In Michigan, the cities of Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills and Livonia, all suburbs of Metro Detroit have banned the growing, processing and sale of medical marijuana which Michigan voters legalized in a hotly contested vote in 2008. Last month in California, Orange County and Los Angeles (L.A.) County banned medical marijuana dispensaries from delivering the drug to patients. Orange county is home to 120,000 people and L.A. County to more than 1.5 million residents. Michigan city populations in Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills and Livonia totals almost 140,000 people.
Medical marijuana has been legal in California for over nearly two decades, but only about two years in Michigan. Michigan voters The ACLU is suing Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills and Livonia for the repeal of city ordinances that ban medical marijuana. ACLU attorney Dan Korobkin calls the city ordinances "egregious violations of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act."
As a Michigan voter in the 2008 election, I voted to pass the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act. I am a mother and educator. In my years in adult and alternative education, marijuana and especially medical marijuana was a hotly discussed topic. Most students and voters, then and now, felt very strongly about the issue regardless of which side they were on.
Despite being a parent and knowing the dangers inherent in passing the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, I voted in favor of the bill. I did promote the passage of the bill as I might do on other issues because medical marijuana is sensitive topic. I couldn't in good conscience, however, cast a "no" vote and deny patients the well-researched pain-relieving benefits of marijuana. I will never use medical marijuana. I will never apply to manufacture or sell medical marijuana. I will not allow medical marijuana in my home, simply because of possible danger or temptation to minors.
If one of my children or my loved ones was prescribed marijuana by a qualified physician, however, I would not want to be the person preventing them access to relief. If the patient was in my care, I would work closely with the physician to provide the best care I could and administer the medical marijuana properly. That's what I do with every medication, pain reliever, drug, herb and even vitamin, over the counter or prescription.
Marijuana is not the only drug that requires close supervision. Many prescriptions medications and even some over-the-counter drugs have been shown to be more dangerous than marijuana. The bottom line: Medications are chemical, synthesized and produced commercially. Good health requires that we monitor anything we ingest, smoke, inhale or otherwise take in to our bodies. Good parenting requires that we monitor for our children until they are able to do so for themselves.
Source: Yahoo News
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