Attorney General: Police can seize medical marijuana
5:15 PM, Nov. 10, 2011
BY DAWSON BELL
DETROIT FREE PRESS LANSING BUREAU
A provision of the Michigan medical marijuana law that prohibits police from seizing pot possessed by licensed medical marijuana patients is invalid because it conflicts with federal law,
Attorney General Bill Schuette said in an opinion released today, one in which he warns officers who return marijuana to patients could be prosecuted as dope dealers.“It is ‘impossible’ for state law enforcement officers to comply with their state law duty not to forfeit medical marijuana, and their federal law duty not to distribute or aid in the distribution of marijuana,” according to the opinion.
Schuette was responding to a request from state Rep. Kevin Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant, who asked whether police were required to return marijuana to medical marijuana patients who had been arrested or detained upon their release.
An opinion from the attorney general is generally considered binding legal opinion, especially on state agencies like the Michigan State Police, unless and until it is rejected by a judge.
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http://www.freep.com/article/20111110/NEWS06/111110057/Michigan-attorney-general-Police-can-seize-medical-pot-not-return-patients?odyssey=tabSo,
Under the drug forfeiture laws, couldn't the cops seize the licensed med-mar patients' cars, homes, assets?
They have the drugs. The bust is now legal. Why not take everything they've got?
Local PDs will love this AG opinion! Every PD is always in need of new toys, like the *latest* in riot gear. Stuff like new high-powered Mustangs to pursue those always irritating Ferraris cruising side streets at 140+mph. And tear gas guns with lots of extra canisters. Never can tell when an Iraq or Afghan War vet will get in the way. And don't forget the "Michelin Man" costumes. Lotsa those! And tanks. Best tool ever for barricaded gunmen. And pepper spray, lots of pepper spray. Stuff like new, improved, slimmer, yet heavier batons. (Better to fuck up the ribs of any asshole willing to challenge their *legal* orders.) And rubber bullets and the guns to fire them. (They don't hurt anybody anyway.) Lots of those.
And whoa! I almost forgot those fun flash bang grenades. Like the one that killed that little girl during filming of a TV program raid on a home in Detroit.
http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/11/aiyana-stanley-jones-detroitThank you, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette (R) for making us safer!