Pubdate: Wed, 8 Dec 2010 Source: Battle Creek Enquirer (MI) Copyright: 2010 Battle Creek Enquirer Contact: http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/customerservice/contactus.html Website: http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1359 Author: Barrett Newkirk, The Enquirer Cited: Battle Creek Planning Commission http://mapinc.org/url/mirHyTi8 Cited: Commissioners http://www.battlecreekmi.gov/City_Government/Mayor_and_Commission.htm Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Battle+Creek Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Michigan+medical+marijuana Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/compassion+clubs BATTLE CREEK GRAPPLES WITH MEDICAL MARIJUANA RULES Commissioners Consider Banning Compassion Clubs Elected officials in Battle Creek moved Tuesday to stop medical marijuana patients from using the drug in so-called compassion clubs and limit the use to patients' homes. At a meeting that brought more than 100 people to City Hall, city commissioners began the formal discussion on how to regulate medical marijuana within the city. No vote was taken on the two ordinances before the Enquirer's deadline. Vice Mayor Chris Simmons said he felt that Michigan's medical marijuana law doesn't allow for compassion clubs to distribute the drug, something the city initially proposed banning but then moved to allow. Commissioner David Walters, a former police officer, said he was uncomfortable with the idea of patients driving away from compassion clubs while under the influence of marijuana. Dozens of people spoke out against the proposed rules, saying they will limit patients' access to legal medication, will make patients turn to the streets to obtain the drug and will open up the city to lawsuits. "The patients don't have the luxury of getting the medication at a pharmacy; they must find their own way to obtain it," said Pam Sparks, whose brother uses medical marijuana. The city is proposing zoning and licensing requirements that limit where medical marijuana is grown, distributed and used. It would require caregivers, unless growing the marijuana for their own medical use, to obtain a city license and keep their growing operations within certain commercial zones. Those growing operations could not be located within 1,000 feet of a school or licensed day care. The state law says patients cannot use the drug in public. The city has grappled with the idea of whether to give patients an alternative place to use the drug besides their own homes. An initial draft ordinance limited use to in-home only, but it was later changed to allow use in so-called compassion clubs after many people said they needed an alternative location. But the city commission could reinstate the ban on usage at the club. Many people at Tuesday's meeting said that would hurt patients. "If you shut (the compassion clubs) down, I can only see you helping drug dealers and putting patients at risk," said Mike Rothwell, a Battle Creek medical marijuana patient. "I'd also be hoping that you wouldn't spend my tax money on litigation and going to court." A requirement that renters obtain written permission for their landlords before growing or using medical marijuana in their homes was stricken from the draft ordinance before Tuesday's meeting because city staff members worried the rule would be in opposition to federal fair housing laws. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake