http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n001/a07.html
MARIJUANA TOP 2010 LOCAL STORIES
Medical Marijuana Raids
Oakland County Sheriff's narcotics agents raided a medical marijuana dispensary in Ferndale and another in Waterford Township Aug. 25 and owners and employees were charged with violating the state's medical marijuana act.
About 16 people were arrested who were connected with the Clinical Relief dispensary in Ferndale and Everybody's Cafe in Waterford.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the defendants sold pot to people without proper ID. County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper joined Bouchard for a news conference after the raids.
Authorities claim the state law, which allows registered patients and caregivers a limited number of marijuana plants, does not allow operating dispensaries. The raids were seen by many as a way for county authorities to build a test case on the pot law.
Nine defendants in the Ferndale raid are awaiting a decision from Ferndale 43rd District Judge Joseph Long on whether the case will go to Oakland County Circuit Court for trial in early 2011.
Michigan's marijuana law has left cities, patients, police and even the courts locked in unresolved disputes over what the voter-approved law allows.
Adding to the confusion, marijuana possession or use of any kind is still prohibited under federal law, which supersedes state laws. The federal Drug Enforcement Agency is currently seeking patient records of seven people in the Lansing area from the state Department of Community Health which is bound by confidentiality laws. The feds say the records are needed as part of a DEA drug probe and the conflict is expected to end up in court.
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n001/a07.html
Newshawk: Federal Law Does Not Supersede State Law
Votes: 0
Pubdate: Sat, 1 Jan 2011
Source: Daily Tribune, The (Royal Oak, MI)
Copyright: 2011 The Daily Tribune
Contact: editor@dailytribune.com
Website: http://www.dailytribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1579
Authors: Catherine Kavanaugh and Michael P. McConnell, Daily Tribune
Staff Writers
Note: Relevant part of a longer article.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Michael+Bouchard
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Jessica+Cooper
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