Michigan Medical Marihuana Law is laws of different states that regulate the use, distribution and possession of medical cannabis. Due to their widespread legalization and the high demand for these laws, many other states have copied them. Medical marihuana law began to become popular in 2012 after a court case in Michigan brought attention to its benefits for medicinal users.
However, this movement got interrupted by community backlash due to racial disparities in arrest rates. Despite these setbacks, medical cannabis law made its way back into mainstream conversations again with the passing of Proposition 64 in 2016.
What Is The Purpose Of Michigan Medical Marihuana Law?
The primary purpose of this michigan medical marihuana law is to decriminalize the use of medical cannabis and provide patients who have obtained a doctor’s recommendation with the legal protection required to consume medical cannabis. This law also allows for the creation of state-licensed cultivation facilities, independent testing laboratories and retail stores. This law will enable patients to obtain their recommended doses from certified dispensaries with strict safety standards.
Accordingly, using medical marihuana law can be considered a positive step toward establishing a safer and more efficient way to obtain medical cannabis.
Do Medical Marihuana Laws Apply To The Federal Law?
Federal law is the supreme michigan medical marihuana law of the land. Thus, it is always given precedence over any conflicting state laws. This means that even if a particular state passes a medical marihuana law, federal agents can still arrest and prosecute anyone violating it. Moreover, doctors who recommend or use medical cannabis can be charged since it might interfere with their other drug-related duties.
However, there is an exception to this rule that could legalize federal enforcement agencies to intervene in states where medical marihuana laws exist. This exception is if these states have not set up their regulatory schemes. If they decide to disregard their versions of medical marihuana laws.
How Does The Michigan Medical Marihuana Law Work?
The central provision of this law is that it allows the use of medical cannabis to patients who suffer from a long list of severe medical conditions, including chronic pain and seizures, cancer, glaucoma and hepatitis C. As long as these patients receive a recommendation from a doctor and the necessary documents needed to register with the state. They can purchase their recommended dosage from one of the state-licensed dispensaries in many areas in Michigan.
The law also allows for the licensing of any individual who wishes to grow medical cannabis or industrial hemp. However, a registration fee of $250 needed to be paid to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to become a cannabis grower.
In addition, this law allows the creation of 10 state-licensed medical marihuana farms that can grow flowering plants and up to 500 non-flowering plants for five years at a time. Moreover, these farms should have strict security measures and policies regulating their employees to follow state and federal laws.
Why Are Michigan Medical Marihuana Laws So Popular?
After a federal judge ruled against a ballot measure that would have legalized the use of medical marihuana in Michigan. A group of citizens urged the state to take action. Thus, they decided to form the Coalition for Compassionate Care and filed a lawsuit against the state to force them to amend their laws. After this court case, the approval rate for medical cannabis increased considerably. Many people started asking for changes in their state’s michigan medical marihuana law.
In November 2016, voters passed Proposition 64. This law legalized medical cannabis throughout California and established a research program for medical marihuana. As a result of this law, over 100 other states followed suit and passed their medical marihuana laws. However, even with the passing of this law, federal agents still enforce federal laws in the states where medical marihuana is permitted.
Is The Medical Marihuana Law Compatible With Federal Law?
The first primary concern for many people was whether legalizing cannabis would be compatible with federal law. However, such concerns were assuaged by the Trump administration when Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that he would maintain the current administration’s enforcement on any state that legally allows its citizens to use or possess cannabis for medicinal purposes.
However, this announcement did not affect the many states that have already passed their medical marihuana laws. These states have chosen to ignore this announcement by the Attorney General and continue to provide legal protections for their citizens who need medical cannabis.
The second concern was whether there would be a conflict between state and federal law. If a particular state legalized medical marijuana. However, federal agencies like Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) would not have any problems enforcing current federal regulations as long as they are within their jurisdiction.
Does The Michigan Medical Marihuana Law Affect The Federal Controlled Substance Act?
The Controlled Substances Act of 1971 is the federal drug law that makes it illegal for a person to possess, manufacture or distribute any synthetic or derivative cannabis. Suppose a person involved in this crime is found in possession within the state. They can be charged with a felony. However, if someone obtained their medical marihuana from a state-licensed dispensary. They would not need to worry about federal agents busting them.
Some people may be afraid that moving to a medical marihuana state will put them on the radar of federal agents and expose them to punitive measures. However, the Attorney General has said that he will not interfere with michigan medical marihuana law and will leave it up to individual states to decide whether they want to legalize medical cannabis in their states.
What Are The Potential Risks Of The Medical Marihuana Law?
Although there are no dangers associated with this michigan medical marihuana law, it does have its potential risks. Many people believe that there is a high cost of medical marihuana since you still have to pay for the medicine even though you are allowed by state law to use it. This could be an issue if the federal government starts selling marijuana or licenses cannabis companies. In addition, if a person is caught with their medicine and is using it to make money. Federal agents will probably have no problem charging them with a felony.
In addition to these potential risks, there are concerns that the federal government may intervene in states where medical cannabis laws exist. If the federal government decides to start prosecuting individuals charged with manufacturing or distributing marijuana for medical purposes. The conditions where such laws already exist would be in danger of losing much of their revenue from sales taxes. To avoid such a scenario. Many states have made it difficult for medical marihuana companies to cash their checks since they do not want them to use this money for criminal purposes.
Are There Any Benefits To The Michigan Medical Marihuana Law?
Although the FDA has not approved medical marihuana, it has been held by many doctors as a successful treatment for many conditions. For example, some studies have shown that medical marihuana can improve symptoms associated with cancer, alleviate chronic pain and even work better than prescription opioid painkillers. However, due to the lack of federal funding, the results of these studies are limited. Therefore, it is hard to tell whether or not this will be a positive impact on other people.
Therefore, many people have decided to move from Michigan to find a more fruitful treatment for their ailments. However, the federal government’s position on this matter has made it clear that the government will not interfere with the decisions of individual states, where people are allowed to use medical marihuana for their various conditions. Therefore, anyone with such a condition and considering moving to a form that will enable medical marihuana might want to consider this decision carefully since it may have significant consequences.
Conclusion
Although medical marihuana laws may have some potential risks. They have been proven to be an excellent treatment for many conditions. However, more studies are required before the government decides whether or not to legalize it entirely. The House and the Senate have approved an amendment allowing more research on marijuana and its medical application. Hopefully, this amendment will be signed into law soon so that researchers can begin performing more studies on this topic to get more information on whether or not medical marihuana is a safe alternative to recreational and prescription medication.
