| Photo: WLNS |
| A couple of dozen hardy protestors faced the cold to protest the DEA’s invasive demand for confidential patient records protected by state law. |
A couple of dozen hardy protestors faced the cold in Lansing, Michigan, this week to protest the DEA’s invasive demand for confidential medical marijuana patient records protected by state law.
Medical marijuana advocates made some noise, raising their voices against what they call increasing federal involvement in states where medical marijuana is legal.
“I’ve been raided twice,” said protestor John Roberts, reports WLNS. “First time they raided me they didn’t even take the plants; they took all the medicine we made for the patients.”
Roberts, a medical marijuana user, caregiver and advocate, said the feds need to stay out of the confidential records of medical marijuana users.
Americans for Safe Access (ASA) spokesperson Robin Schneider said the bigger issue at play here is state’s rights.
“Sixty-three percent of Michiganders voted to allow for the use of medicinal marijuana, and it’s time for the federal government to take a step back and allow us to engage in the use of medical marijuana peacefully and privately,” Schneider said.
The protestors called on Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette to stand up for their privacy rights. Schuette has said he would turn over confidential medical marijuana patient records — which are protected by state law — to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with a judge’s order.