Dear Editor,
(In response to ‘Township eyes medical marijuana ordinance,? The Citizen, April 17, page 1):
Atlas Township is having a meeting about marijuana growers and raising an uproar about nothing.
Dispensaries are not allowed under Michigan’s medical marijuana law. Neither is a large growing facility. In fact, if you grow for yourself and the maximum amount of people you are allowed to grow for, (60 plants for five people plus 12 for yourself) you can do it in a 21 foot-by-21 foot room. The Canadian growers that have been focused on by news specials grow for profit for more than is allowed by Michigan’s law. Any deviation from Michigan’s new medical marijuana law will get you the same penalties as drug dealers would get, as it will be determined that is what you are. Laws for alcohol are the same for marijuana users, no driving, no school yards, etc.
In the eyes of those that took the time to know the law, Atlas officials are looking pretty dumb trying to prevent with new ordinances what is already against state law. Those that are selling at $30 an ounce to those they provide for, and are registered with the state to provide for, are charging too much and are violating the law.
Providers are allowed to charge time plus materials for the medical marijuana they grow for those that are too disabled to do so for themselves.
That includes $1 per bucket to grow plant in. $1.98 for potting soil to grow plant in $5 per month for fertilizer per plant per month. $50 per month for electricity increase to grow plants for all customers. $ ?.?? per month for time. Total should not be more than $25 per ounce medical grade or not.
With 2.5 ounces allowed per person to be in their possession to be sold for cost plus time the provider should be collecting 12.5 X $25 or $350 per month to recover costs. That’s just less than $300 month for what little time it takes to tend to the plants, dry them and place in baggies or containers for delivery to patient. That covers the cost of the providers marijuana usage for their own medical needs per month.
Dispensaries, people making huge profits on sales of marijuana to sick and people in pain from disease, is NOT something this voter enacted when he voted to legalize marijuana for the medical needs of those that are suffering.
Nor do new law or ordinances need to be created by every township in Michigan.
Atlas Township officials need to read the law, then enforce the law! Stop those that are using this new law to profiteer off the sick. They are criminals hiding behind a good law, purporting they are doing good, but only lining their pockets off those that can’t work and fleecing what little money the taxpayers give out to support those who can no longer support themselves.
Robert Therrien
Ortonville