This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on January 27, 2016.
The residents of Michigan have enjoyed a liberally drafted and likely one of the most progressive cannabis laws in the whole of the United States. The problem is, one man has taken the task of destroying the will of Michigan citizens and in the process, destroying Michigan’s marijuana law.
In 2008, just before the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act was passed by a large number of Michiganders, a Michigan judge, Bill Schuette spoke on television and in the papers urging voters to vote ‘NO’ on the ballot proposal that legalized the sale, possession and use of marijuana.
Many people including local sheriffs, businessmen, mayors, landlords and prosecutors relied upon information provided by William Schuette, then a Michigan appellate court judge and chief opponent to Proposal 1.
Judge Schuette was quoted by the Detroit Free Press in an October 25, 2008 article, “Is Marijuana Good Medicine?” as saying that “not explicitly outlawing pot shops implicitly allows them.”
And again in a October 29, 2008 press release, titled, “California Experience + Proposal 1 = Michigan Pot Shops” Judge Schuette states, “There is not a single paragraph, sentence or word within Proposal 1 that prohibits pot shops from opening in Michigan, just like they did in California,” said Judge Bill Schuette, co-chair of Citizens Protecting Michigan’s Kids and a member of Michigan’s Court of Appeals.
“Proposal 1 is a loophole-ridden proposal that brings dangerous unintended consequences that put our kids and communities at risk. Voters should say ‘No’.”
It should be noted that then-Judge Shuette’s statements were made in potential violation of Canon 4 of the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct, which states that “As a judicial officer and person specially learned in the law, a judge is in a unique position to contribute to the improvement of the law, the legal system, and the administration of justice, including revision of substantive and procedural law and improvement of criminal and juvenile justice. To the extent that time permits, the judge is encouraged to do so, either independently or through a bar association, judicial conference, or other organization dedicated to the improvement of the law. A judge should regulate extrajudicial activities to minimize the risk of conflict with judicial duties.
The MCJC goes on to list activities in which a judge may engage, and none of those activities include making off-the-cuff comments to a prominent newspaper regarding the potential interpretation of an initiative that would almost certainly (and in fact did in many cases) appear before the very court on which a judge sits.
This was just the beginning of statements made by Bill Schuette. Fast forward to 2010 when Mr Schuette was campaigning for elected office, this time as Michigans Attorney General. As a candidate for political office and an attorney, Mr. Schuette is once again in a position where his professional ethics could easily be compromised. Schuette again sided against caution and makes the following statements:
“And, far from limiting the usage of marijuana to a small, select group of patients, the pot industry has become one of the fastest growing industries in Michigan. State government is receiving more than 1,000 medical marijuana patient applications each week. And less than two years after the ballot proposal was approved, there are more than 8,000 so-called caregivers in Michigan — people who grow and harvest marijuana plants.”
Schuette went on to say “Pot shops are literally sprouting up everywhere. One in Lansing is less than 100 feet from a Catholic middle school, and oftentimes those who attend night classes at the pot shop park in the church and school’s parking lot.”
Schuette Wins Attorney General Election
First actions as Attorney General – Destroy the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act through written opinions and cooperation with conservative prosecuting attorneys and judges. And the cops. “Dispensaries – what are those? Arrest everyone, patients too!”
[pullquote type=”right”]How many more people could have found relief, cancer patients spared and how far could we have advanced sensible legislation regarding medical cannabis. Schuette took that all away.[/pullquote]
If that is not bad enough, the Republican Schuette shifted control of the state Marihuana program under his administrations direct control. A job that once resided with the Department of Community Health now is overseen by the States ‘Top Cop”? That’s not a conflict, right?
Since Bill Schuette took office medical marijuana patients have been plagued by crooked cops that intimidate and steal assets, zealous prosecutors with nothing to lose, and a master mind Attorney General who once went by the name Billy Bong during his high school years in the 1970’s.
Children have literally been taken from patients and just for possessing a state issued medical marijuana card. Despite a law aimed at lowering arrests for cannabis, marijuana arrests have shot up significantly and ‘Michigans Top Cop’ is to blame fully.
Now, with a lead poisoning in Flint, Michigan and a worldwide audience, our Attorney General is asked to investigate the situation, unbiased.
SOURCES:
http://web.archive.org/web/20081209050559/http://www.nopotshops.com/
[author title=”About the Author”]
TTHIS IS A TRAVESTY! Resulting in a police state! Unbelievable until IT WIPES OUT YOUR FAMILY AS IT DID MINE! Thank god I don’t have children or it would’ve taken them.
All for choosing an herbal remedy/ plant based medicine made available to me by law! WTH???
MIGHIGAN UNDER SCHEUTTE IS A POLICE STATE! Just be aware