Defend the Detroit medical marijuana initiative

Published: July 25, 2004

With only nine days left until Detroit votes on its medical marijuana initiative—Proposal M—the debate is heating up in Michigan. The Detroit Free Press came out against Proposal M Friday, and a City Council member is trying to get the Council to oppose it. Won't you take a few moments to defend the initiative?

Please send a letter-to-the-editor responding to the Free Press editorial that urges Detroiters to vote "no" on the initiative. Your letter should be brief and direct and should be e-mailed to letters@freepress.com. It must include your name, address, and both day and evening phone numbers.

In January, the Free Press wrote a strong editorial supporting medical marijuana. But its recent editorial claims that Proposal M's language is "just too broad to make the case for supervised medical marijuana with any integrity." It criticized Proposal M for allowing a "physician or other licensed medical professional" to recommend medical marijuana.

The Free Press noted that Proposal M's supporters explained that this was not a valid concern. Supporters said that those medical professionals who don't have prescription power—such as veterinarians and social workers—could otherwise face malpractice suits, licensing issues, and other deterrents that would prevent them from recommending medical marijuana. Despite this argument, the Free Press remains opposed to the initiative because "on its face" the language is "too broad."

The Free Press also published a moving article about a Detroiter with MS who uses marijuana to relieve her pain and maintain her vision. But the paper's position prefers the status quo—which allows Detroit police to arrest this patient for using her medicine—over Proposal M's protections.

Meanwhile, at the request of Detroit City Council Member Alberta Tinsley-Talabli, the City Council held hearings on medical marijuana Friday. Though Tinsley-Talabli wanted the Council to hear only her side, Proposal M's advocates stood up for the city's seriously ill residents. Favorable testimony came from two patients who have used medical marijuana, a doctor, and other medical marijuana supporters.

According to the Free Press, Tinsley-Talabli intends to introduce a resolution opposing the Detroit initiative this week. If you live in Detroit, please take a few moments to urge your City Council members to oppose any resolution against the initiative. Take Action now.

The August 3 Detroit initiative will be followed by an Ann Arbor initiative in November. These initiatives would provide patients with real protection from their local police forces—those most likely to arrest these patients. But sponsors of the initiatives hope that these measures will also lay the groundwork for a statewide medical marijuana law. They have good reason for this hope: Before California became the first state to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest, San Francisco voters passed a citywide initiative supporting medical marijuana.

Please pass this alert on to friends and family and invite them to join MPP in fighting for Michigan's medical marijuana patients.