In its latest work session – now known as the Committee of the Whole – Lowell city councilmembers heard from a half dozen people as they considered whether the community should allow medical marijuana facilities.
Under the state Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (MMLA), municipalities can authorize businesses with one of the following licenses to operate within their limits as early as December 15, 2017:
- Grower
- Processor
- Transporter
- Provisioning Center
- Safety Compliance Facility
Municipalities also have the option to opt out and not authorize any of these facilities within their limits.
Connor Baker, a resident of Belding and owner of Buzz Solutions, has asked the City of Lowell to pass an ordinance which would allow him to open a provisioning center, also known as a dispensary, in the city. The council convened its Committee of the Whole to consider just that.
Kent County Prosecutor First to Speak
Greg Boer, Assistant Kent County Prosecutor, was on-hand to first provide his office’s perspective on the law. “What you should be cognizant of is that you’re not giving your residents any immunity from federal law,” Boer said while opening his remarks. Even if the city and the state allow the distribution of medical marijuana, there is nothing to prevent federal agents from bringing charges. Currently, marijuana is an illegal substance under U.S. law.
Beyond that concern, Boer noted that smoking marijuana has fallen out of favor among many people who prefer marijuana edibles. These items include things such as candy, tea and cakes that have been infused with THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Boer said the THC in these products can be much more potent than what users may get from smoking marijuana. He also shared that there have been cases of children ingesting these items and overdosing on the THC.
When it comes to dosages, Boer says there seems to be little guidance from the medical community on the proper use of marijuana for medical purposes. “I’ve never seen a doctor say this is what a dose of marijuana is and this how often you should take it,” he said.
According to the prosecutor’s office, 18-34 year olds are the largest demographic group requesting medical marijuana cards. The most common medical complain cited is chronic pain. “You can make of that what you will,” Boer said.
His other comments centered on the limited ability of the city to regulate provisioning centers once they have been allowed, tax issues and the risk of butane explosions that can occur when people try to extract the THC from marijuana. He also noted that Colorado has seen an increase in crime, marijuana use and the cost of police resources after the recreational use of the substance was legalized there.
Medical Marijuana Caregiver, Patients Make Case for Ordinance
After Boer’s comments, Connor Baker took the podium. He introduced himself as a father of five, husband and medical marijuana caregiver. His presentation emphasized the need to provide safe, lab-tested medical marijuana to the community, something he says can be best achieved through the establishment of licensed provisioning centers. Without such centers, people may be forced to buy medical marijuana on the black market where quality and safety may be questionable.
In addition to outlining the aspects of the law, Baker explained there are two compounds in marijuana that can be medically beneficial: THC and CBD. The use of CBD is non-psychoactive. Baker said the compounds can be used to increase appetite, reduce nausea and manage pain, among other things. The Epilepsy Foundation supports increased access to medical marijuana as CBD has been shown to potentially help control seizures.
If allowed to open a provisioning center in Lowell, Baker envisions giving back to the community through support of youth programs and environmental initiatives. When city attorney Dick Wendt asked how much revenue Baker expected the business to generate, Baker said it would depend on which other communities in the area also allowed provisioning centers. “There’s definitely a lot of revenue to be made,” he said.
Once Baker completed his presentation, Natasha Browley, owner of Green Gate holistic healthcare center in Grand Rapids, shared her experience with medical marijuana. She explained the use of RSO oil, a cannabis oil containing both THC and CBD, shrunk a cancerous tumor in her kidney and made it operable. Cathleen Graham, a registered nurse from Grand Rapids, then spoke about the importance of providing patients safe access to medical marijuana.
Cliff Yankovich, owner of Chimera Design in Lowell, also spoke on behalf of allowing provisioning centers in the city. He related his experience of having to drive to Ann Arbor to buy marijuana edibles while undergoing treatment for throat cancer. He encouraged councilmembers to forget the stereotypes of marijuana users and distributors. “The days of a bag of weed are gone,” he said. Instead, the owners of the Ann Arbor dispensary sat down with him, listened to his concerns and worked out an appropriate treatment plan. “I built up an appetite, I went back to work, and I didn’t have any side effects,” Yankovich says of his experience.
Questions Remain but Council Seems Open to Idea
After the presentations, councilmembers weighed in with their thoughts. “I think what we’ve learned here tonight is terrific, and I think we have more to learn,” councilmember Jim Hodges said. Hodges added he had voted in favor of allowing medical marijuana when it was placed on the Michigan ballot.
“I agree with Jim,” said councilmember Jeff Phillips. “I think there are so many good benefits.” However, he also noted that there are no guidelines for medical marijuana dosages right now.
Councilmember Greg Canfield also said it was good to hear from those affected by the use medical marijuana and agreed it appeared to offer some benefits.
Mayor Pro Tem Alan Teelander noted he had attended a seminar in Gaylord conducted by the Michigan Municipal League about the topic. “The science is there, and we just need to decide if we want to consider it,” he said.
Mayor Mike DeVore thanked everyone in attendance but did not state a personal opinion on the topic.
At the conclusion of the meeting, City Manager Mike Burns said he would not be making a recommendation since this was a political issue to be decided by the council. However, he did think councilmembers might want to wait for input from the Lowell Police Department. He added that there may be a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana on the 2018 general election ballot in Michigan. He expressed concern that the council may spend time writing an ordinance now only to have to re-write it next year.
No action was taken during the Committee of the Whole, and it appears the council will continue its discussion at a later date.
Note: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Cathleen Graham’s name.
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