, motor skills and judgement; and
WHEREAS long-term marijuana use results in changes to the brain common
to heroin and cocaine abuse; and
WHEREAS the possession or use of marijuana is against Federal and State
law; and
WHEREAS marijuana is a controlled Schedule 1 substance and Federal law prohibits physicians from prescribing the smoking or ingestion of the marijuana plant for medical reasons; and
WHEREAS there are safe and effective medicines that can help control and lessen symptoms of persistent nausea, vomiting, wasting syndrome, or loss of appetite from acquired immune deficiency syndrome, chemotherapy, or radiation treatment, as well as medications available for multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, epilepsy and other medical conditions; and
WHEREAS marijuana legislation efforts in states across the nation have shifted from authorizing marijuana use for supposed medical reasons to attempts to legalize the cultivation, use and possession of marijuana for adult personal recreational use; and
WHEREAS community youth emulate and model the behavior of adults; and
WHEREAS drug use statistics document that when teen perception of risk decreases, teen use of marijuana increases.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners declares its opposition to any attempt to legalize the cultivation, use or possession of marijuana in the State of Michigan.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners declares its opposition to any attempt to limit the use of forfeiture laws which are an important tool designed to take the profit out of drug trafficking.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners opposes any actions that would increase the availability and accessibility of marijuana to the youth of its communities.
Chairperson, I move adoption of the foregoing resolution.
Charles E. Palmer
District #16
This is great news and really kind of disturbing that this is on the counties record. How insulting to patients. The forfeiture part makes the whole thing make sense, it is about them getting your money.
I am all for medical cards for patients who are “actually” sick. The problem is that cards are handed out to anyone with cash. I have an 18 year old neighbor who smokes all day and I have to smell it in my house. I have tried talking to them and their response is, oh he has a medical marijuana card. That should be for ill patients only, not people that just want ro get high. I have children that don’t need to smell it or think it is ok to do drugs. I did them and it nearly ruined my life. There should be some kind of regulations that strictly monitor the distribution of medical marijuana cards…
it comes down to freedom of choice, so if it is medical marijuana you choose to medicate your self with than that should be everyones personal decision !! …..
but as far as your neighbor, you can let him know that it is illegal for any marijuana plants to be seen in public view even if behind a chain link fence at any time, and you can tell him that it is illegal to sell to, or brandish marijuana in public view, so all you would need to do is install some kind of basic security system, 4 camera infrared night vision sets can be found on ebay for under $200 bucks, just record all of your daily activity outside the home and then you actually have something that you can take to the police(if something does happen), as far as the smell… there are many different air deodorizer gels that you can buy or different kinds of flowers or plants you can plant outside your house to destroy most obnoxious odors
a few will always abuse the system. Half of all prescription pain pill users abuse the system with real prescriptions. Do we not stop pill production? Maybe if we added the smell of marijuana to opiates then you would be able to monitor the abuse of prescription medication and report it to the authorities.
Jeanine we all know some one who smokes pot, how are you helping those that really need it. Acknowledge med marijuana and then fix it. Labeling every one as ‘your neighbor’ does no good to the majority of actual patients. Most pot smokers never get cards by the way and maybe your neighbor is sick. maybe ask his doctor??
Brooks has advocated equal rights for the county as much as nazis did for Germany. Retire!!!