Briana Adams Kevin Payton Angela Allen

HISTORY The first direct reference to a cannabis product as a psychoactive agent dates from 2737 BC, in the writings of the Chinese emperor Shen Nung. The focus was on its powers as a medication for rheumatism, gout, malaria, and oddly enough, absent-mindedness. Marijuana was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed for various conditions including labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classified marijuana along with heroin and LSD as a Schedule I drug, i.e., having the relatively highest abuse potential and no accepted medical use. Marijuana Plants / Cannabis

ADVOCATE “Be an Advocate for what you love, Instead of Bashing what you hate.” Lonnie Scott: Keynote speaker at NASS 2013 conference. November 4, 2008, Michigan voters Passed the Michigan Medical Marijuana Initiative; also know as Proposal 1. Patients with debilitating medical conditions Including cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV. Passed in every one of Michigan's 83 Countries by a vote of 63%.

Summary of Bill # 4856 In November, 2008, Michigan voters approved a new state law allowing the medical use of marijuana. The new law allows seriously ill people in Michigan to legally use marijuana for medical reasons with doctor’s approval and permits these qualified patients and their caregivers to grow limited amounts of marijuana for their own medical use. However, the use of marijuana in public or while driving remains illegal. (Marketing Resource Group, INC.)

Controversial

Medical Use Personal Pleasure

Changes to Bill # 4856 What is considered to be the most important change to the bill is that Marijuana must now be kept in a container in the trunk whenever Transporting it in a vehicle. If the vehicle has no trunk, it must be inaccessible to The passengers. Patients and caregivers who do not comply can be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment up to 93 days and a 500 fine. Registry renewal is now done every other year instead of once per year. Registry cards and photo ID’s must be carried by the patient as well as caregiver in order to have protection from arrest. Physicians who recommend marijuana to patients must establish a “bona fide: Physician-patient relationship. Enclosed, locked facility is now defined as, the structure being anchored to the Ground and equipped with functioning locks.

Caregivers/Penalties Caregivers are defined as a person responsible for the housing, health and safety of a patient. He/she must be a legal adult 18 years or older and have significant Responsibility for managing the well-being of the patient who has been diagnosed with a debilitating condition. A “Primary caregiver” must be 21 years or older and prove at a minimum that he/she consistently provided caregiving, independent of any assistance in taking marijuana at or before the time he/she assumed responsibility for assisting with medical Marijuana. Simply supplying marijuana and instructing a patient on the use of medical marijuana Does not qualify a person as a caregiver. A Primary caregiver may assist more than one patient, but must reside in the same County as all of their patients. In Michigan the caregiver is allowed to carry 2.5 oz. and grow 12 plants per patient.

The standard for California is, according to SB 420, 6 mature or 12 immature Plants and 8 oz. of dried cannabis per patient. However the amount of marijuana a caregiver can have is subjected to the same laws and local ordinances of patients of medical marijuana. Individual Cities and Countries may allow greater amounts but cannot limit it to Less than Statewide guidelines. A person can not serve as a caregiver if he/she has been convicted of any Felony within the last 10 years. A person can never be a caregiver if he/she has a felony conviction that involved Illegal drugs or was defined as an “assaultive crime.”

Current Statewide Poll Statewide poll taken by Marketing Resource Group, INC. as of January 24-27, 2011 asked Michigan voters, “If you were voting on this issue again today, would you vote Yes, to approve the medical use of marijuana in Michigan, or NO, to reject it”? (If Don’t Know or Refused Ask: would you say You lean yes or no?) These were the results. Vote yes……..59% Lean yes………2% Vote No………35% Lean No………..2% Don’t know……..1% Refused………….* Total Yes………..61% Total No…………37%

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