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Activists Call For Marijuana Legalization As State Continues To Sort Out Medical Pot Law

Jake Neher MPRN

A state board will hear public testimony Thursday on whether to allow patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder to use medical marijuana.

But as the state continues to sort out Michigan’s medical marijuana law, some activists are calling for full legalization.

We have more from The Michigan Public Radio Network’s Jake Neher.

Advocates say the board is a good example of why they’re frustrated with the state’s handling of the law. A similar board already approved adding P-T-S-D to the list of acceptable ailments earlier this year. But that panel was disbanded and its work mostly thrown out because the state said it improperly selected its members.

In the meantime, advocate Steve Green says many patients are either suffering without the help of marijuana, or they’re doing it illegally.

“During those years of baby steps, there’s a lot of good families that are torn apart and sick people that are imprisoned,” he says.

Green says full legalization is the only way to ensure otherwise law-abiding citizens don’t go to jail.

State Attorney General Bill Schuette says decriminalization or legalization of marijuana could expose more children to the drug.

Jake Neher is a reporter for the Michigan Public Radio Network. He covers the State Legislature and other political events in Lansing.
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