Michigan Chief Justice: I'm 'So Sick' Of Medical Pot Cases
GRAND RAPIDS (WWJ/AP) - The chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court says he's seen enough medical marijuana cases.
Robert Young Jr. told The Grand Rapids Press that the law approved by voters in 2008 is "no model of clarity" and says "it's a mess."
He spoke to the newspaper Tuesday while in Grand Rapids for a judicial conference, summing it up by saying he's "so sick of medical marijuana cases.
The current Michigan law allows patients with diseases and conditions such as cancer, Crohn's disease, PTSD, glaucoma and hepatitis C to use and possess the drug without state-level repercussions.
Young says supporters of medical marijuana took parts of laws from other states when they drafted the Michigan ballot proposal. Since the law's passage, the state Supreme Court has interpreted it many times.
The court says local governments can't stop people from properly using medical marijuana. The law itself does not mention dispensaries, but court rulings have since ruled pot shops are illegal.
There are bills in the works that would help to clarify the law, at least when it comes to pot shops and edibles which are not mentioned in the 2008 legislation. Of the 20 states where medical marijuana is legal, 14 allow dispensaries, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Advocates say the legal dispensaries would create jobs and generate state revenue. Michigan's medical marijuana licensing program netted $6.8 million in fiscal 2013.
There is legislation in the works that would help to clarify the law, at least when it comes to pot shops and edibles.
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