Michigan House Panel Signs off on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries, Edible Products

Will it be better for the patients/consumers? In my opinion, yes. Let the free market do what it does. The shops with shitty meds and rip off prices will lose to the shops with better meds and better prices. Anything that benefits the people most in need I have to support. If they put a limit on the amount of dispensaries that can open, then I can see where price gouging would run rampant.

I completely understand everyone's concerns but, think the new laws could have been much, much worse for both patients and caregivers.

If they want us to follow the law, let us profit, if we experience loss, I think most will go back to the street.

thecatsmeow said:

Good news for patients and caregivers--clearer, more sensible Medical Marijuana policy may be coming to Michigan soon...

http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/12/michigan_house_panel_signs_off.html


LANSING, MI -- Medical marijuana dispensaries could return to Michigan under a proposal heading to the state House floor for consideration.
The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday unanimously approved bills that would update the voter-approved Michigan Marihuana Act of 2008 to make way for dispensaries and allow more parts of the plant to be used in edibles.
The panel, in a 8-1-2 vote (with two Democrats passing), also approved a proposal to create a separate "pharmaceutical-grade cannabis" registry in the event that the federal government ever reclassifies marijuana as a Schedule II drug fit for medical use.
House Bill 4271, introduced by state Rep. Mike Callton, R-Nashville, would empower local communities to decide whether they want to allow dispensaries. Medical marijuana storefronts had operated in Michigan until a February ruling by the state Supreme Court forced them to close.
The substitute version approved Tuesday would require testing of medical marijuana sold through the "provisioning centers" and prohibit them from cultivating the plant, meaning they could only sell excess marijuana grown by certified caregivers or patients.
Callton, who fine-tuned the bill with input from municipalities and law enforcement officials, said the proposal would improve patient access and care.
"If you get your recommendation from a doctor, instead of waiting four to six months for someone to grow plants for you -- and you may be dead by then -- you'll be able to go right away to a provisioning center and get the medicine you need," Callton told MLive.
House Bill 5104, sponsored by state Rep. Eileen Kowall, would update the medical marijuana law to clarify that multiple parts of the plant -- including dried leaves, resin and extracts -- can be eaten or otherwise used by patients.
The version approved Tuesday includes new language defining the allowable amount of edible or topical marijuana that patients or caregivers can possess.
The Michigan Court of Appeals, in a July decision, ruled that "pot brownies" are not a usable form of marijuana under the medical law, essentially prohibiting non-smokable forms of the drug, including topical creams, drops and edibles. An appeal request has been filed with the Michigan Supreme Court.
Tim Beck, who helped spearhead the 2008 petition drive for medical marijuana, praised the passage of the bill despite some concerns with the proposed testing requirements and regulations.
"Nobody has ever died of an overdose of marijuana," said Beck. "Even marijuana that has mold might be unpleasant, but it's not a fatal situation. Most marijuana is not contaminated. Stuff you buy from Mexico is another story, but around here, people are very, very careful. It think the need (for testing) is a little exaggerated, but that's the sausage-making process."
Despite unanimous passage in committee, the bills face an uncertain future in the state Legislature, which has generally moved to add regulations to the voter-approved medical marijuana law rather than expand it.
Senate Bill 660, already approved by the upper chamber, faces a more likely path to passage, but it would have no effect unless the federal government reschedules marijuana.
Sponsoring Sen. Roger Kahn, R-Saginaw Township, testified last week that the new registry would not replace the state's caregiver-patient model, but it would provide patients with the option to access carefully tested and consistently dosed medicine.
Kahn worked on the bill with former state House Speaker Chuck Perricone, who now represents Prairie Plant Systems. The bio-pharmaceutical company has been Canada's primary medical marijuana provider for more than a decade and would like to grow the drug in a former copper mine that it owns in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
State Rep. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, opposed the bill because it would require patients to give up their current medical marijuana certification if they wanted access to the pharmaceutical-grade registry, forcing them to pay another $100 fee if they changed their mind and wanted to return to the patient-caregiver model.
"I would like to not charge citizens twice for the same access to the same service," said Irwin, who proposed an unsuccessful amendment to waive the fee for recertification in the original medical marijuana program.

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PFFFFFFFFT!!!!! ---grrrrrrrrrr

so now dispensaries have more rights than patients.....rrrrrrrrrrr!

Here is where I would start:
Sponsors
Mike Callton - (primary)Tom McMillin, Peter Pettalia, Jon Bumstead, Frank Foster, Kevin Daley, Jeff Irwin, Brandon Dillon,Woodrow Stanley, Marcia Hovey-Wright, Greg MacMaster, Jim Ananich, Thomas F. Stallworth III, Phil Cavanagh,Sam Singh, Ken Yonker, Phil Potvin

Does anyone know about the people here who are sponsoring the bill?
Where do they stand in the past on such issue's?
What is there voting patterns?
Are they big business?

abe supercro said:

provision centers will be growin it and directly or indirectly purchasing it from themselves.

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Yep. The vast majority of meds sold through dispensaries will be grown by the dispensary owners, or within a tight-knit chain of growers all maxed out with patient cards. I know of several dispensaries in AA right now that get most of their meds from California growers, and I don't see this law changing that. A bogus bill of sale would be all that's needed. Weed doesn't come with an identification number. There would be no way for the state to know where any given bag of weed came from ... and I doubt that they'll care so long as they're getting their piece of the action.

st0wandgrow said:

Yep. The vast majority of meds sold through dispensaries will be grown by the dispensary owners, or within a tight-knit chain of growers all maxed out with patient cards. I know of several dispensaries in AA right now that get most of their meds from California growers, and I don't see this law changing that. A bogus bill of sale would be all that's needed. Weed doesn't come with an identification number. There would be no way for the state to know where any given bag of weed came from ... and I doubt that they'll care so long as they're getting their piece of the action.

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Hmmm.

From what I read the bill was amended so that a provisioning center would not be allowed to grow there own.

somepotname said:

Hmmm.

From what I read the bill was amended so that a provisioning center would not be allowed to grow there own.

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They have to buy overages from caregivers and patients, true. What's to prevent the owners of a dispensary from forming a co-op of "caregivers" (business associates) who each max out 72 plants, and create a constant flow of meds coming in the back door? The bill prevents the dispensary as a business from opening up a warehouse and growing a bunch of plants exclusively for their operation (like Colorado does), but it does not prevent more creative ways of accomplishing the very same thing.

What's wrong with a dispensary owner growing the meds they provide?

Huel Perkins said:

What's wrong with a dispensary owner growing the meds they provide?

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Interferes with the average persons ability and right to do business in a free market.

It's the difference between financial success and ruin for me. I'd love to get myself off of food stamps and disability, this in the only way that I have to do that.

So you solely depend on dispensary owners to buy your meds from you or else you're going to be broke? That's a load of shit...

Try investing everything you have into opening a dispensary and then tell me how you'd feel if you no longer were allowed to grow....

Huel Perkins said:

What's wrong with a dispensary owner growing the meds they provide?

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Nothing I suppose. I don't deal with them so I don't give a shit one way or the other. People just shouldn't be fooled in to thinking that these places will be buying meds from random caregivers and patients. They will be producing their own

Huel Perkins said:

Testing only requires a gram of flowers and even less for concentrates.

Tests are $40.

Results usually come within 24 hours.

Everyone in the industry knows where to go for testing...

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Testing could be a huge issue in the future.
You should see what PP aka Cannimed has accomplished in Canada. They have eliminated personal grows, and you have to have very big pockets to become a licensed producer. Security and QA are their tools to restrict who can play.
Testing for thc/cbd is nothing compared to mould, pesticides and heavy metals. A batch test will cost you $1k from a licensed lab.
Watch out, I see warning signs here.

st0wandgrow said:

Nothing I suppose. I don't deal with them so I don't give a shit one way or the other. People just shouldn't be fooled in to thinking that these places will be buying meds from random caregivers and patients. They will be producing their own

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I feel the exact same way. I don't deal with them or personally need them so i don't really care if they are self sufficient or exclusively buy from caregivers but think they should be allowed to do both.

michagander said:

The testing will destroy you selling overages to dispensaries, think about it:

You have 3 ounces of overages to sell, in order for a dispensary to buy it, you or them will have to pay to have it tested. Where will it be done? How long will it take? How much will it cost?

3 ounces, maybe. What if you only have 1/2 oz to sell? The cost of testing would kill the deal.

Only those growing large amounts will be able to afford and wait for testing, imo.

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um...yo couldn't sell a half ounce to dispensary before could you? I always had mine tested when I sold to a disp before the system I used though was have 1-6 oz, sell 1 at the lower price they offered for untested meds and use that $ to test the rest. I bet I'll find a place that pays for the test assuming the seller has what appears to be good meds. A2 works on the drop a gram off system already. seriously though, a dispensary for a half? Get a friend LOL

how does the dispensary bill being passed change anything?

There are hundreds of dispos in business right now in this state, they grow their own and buy from random caregivers coming in.

For those of you who think that they will shut our caregivers coming in trying to sell their meds is wrong. Sure the Dispo will try and grow their own, but they will not be able to keep up with demand. I know small time dispos selling 2lbs per day. Who knows what the big ones in AA do.

They will always need variety. If you have good stuff you can always find a home for it. But most caregivers do not have good stuff lol

Huel Perkins said:

So you solely depend on dispensary owners to buy your meds from you or else you're going to be broke? That's a load of shit...

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How would you know, are you here watching where my money comes from and goes to? I assure you that the only cash I get, I grow.

ProdigalSun said:

How would you know, are you here watching where my money comes from and goes to? I assure you that the only cash I get, I grow.

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Yes, I spend all my free time watching you.

Anyone peekin thru naughtynursenancy's curtains sure would get an eye full

Is P2P back on the table?

Huel Perkins said:

Yes, I spend all my free time watching you.

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That's why you know that I have so much money?

My heat/electric alone is over half of my income.

Some one said in the new bill you can have as many clones as your heart desires as long as they are
under 12". Does anyone know if that is still in the bill?

Also, does the bill say anything about the testing facilities? It would not take that much upfront cash
to run a non profit testing facility paid for by caregivers for caregivers. If the current places that
test, start jacking prices something would have to be done.