Two Bills SB 321 and HB 4834 -
designed to dismantle and sabotage the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act of 2008
Engaging the Michigan Senate in 2012
These are two bills that can
be modified to the benefit of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program. House
Bill 4834 can have language added that will bring the program to the 21st
Century regarding customer service. Program participants will be able to use
the Department of Licensing and Regulations’ website to enroll, make caregiver
changes, and certify patients. No more filling out of paper applications and
compatible with your I pad.
Senate Bill 321 - 420
Analysis:
This is a request from my
patients who want the following changes to the upcoming bills for the common
good. First, please remove the following lines from page 3 of Senate Bill 321
as it discriminates against an entire class of Michigan Citizens.
16
(B) AN INSURER SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR
17 THE
MEDICAL USE OF MARIHUANA OR FOR EXPENSES RELATED TO THE MEDICAL
18 USE OF
MARIHUANA
Michigan is the
only state that gives Drug Companies immunity to manufacture and distribute
products that are faulty without fear or prosecution in a court of law.
Insurance companies should not be able to dictate to people how to defy and
break State and local laws voted on and supported by your constituents who are
their customers. States rights and discrimination are two issues supported by
the Attorney General with great passion. This is truly a States’ Rights and
discrimination issue because medical marijuana patients need protection from
employers and insurers from being treated like second class citizens. We need
an affirmative action from the Office of Attorney General to end and prevent
discrimination against the Civil Rights of law-abiding citizens who choose to
use Marijuana as their medicine.
HB 4834 – Amend to add a patient photograph on the Michigan Medical Marijuana Card. 420 Analysis
How is it that the State of
Arizona has pictures on their Medical Marijuana cards in less than one year and
the State of Michigan is giving excuse after excuse on why we CAN’T do same the
job?
Michigan was long before
Arizona in Medical Marijuana reform and they have pictures on their cards
already. Click Here to See the State of Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Program Information.
An Arizona resident can use
their card to cash checks at a bank because it is a valid government ID similar
to a Drivers License. Not bad for a State that voted for Mitt Romney.
We can do better in Michigan
by adding the entire registration process to Dept. Of L.A.R.A.'s website so
that citizens can apply and pay for their registration online. Do we not have
the talent to do this? All of these people passed a drug test? Come on man! We
spend massive amounts of money in State Government on Information Technology
Services and if this is the best we can do, then it is time for an overhaul.
Removing drug testing for Marijuana in a person’s body for employment with the
State would cut spending and, raise revenue in the form of adding people to the
workforce that can pay taxes instead of cutting all of the time.
Therefore it is high time to
get the technology in order by amending bill 4834 to allow for a process to
place the picture of the participant on the card. This should be done with
immediate effect. Given that LARA has improved the turnaround time for
processing applications, the reprinting everyone’s card with a picture on it
should be less than 60 days. If you are a patient or caregiver this is of
importance because you want to streamline government, create revenue to fly
over the fiscal cliff.
Contact Senator Geoff Hansen
in Room 420 (and his Senator Friends) at the Farnum Building in Lansing Michigan and ask him to get the State's technology needs in order to get the
job done. GOP caregivers, patients, and cannabis lovers are encouraged to
contact their senators. Share the medicine across party lines.
Let’s help this Lame Duck
walk to the end.
Richard C. Clement – Patient
Advocate - Lansing Compassionate Care Commission
Past Director of Minority
Affairs and Outreach Programs 2008-2011
Michigan Chapter of the National Organization for the Reform
of Marijuana Laws
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