| Photo: Michigan Medical Marijuana Association |
| Marijuana’s all over the news in Michigan. |
Washtenaw County’s first medical marijuana dispensary will open tomorrow in downtown Ypsilanti, Michigan, reports Jeremy Allen of Heritage Newspapers.
It’s been a year now since The Michigan Medical Marijuana Act was approved by an overwhelming majority — 63 percent — of the state’s voters.
“My vision for this dispensary is to find a cure for cancer and to help free thousands of people who are currently in jail cells unjustly for the responsible use of cannabis,” said Anthony Freed, executive director of the Michigan Marijuana Chamber of Commerce.
| Photo: Heritage Newspapers |
| Alan Freed: “I want people to realize that this plant has the ability to relieve the ailments of so many diseases” |
”Also, this facility will be a lot more than just a place for people to come get medication,” Freed said. “It will be a place for the compassion club to congregate, it will be a research facility, a senior center where seniors can come spend time with friends and play games or watch TV, it will be a gathering place for law enforcement and educated facilitators of the cannabis plant to share their knowledge with the community about the positive impact of medical marijuana.”
According to Freed, treatment rooms will be available in which caregivers will supply patients with medical cannabis. There will be vapor rooms in which a vaporizer is used to extract the active ingredients of marijuana to deliver in inhalable form, as well as a coffee shop and a place for patients to buy other medical equipment.
“I want people to realize that this plant has the ability to relieve the ailments of so many diseases,” Freed said. “Cancer, multiple sclerosis glaucoma, Crohn’s disease, arthritis, diabetes; all of these things are treatable with the THC found in marijuana.”
Since April 2009, more than 12,000 residents of Michigan have applied to become medical marijuana patients. More than half — 6,718 — have been accepted as legal patients, and 2,811 have been approved as caregivers. Caregivers are allowed up to five patients and can grow up to 12 plants for their patients’ use.
Freed is one of the organizers of the Caregivers Cup, scheduled for Jan. 30 and 31 and the Ypsilanti Marriott and Eagle Crest Resort. The competition is designed to determine the best medical marijuana grower after a panel of 100 patients use up to 2.5 ounces of the suppliers’ product and score its quality.
There will also be lectures and workshops showing patients and caregivers how to be responsible cannabis growers and users, Heritage News reports.