STATE has been given 1.2 million to close all dispensaries !

RM3 said:

link?

could find nothing in the news?

Click to expand...

This is the information given those being raided by the state police and the DEA/HL "observers".
Just got told of this on sat. after they raided a friends place on Friday....

Called another "friend" in Det. and T-city... Same thing being said there...

One said a DEA man stated that it was justice dpt. money.

TheMan13 said:

Where and who is this 1.2 million and directives coming from?

The MMFLA application process will not even begin until December 15, 2017.

I'd like to know if Department of Homeland Security and Boarder Patrol resources/assets (alphabet boys) are still being used in these medical marijuana raids to abscond Congress/law as under the Obama administration. You have some personal experience with that game don't you Dr. Who?

Click to expand...

Yes, experienced.

Money came from US Justice.

Friend said there was HL and DEA there as "observers" Had their pretty blue wind breakers on. Vest's below and armed with MP-10's State police showed with force - SWAT. Feds walked on after the entry and secured. Northern MI friend said the state was the leaders and came in heavily armed but, calmly. Feds walked in behind them and didn't say much...Did answer some minor questions.
They were told that this is not a "normal" raid (what ever the fuck that is). They were told to shutter the business and not reopen. Any and all charges from this point on. Will be at the maximum due charge, and will be enforced by the state AG. This is a statewide operation to close all disp. He asked about Det. and some having permits. Fed answered that any permit is now void and they have been working Det. for 2 weeks..

Dumb fuck 420 med solutions in Allegan, was open yesterday......Shady bastard....rumor has it it's cartel owned. By the look of those in charge....I believe it.

Also, the state has begun accepting applications. They are nearing the review as you state.

I recall early on 2009 a green letter came with my registration and it clearly said I can only grow and sell to five patients who carry my card.
how could a dispensary, assuming they will sell to anyone with a card regardless of caregiver status, be legal in this scheme?

When my attorney interpreted the law then he understood I could only grow for five patient registered to me and be able to sell to anyone with a card, he quickly revised that advice a year before schuette came in. I always understood this as
a one cg with five patients, blah blah, not a store front selling to anyone with a card. A store like this would have to buy from someone, and that person would be selling illegally to the dispensary for resale. this was a conspiracy explained to me.

Sessions was denied any funds for marijuana states the headlines say here http://www.newsweek.com/congress-wont-give-jeff-sessions-money-fight-state-marijuana-laws-593188

and here

Congress Gives Jeff Sessions $0 To Go After Medical Marijuana Laws
It’s the latest sign that a major federal crackdown on state pot laws isn’t likely.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jeff-sessions-state-marijuana-laws_us_59077dcde4b0bb2d087023df

not to say trump didnt lie, or sessions wont get his way of course, but what you say goes directly against what the (fake?) news outlets are all saying

chemphlegm said:

I recall early on 2009 a green letter came with my registration and it clearly said I can only grow and sell to five patients who carry my card.
how could a dispensary, assuming they will sell to anyone with a card regardless of caregiver status, be legal in this scheme?

Sessions was denied any funds for marijuana states the headlines say here http://www.newsweek.com/congress-wont-give-jeff-sessions-money-fight-state-marijuana-laws-593188

and here

Congress Gives Jeff Sessions $0 To Go After Medical Marijuana Laws
It’s the latest sign that a major federal crackdown on state pot laws isn’t likely.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jeff-sessions-state-marijuana-laws_us_59077dcde4b0bb2d087023df

not to say trump didnt lie, or sessions wont get his way of course, but what you say goes directly against what the (fake?) news outlets are all saying

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Except that isn't what the limitations in the congressional legislation do:

The language blocks the Department of Justice from spending money to prevent states from "implementing their own laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana." That means that neither President Trump nor Attorney General Jeff Sessions can use the Federal government's resources to enforce federal law to prevent the expansion of medical marijuana.

Click to expand...

It doesn't say squat about not spending money to enforce current law when something isn't protected or legal under state law.

All the feds need to do is claim a grow is violating state law and they can prosecute. How many states, even with "legal" dispensaries, have a working seed to sale system in place?

How many dispensaries sell in violation of state laws? How many buy off the grey or black market?

How many growers NEVER let even a single bud fall into the hands of a rec user?

All the feds need to do is claim a violation of some state statute and they can act. Better yet to just pay the state police to do it.

But ask yourself why are they closing all the dispensaries? It's not like the new licensed providers are open and struggling. The permitting process hasn't even started yet.

Low hanging fruit. They are going to keep hitting grow ops and dispensaries. They will find a way around the simple wording in the act.

A different president and ag wouldn't be doing that. A different governor and state ag wouldn't go along with it. The feds would let the states keep their own houses in order.

But now, everyone is a target. It will be amazing for people to realize just how fragile an ecosystem this community is, and how thin the crust of support is.

Once they manage to scare off investors and innovators, cleanup will be easy. Dr Who is correct, this will be a big pharma project in the end, and we will all be treated like meth labs. And people will die. And corporate critters will become rich beyond dreams.

But the black market growers shouldn't be happy either. You will be much easier to find.

Dr. Who said:

The US dept. of Justice has given the state (police) of Michigan 1.2 million dollars to close all operating dispensaries across the state!

This statewide sweep has begun already! My friends in the business have been hit and told to close - period.

Some friends, sat on a hill and watched 420 get raided on Friday (Allegan area). Alphabet boys were there and "observing".....

There is some conjecture that this has to do with the upcoming awarding of disp licences.

The lic it's self will cost 10K to simply apply for and 35K if granted (over and above the 10K). The application fee is non-refundable.....

How many of these disp. operating and now closed or at least raided, have applied for the lic. Can you say "They lost that 10 K and will be denied!)?

Even if it's simply an employee that gets the sales charge..... LARA will simply say "You were raided for illegal operation of a MJ dispensary. Your denied under the no illegal drug felony line".

Anyway.....Trump and Sessions are closing it down kiddies!

I told you so!!!

I have great doubt that the state actually follow through with "legal" disp for anything!

They're going to start cracking down on legal states..Sessions said so!
Feds are threatening to withhold Fed funds for MJ and MMJ states....
"Oh, Trump won't go after MJ, he supports Medical"

Another "I told you so!"

Click to expand...

I see they're going for the low hanging fruit now. MI would be the first state to be "Sessionized" due to the RW control there. I'd like to see them do CO or OR, the defecation would hit the oscillator there.

greg nr said:

Except that isn't what the limitations in the congressional legislation do:



It doesn't say squat about not spending money to enforce current law when something isn't protected or legal under state law.

All the feds need to do is claim a grow is violating state law and they can prosecute. How many states, even with "legal" dispensaries, have a working seed to sale system in place?

How many dispensaries sell in violation of state laws? How many buy off the grey or black market?

How many growers NEVER let even a single bud fall into the hands of a rec user?

All the feds need to do is claim a violation of some state statute and they can act. Better yet to just pay the state police to do it.

But ask yourself why are they closing all the dispensaries? It's not like the new licensed providers are open and struggling. The permitting process hasn't even started yet.

Low hanging fruit. They are going to keep hitting grow ops and dispensaries. They will find a way around the simple wording in the act.

A different president and ag wouldn't be doing that. A different governor and state ag wouldn't go along with it. The feds would let the states keep their own houses in order.

But now, everyone is a target. It will be amazing for people to realize just how fragile an ecosystem this community is, and how thin the crust of support is.

Once they manage to scare off investors and innovators, cleanup will be easy. Dr Who is correct, this will be a big pharma project in the end, and we will all be treated like meth labs. And people will die. And corporate critters will become rich beyond dreams.

But the black market growers shouldn't be happy either. You will be much easier to find.

Click to expand...

true.
caregivers who register up to five patients, stay in their designated numbers....when start getting arrested for doing that, and losing in court for doing that.... people who need their supply will very easily crawl back underground, they been doing it since before pseudo cards, no problem doing it again, with better info, better nutrients, connections, lights......ideas, forums.....I dont see that action taking place until the privately owned illegal dispensaries began yelling to the law about how moldy a caregiver supply is, not mentioning they themselves resell the very same to sick folks needing small amounts without a proper cg. Hoping to squeeze their only competition, like they all will do, of course
Big Pharma is not new to this game. it only gets worse if they take private supply out, worse for us I agree. but facts are facts.
illegally operating dispensaries, like every one operating currently in Michigan for example, know they are breaking laws, dont care to stop for the cash grab. so be it. those pesky pigs do similar to other illegal operations too all the time. these markets should be proud of their decade long cash grab for cripes sake. thats phenomenal for a non sanctioned criminal to operate in the open so long.

Low hanging fruit? this would be classified as hanging below that right?

But while it also gave $1.5 billion more for border security and $12.5 billion for new military spending, there wasn’t any money for Sessions to go after states that have legalized medical marijuana and or where the recreational use of the drug is legal.
click on link, then click on bolded line for the pdf of what Congress did/didnt do
http://www.newsweek.com/congress-wont-give-jeff-sessions-money-fight-state-marijuana-laws-593188

chemphlegm said:

But while it also gave $1.5 billion more for border security and $12.5 billion for new military spending, there wasn’t any money for Sessions to go after states that have legalized medical marijuana and or where the recreational use of the drug is legal.
click on link, then click on bolded line for the pdf of what Congress did/didnt do
http://www.newsweek.com/congress-wont-give-jeff-sessions-money-fight-state-marijuana-laws-593188

Click to expand...

I'm still not following you. the law (linked to in the article) simply states "to prevent any of them from implementing their own laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana."

That doesn't say the feds can't go after dispensaries, or farms, or even individuals if it has grounds. It just says the feds can't prevent a state from setting up a legal system for mmj.

So all the feds need to do is claim a violation of law not protected by a state mmj regulation. That should be like spotting trucks on an interstate for them. It is a non regulation.

Ask yourselves this. Why didn't congress just pass a law making mmj legal at the federal level?

Easy answer, the funding move gives them political cover without providing anything meaningful to states. They can go home and campaign on how tough they are with the administration. Ooooh. There, there, I'm a good guy, you can vote for me again.

Pthkkkk. Political theater masquerading as policy. A lot of sound and fury until the lights go off....

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

"John Hickenlooper suggests the federal crackdown we’ve been concerned about isn’t coming any time soon, and likely isn’t coming at all."

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/04/27/sessions-wise-to-hear-hickenlooper-out-on-weed/
"Friednash said the attorney general found the Cole memo “not too far from good policy.”


I personally dont doubt for one minute that slim, thats what they call them when they aspire to be politicians, will and are lying all the time, sneaking in their own will and enforcing it upon us.
I'm not doubting dr who's op(ost) at all but need facts too. I'm digging for them and posting them not to argue but to shed light and clarify.

From day one the boogie man was coming to get me I was told. then I met with the dtf at city hall, they laughed at the fact that they had seen many of us in the past, under different circumstances of course, he said. They he told everyone there to follow that green paper and we wont be seeing him ever again. never did, except at a neighbors outdoor, for a few years in a row the cop stopped by drinking bottled water shooting the shit with the gardener. The cop gave some sound advice to my neighbor and no issues ever arose.
But I was scared as fuck, year, after year, after year, after year....hearing the same thing, the boogie man was coming any minute.

Of the raids I read about, the people I know, the ones that got in marijuana trouble despite a card..were all fucking up. You see theres two things going on with marijuana growing. There's love then love of money. Those popped were in the money end, lust not love.
anyone ever wonder how many grower names were handed up to the popo at these dispensary raids, the ones that didnt even close down? didnt get arrested ? wtf? I know a grower who was raided right after the local disp was, he knew it was related. he was otherwise legal, no charges, broken hearts and grow rooms though. there is no way of knowing how this would have went down if those hundreds of dispensaries had not opened and started the green rush. maybe be worse maybe not, maybe be over by now who knows. bravery, greed who cares, those dudes were hero's to many, I dont like them, never did, but they get a smirk n smile from me.

I believe he is, really, I do. I know better than to think this can last forever. Dad said before he left that the only flaw in my world was that I actually alerted the state. But while its here, and I'm lying to myself please refrain from fear mongering, I am enjoying the last years of my life doing this fantasy or not, its mine, I own it, aint no sunshine without it.

greg nr said:

I'm still not following you. the law (linked to in the article) simply states "to prevent any of them from implementing their own laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana."

That doesn't say the feds can't go after dispensaries, or farms, or even individuals if it has grounds. It just says the feds can't prevent a state from setting up a legal system for mmj.

So all the feds need to do is claim a violation of law not protected by a state mmj regulation. That should be like spotting trucks on an interstate for them. It is a non regulation.

Ask yourselves this. Why didn't congress just pass a law making mmj legal at the federal level?

Easy answer, the funding move gives them political cover without providing anything meaningful to states. They can go home and campaign on how tough they are with the administration. Ooooh. There, there, I'm a good guy, you can vote for me again.

Pthkkkk. Political theater masquerading as policy. A lot of sound and fury until the lights go off....

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

Click to expand...

its an article. I understood it. keep digging maybe, hope it clears up. no funds for medical marijuana prosecutions is good.
can someone make up as they go? sure they can. but thats not what we're discussing. should marijuana be legal rec and med? yes. but again thats not the point here right?

judges already shut down a case for this, you dig?

I'm in a similar boat. I live in a rec/med legal state and my grow is 100% within state law.

But I know the feds either know who I am or can find out with just a few mouse clicks. I'm not invisible, even though I don't sell, I don't make it known I grow, and none of my neighbors are aware.

But they still know I'm out there. And once they get the states to agree to stop home growing, they can move if they chose to.

So much of what they do is just raw intimidation. They are the pitchers who will hit a batter just because. So they will make a lot of high profile busts, just to get the message out. They aren't ready to do that yet, but they are focussing their strategies to get there.

Is the sky falling? No, but a tornado in your yard will still ruin your day.

chemphlegm said:

its an article. I understood it. keep digging maybe, hope it clears up. no funds for medical marijuana prosecutions is good.
can someone make up as they go? sure they can. but thats not what we're discussing. should marijuana be legal rec and med? yes. but again thats not the point here right?

judges already shut down a case for this, you dig?

Click to expand...

The article is badly written. It makes a lot of assumptions that aren't in the law. So what''s new there? You have to learn to read the laws yourself. Don't let the press interpret them for you. The law doesn't say the feds can't prosecute people, it says they can't stop states from implementing mmj legalization. Two very different paths.

One judge stopped one case and sent it back to a lower court. That isn't judges, and it doesn't have a lot of precedent or a very broad shadow. It can also be overturned by other judges.

Those individuals lost their farm, their crop, their cash, and won't be getting any of that back. They also lost 5 years of their life that they won't get back. They still don't know if they are free. The government can appeal the decision, or can simply keep the case in legal limbo hoping congress will fail to renew the act (it has to be renewed every session).

So it isn't clear. It is a speed bump to the feds, not a roadblock. If congress had intended a roadblock, they would have passed a very different bill.

like i said....a caregiver following the law isnt getting hassled yet.
you should read more google of folks that talked recently with sessions, hear their interpretations. they clear this up.
medical marijuana patients and growers will not be hassled because their are no funds for this hassling. those operating outside of that legal scheme can expect to be hassled as always, because there has always been funds for that hassling.
I hope that helps

chemphlegm said:

like i said....a caregiver following the law isnt getting hassled yet.
you should read more google of folks that talked recently with sessions, hear their interpretations. they clear this up.
medical marijuana patients and growers will not be hassled because their are no funds for this hassling. those operating outside of that legal scheme can expect to be hassled as always, because there has always been funds for that hassling.
I hope that helps

Click to expand...

I think the keyword there is yet. Now suppose you as a perfectly legal mmj grower have a friend over who gets high on your supply, then wrecks their car. they tell the officer where they came from and who got them high. Maybe it's a plea deal. Maybe they send them in with a wire.

But now they have you for violating your grow license. Or maybe you just leave home without your med card and have a stash? Same deal, in some places you can buy a felony for that.

So there are a lot of cracks they can use even to get to you. And growers? They better be lickety clean. They can't be seen at a cup giving away weed, or even entering a cup. Distribution to an unlicensed vendor or even directly to an end user is a crime just about everywhere.

And none of that is impeded by the budget act. The feds can investigate anything they link to rec use or a state violation. And they can spend unlimited funds, especially asset forfeitures, to do it.

Yes, the justice department directly spends the cash it seizes. It is a giant slush fund that doesn't fall under congressional oversight.

Are you and I safe? for now, as long as we stick to the absolute letter of the law. but now might be a very short period of time since laws can and do get changed every year at the state level. We just went through a round of changes that basically dismantled a citizens petition and recast it with the legislatures priorities. They left personal use alone, for now, but there are those that want it removed.

Now may just be the good old days.

Bangor Twp approved Wild Bills Tobacco to come and invest 21 million into an old DOW Chemical plant to grow in. Whether the state approves their application is another question which my assumption is yes they will get approved. They were one of the top donators to get these bills passed and possibly some cash in ol' slick Rick's pockets as well.

There is a ways around this since our medical law is still in place. Educate everyone and do not support big business coming into our community. Everyone can learn to grow quality and ethical medicine for people.

My life is too short worrying about what could happen if someone lies or cheats in their job.
I've no intention of going to jail for being a legal caregiver, i dont show, I dont go, and nobody knows.

Fake news...

greg nr said:

I'm in a similar boat. I live in a rec/med legal state and my grow is 100% within state law.

But I know the feds either know who I am or can find out with just a few mouse clicks. I'm not invisible, even though I don't sell, I don't make it known I grow, and none of my neighbors are aware.

But they still know I'm out there. And once they get the states to agree to stop home growing, they can move if they chose to.

So much of what they do is just raw intimidation. They are the pitchers who will hit a batter just because. So they will make a lot of high profile busts, just to get the message out. They aren't ready to do that yet, but they are focussing their strategies to get there.

Is the sky falling? No, but a tornado in your yard will still ruin your day.

Click to expand...

agreed.
the feds dont care about your 72 plant indoor garden, even before the cards they just didnt care. They started caring when signs went up, big marijuana leaf cosplay on the sidewalk, selling to anyone with a card, feds cared about that for sure.
When the warning comes why not heed it? feds are not coming for a fella with a card, a few grow lights and the jalopy I dont think, but hey, thats just me lol.