This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on December 16, 2013.
For you readers in Michigan or those aware of the resistance to change in the Great Lakes state, you surely read the title more than once. Oakland county Michigan, the nation’s most funded and angriest opponent of marijuana can barely acknowledge a 5 year-old state medical marijuana law, however, they are permitting approximately 20 dispensaries in their jurisdiction. Despite their non-vocal acceptance, next week the county will be challenging a Ferndale, MI dispensary Clinical Relief, in the State’s Supreme Court.
In the summer of 2010 undercover officers used fake State marijuana cards and drivers licenses to infiltrate and raid Clinical Relief. The dispensary was the state’s first authorized dispensary and given permission from both the city of Ferndale and Oakland county CEO L. Brooks Patterson. The raids made the national headlines, assault rifle’s were drawn to children’s heads, county officials held press conferences, and the patriarch to half of the defendants involved died of a heart attack after the violent raids. You see these people are my friends, and believe it or not, a spark that helped to create this living thing that’s known as the Marijuana Patients Organization.
How can a dispensary that was established with the assistance of Oakland County CEO L. Brooks Patterson still be prosecuted, and while others are flourishing?
“It is current policy of the Oakland county narcotics task force to only use fake paperwork when we are entering the dispensaries as UC’s (under cover officers)” said narcotics officer Jared Dean (out of respect for the brave efforts of this officer we have changed his name)”. “The county prosecutors will not prosecute cases in which we used fake cards. It’s entrapment. We only use paperwork, and are not going to waste our time”.
This information was verified with the offices of county prosecutor Jessica Cooper. In Michigan there is a delay in issuing cards to patients, in some cases up to 4 months. Michigan statute clearly states that in lieu of your physical card from the state, that paperwork and a cancelled money order or check to the State will qualify until your physical card is mailed.
It is widely held that our conservative leadership is destroying the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, administratively, we cannot help to agree.
MPO readers please do me this favor, and no matter what part of the world you are reading this from, contact Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and ask why he is sitting quiet when he was personally and professionally involved with Clinical Relief and the defendants?
While it is my opinion that mankind, throughout history has benefited from the strength and courage of defendants like those in the Clinical Relief case, enough is enough. Let my friends go.
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L. Brooks Patterson, County Executive
Phone: 248-858-0480
Fax: 248-452-9215
E-mail: mullanw@oakgov.com
Mailing Address:
Executive Office Building – 41 West
2100 Pontiac Lake Road
Waterford, Michigan, USA, 48328-0409
Brooks Patterson has a chemical dependance problem and should never be expected to do the ‘right thing’
It’s laughable that he is going after marijuana users.
How terrible when our politicians sworn to protect us opt for the highest bidder and Brooksie has done that his whole life.
What an a-hole