-
MMMA Approved
Michigan Initiated Law 1 Michigan voters approve the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act. Initiated Law 1 passed with 63% of the vote. Michigan became the 13th state to legalize medical marijuana. -
MMMA Takes Effect
The new law allows Michigan residents with certain qualifying medical conditions to be able to apply for an ID card, which places them on the state registry. Qualified patients are able to possess less than 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana and up to 12 marijuana plants kept in an enclosed, locked facility. Registered caregivers may possess up to 2.5 ounces and 12 plants for each qualified patient under his or her care. -
DOJ Clarifies Medical Marijuana Policy
The Department of Justice sends a memo to federal prosecutors in states with medical marijuana laws to clarify details. The specific quote is sited as a positive step towards medical marijuana acceptance. "Prosecution of individuals with cancer or other serious illnesses who use marijuana as part of a recommended treatment regimen consistent with applicable state law, or those caregivers... who provide such individuals with marijuana, is unlikely to be an efficient use of limited federal resou -
Livonia Passes City Ordinance
The ordinance effectively banned medical marijuana. The City of Livonia amends its zoning ordinance to provide that "uses for enterprises or purposes that are contrary to federal, state, or local laws or ordinances are prohibited." The original Marijuana Act does not address dispensaries -- places where marijuana can be obtained by certified patients or their caregivers -- leaving them vulnerable to interpretation by municipalities. -
Birmingham Amends City Code
Sec. 1-18 – Violations of laws prohibited
"It shall be unlawful for any person or business to engage in any activity, conduct, use or venture in the city that is contrary to federal, state or local laws or ordinances, including violations of this Code or the city zoning ordinance, and any statues and codes adopted for utilized by the city."
Because using medical marijuana is still illegal under the federal Controlled Substance Act, even patients who qualify under the MMMA cannot use marijuana. -
Bloomfield Hills Ban
Bloomfield Hills becomes the third Michigan city to effectively ban medical marijuana. -
Confusion Over the Extent & Clarity of the Law
People v Redden "Reading this act is similar to participating in the Tri-wizard Tournament described in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: the maze that is this statute is so complex that the final result will only be known once the Supreme Court has had an opportunity to review and remove the haze from this act." - Michigan Court of Appeals' Judge Peter J. O'Connell in People v. Redden. -
ACLU Sues 3 Cities
"In a democracy, city commissions do not have the power to veto statewide ballot initiatives after they have been approved by the voters and enacted into law." - Kary L. Moss, ACLU of Michigan executive director Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, and Livonia – for their decisions to ban medical marijuana use in their city limits. The cities did this despite voters approving a statewide measure in 2008 legalizing medical cannabis – including a majority in all three cities. -
Wyoming City Council Bans the Sale of Medical Marijuana
Just five days after the ACLU files its lawsuit, the Grand Rapids suburb follows Livonia in making the use of medical marijuana illegal under a local zoning ordinance. -
Federal Judge Rules Against Michigan Man Fired for Using Medical Marijuana
Joseph Casias was fired from his job at a Walmart in Battle Creek after testing positive for marijuana. Casias has an inoperable brain tumor and uses marijuana as a registered participant under Michigan's medical marijuana act. He was a Wal-Mart Associate of the Year in 2008. -
The DOJ Takes a Harder Line on Medical Marijuana Laws
"Persons who are in the business of cultivating, selling or distributing marijuana, and those who knowingly facilitate such activities, are in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, regardless of state law...such persons are subject to federal enforcement action, including potential prosecution." - Department of Justice memo -
State Appeals Court Rules Against Dispensaries
Judges in the case rule that a Mount Pleasant dispensary, Compassionate Apothecary, is a public nuisance and in violation of the public health code. The court rules that the sale of medical marijuana is not protected under the law. -
Crackdowns & Raids Occur Across Michigan
Article Dispensary raids have been commonplace since the act came into law. The State Court of Appeals ruling in August 2011 set precedent for jurisdictions to lawfully conduct raids on dispensaries. This led to a significant drop in the number of dispensaries across the state. -
Zero Tolerance Driving Policy
The Michigan Court of Appeals upheld the ruling of People v Koon. The decision ruled that the MMMA does not overide Michigan's zero tolerance driving policy. The law stirs up controversy because it makes it illegal for individuals to operate a motor vehicle with any amount of marijuana in their system, even if they are medical marijuana patients. -
Medical Marijuana and Kids
Article The Detroit Free Press reports on the story of Cooper Brown, one of 44 medical marijuana users in the state under the age of 18. The 14-year-old has Dravet Syndrome and uses medical marijuana to help control seizures. -
Doctor’s Diagnosis is Defense
Michigan Supreme Court says a doctor’s diagnosis is a defense for someone charged with possessing marijuana without a medical marijuana card. -
Michigan Court of Appeals Strikes Down Wyoming’s Ban
The court rules that Wyoming's zoning ordinance effectively banning medical marijuana should be "void and unenforceable" because it directly conflicts with the MMMA. -
Michigan Supreme Court Hears Mount Pleasant Dispensary Case
Brandon McQueen and Matthew Taylor, owners of Compassionate Apothecary, appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court. At issue in State of Michigan vs. McQueen is the legality of patient-to-patient sales or transfers of medical marijuana. -
Marijuana Law Needs Clarification
Article District Court Judge Hugh Clark Jr. dismisses felony drug-dealing charges brought against four employees of Lansing-based medical marijuana dispensaries. -
MMMA Reforms
The laws were just a few of the 282 bills passed by Michigan's Republican-controlled Legislature during an extraordinarilly active lame duck session. -
No Collective Grow Operations
In People v Bylsma, the Michigan Supreme Court rules that the MMMA does not allow primary caregivers and qualifying patients to share a common grow area for their plants. -
344,313 Applications
As of December 31, 2012 the state had received 344,313 original and renewal applications with 124,417 active registered qualified patients and 25,957 registered primary caregivers. -
"Marijuana Remains Dangerous"
The ruling follows a 2011 decision by the DEA to maintain marijuana's classification as a Schedule I controlled substance. According to the DEA, Schedule I drugs have "a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision and a high potential for abuse." -
Small Amounts of Pot
The Michigan Appeals Court affirmed a lower court decision saying, "the uncompensated transfer of marijuana between patients constitutes medical use of marijuana as permitted by the MMMA." -
State Supreme Court Rules Against Marijuana Dispensaries
In one of the most significant rulings to date, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that medical marijuana dispensaries can be shut down as a public nuisance. Proponents of dispensaries say it's up to local authorities to decide how to interpret the ruling. Attorney General Bill Schuette says he'll clarify how the ruling empowers officials to close them down. Some lawmakers promise to introduce a bill legalizing the dispensaries.
