Pubdate: Fri, 02 Aug 2013
Source: Jackson Citizen Patriot (MI)
Contact: http://www.mlive.com/mailforms/jacitpat/letters/index.ssf
Copyright: 2013 Jackson Citizen Patriot
Website: http://www.mlive.com/jackson/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1190
Author: Lisa Statayut

STATE REP. MIKE SHIRKEY SCHEDULES DEBATE ON DECRIMINALIZING SMALL 
AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA

GRASS LAKE, MI - The debate is ripe.

State Rep. Mike Shirkey says now is the time to debate the pros and 
cons of decriminalizing small amounts of medical marijuana in the 
state. He is hosting a town-hall event in an effort to talk to the 
public on drug enforcement strategies and policy.

The timing couldn't be better.

On July 30, a group of medical marijuana advocates petitioned the 
city to decriminalize marijuana. More than 550 Jackson residents 
signed the petition calling for a law that allows city residents 21 
and older to possess 1 ounce of marijuana or less.

The event takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14, at the 
Grass Lake Township Hall, 373 Lakeside Drive.

"Are we forcing law enforcement to police and jail recreational 
marijuana users instead of using time and money that should be going 
to battle our meth lab epidemic?" Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, said in a 
statement. "Are we limiting reasonable options to end-of-life pain 
management by putting excessive restrictions on medicinal marijuana?"

He said those are questions that politicians, law enforcement and the 
public need to discuss and answer.

Shirkey offered bi-partisan support when co-sponsoring House Bill 
4623 that would impose fines instead of jail time for the possession 
of up to an ounce of recreational marijuana.

The lawmaker is hoping for a large turnout and invited state Rep. 
Jeff Irwin to speak, the author of HB 4623 to speak. Former Cook 
County prosecutor James Gierach, a member of Law Enforcement Against 
Prohibition (LEAP), will also speak at the event.

Shirkey said 17 states have some type of marijuana decriminalization 
laws on the books. LEAP members wanted to talk to Jackson residents, 
in part, due to the local petition drive addressing the issue.

"My time working with law enforcement as a Cook County prosecutor and 
municipal attorney showed me firsthand how frequently we are turning 
average citizens into criminals and not spending enough time tracking 
down and dealing with the true bad guys in this equation," Gierach 
said in a statement.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom