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MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES SAVE LIVES

According to the Center For Disease Control, 44 people die from prescription opioid overdoses every day in the United States.  In 2013, more than 16,000 people fatally overdosed on prescription painkillers.

Recently, researchers from the Rand Corporation and the University of California-Irvine have determined that in the 18 states that allow medical marijuana and also allow dispensaries, there was a 16 percent reduction in "opioid-related mortality" ( deaths ) and a 28 percent reduction in opioid-abuse treatment admissions.  In the six states that allow medical marijuana, but not dispensaries, there was no difference in opioid related overdoses or abuse treatment admissions.  Their conclusion: Marijuana dispensaries save lives.

Since our state government has been dragging its feet, a few months ago the Howell City Council decided to look into the possibility of licensing and regulating provisioning centers ( dispensaries ) for approved Michigan medical marijuana patients.  The city council felt that to best serve their constituents, something local needed to be done.  Eventually, however, they decided on continuing the moratorium on provisioning centers until at least April 30, 2016.

Considering the new findings, perhaps the Howell City Council, as well as the state government, should rethink their ban on provisioning centers.  Unless, of course, they actually do not care for the well being of Michigan's citizens ( read voters ).

Lee Mitnick

Howell