Pubdate: Fri, 01 Apr 2005
Source: Ann Arbor News (MI)
Copyright: 2005 The Ann Arbor News
Contact:  http://www.mlive.com/aanews/index.ssf
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/20
Author: Ann Schimke, News Staff Reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/props.htm (Ballot Initiatives)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROPONENT MAKES PEACE WITH CITY ATTORNEY

Dispute Over Language in Amendment Eases, but City's Stance on Issue
Hasn't Changed

The leader of the campaign that led to Ann Arbor's medical marijuana
amendment last November said he has no more quarrel with City Attorney
Stephen Postema.

Chuck Ream, a Scio Township trustee, was angered by Postema's comments
after the amendment to decriminalize marijuana use when recommended by
a physician passed with 74 percent of the vote, but said he was happy
with the outcome of a January meeting with Postema and other city officials.

"My quarrel with him is over," said Ream this week.

After the election, Postema said 27-year-old case law dictates that
city officials can refer complaints for prosecution under state law
even though it would be contrary to the city's new charter language.
Police Chief Dan Oates also said in a written statement he had
directed his officers to continue enforcement of all marijuana sale
and possession offenses as they did before the vote.

Ream praised what he called compromise language written by Postema
after the January meeting about the city's stance on medical marijuana.

The language, which was in a letter to a reporter for a local
publication, said that city police and the city attorney's office
retain some discretion in prosecuting marijuana cases.

"The very nature of this discretion is that each case is decided on
its own facts," wrote Postema. "However, the compassionate concerns
underlying the charter amendment are concerns that are certainly
understood by the police and the city attorney's office as this
discretion is exercised."

Postema said this week that he didn't view the statements about
discretion as compromise language. He did say the January meeting
helped resolve a misunderstanding about how the city planned to
approach any medical marijuana cases, which he said rarely, if ever,
occur.

He said proponents of the charter amendment thought the city
attorney's office had unfairly attacked the ballot initiative after
the election and that the city was changing its priorities to come
down on people who used marijuana for medical reasons. Postema said
the city wasn't changing its priorities and that he understood the
concerns of the amendment's advocates.

Ream said his goal now is to urge Mayor John Hieftje and City Council
to take small steps that will allow more discussion about medical
marijuana use. He said they could start a subcommittee on the issue or
take other interim steps that won't cost money or get the city in
trouble with State Attorney General Mike Cox. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake