Free Thought Project – by Justin Gardner
Oakland County, MI — The battle over medical cannabis is heating up in Michigan, and some law enforcement figures are getting desperate to block progress. It seems that one county sheriff has even gone so far as to threaten a lawmaker with violence.
According to Eileen Kowall, a former State House Representative and current Oakland County Commissioner, Sheriff Michael Bouchard approached one of her peers in the locker room at the YMCA with a hand on his weapon and said:
“Don’t even think about proposing, sponsoring or voting for any medical marijuana bills. And drop the ones currently in committee, or well, you know, things can happen.”
Mrs. Kowall said this is not the only time cops have made threats against those attempting to promote freedom and the right to effective medication. While explaining these occurrences to the Marijuana Patients Organization, she stated that “my encounter with the Sheriff (Michael Bouchard) was less intense but still a threat. What is happening is disgusting and my eyes have been opened.”
The Free Thought Project contacted Sheriff Bouchard to request he speak on these allegations. However, our message was not immediately returned.
We also reached out toe Eileen Kowall, and have yet to receive a response from her office as well.
Medical cannabis was legalized in Michigan in 2008, which allowed people to grow the plant for themselves and other registered patients as “caregivers.” However, medical dispensaries have never been allowed and the state Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that they can be shut down as public nuisances.
There are now about 23,000 caregivers and 96,000 patients in Michigan. Lawmakers are seeking to allow the opening of dispensaries, which would benefit patients by providing cannabis products with precise, clearly labeled doses. Edibles and products with only cannabidiol (a non-psychoactive ingredient) would also become more available.
That type of bill failed last year as law enforcement voiced strong opposition, but it has a better chance this year, having already passed the House. Some cops are on board, but unsurprisingly it comes with a hitch. They will support the legalization of dispensaries only if the state shuts down caregivers.
Cops just can’t stand the idea of giving people too much freedom.
“Once the system is up and running, there will be no need for caregivers to grow a product since the patient will be able to access marijuana at the dispensaries,” said Ingham County Sheriff Gene Wriggelsworth, who testified on behalf of the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association.
This would be difficult, though, as a ¾ supermajority vote would be needed to amend a voter-approved law. Rick Thompson, a board member of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), says this attack on caregivers by law enforcement has been a constant concern since 2011.
“We’ve never seen law enforcement agencies openly speak about destroying a core value of the Michigan Medical Marihauana Act until now, but they spoke about it so casually, it almost made it seem as if the decision has been made.”
Other demands being made by law enforcement are to ban home delivery of medical cannabis to patients, ban internet sales, require bonding for product transporters, and allow local police and county sheriff’s to inspect medical cannabis facilities. They even said that police should inspect caregivers and require licensing, raising the specter of cops barging into the homes of legitimate medical cannabis growers at will.
Law enforcement also wants a system for “enhanced roadside detection” of cannabis, even though these tests have not proven to be reliable.
Clearly, Michigan cops are in a state of anxiety about losing this front in the War on Drugs. Threats of violence, like those allegedly made by Sheriff Bouchard, indicate just how desperate some cops have become as lawmakers clear the way for freedom and medical advancement.
heres what a douche-bag looks like
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Bouchard
notice he lives in Flint Michigan .. I guess the lead in the water does have consequences of stupidity
Bouchard joined business person Rick Snyder, state Senator Tom George, Congressman Peter Hoekstra and Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox as Republican candidates. all of whom are considered criminals if you ask anyone informed that lives in Michigan Mike cox was involved in the cover up for the dead stripper at Kwame Kilpatricks manoogian mansion party where she was murdered
and isnt threatening a law maker while armed a terrorist threat ? shouldn’t we the people be protected against a felon like this ?
sounds like hes trying to terrorize people into making decisions against their moral compass , this is what we have for a sheriff?
shameful behavior
what “things” are going to happen Mike?
things like your department losing revenue? ..and possibly your job ?
we cant threaten cops like this, we cant threaten lawmakers like this .. so why is he getting a free pass ?
Yes and Hoekstra had to hide for his life from us Michiganders in 2008 after betraying us with the bail out.
His predecessor was Mat Dun-as-kiss?!
Can’t make this shite up! Haha
I see the Michigan folks use the “Scott Walker” way of doing things. “If they don’t listen, we’ll play dirty, back-door, under the table politics to get our way!” “And that’s the way it is.” (Walter Concrete, I mean Knonkite, but he had to be “solid” to assure the American people that he was trustworthy, a good name instills confidence, even though a name has nothing to do with character. I never met Dink Winkerson or Harvey Wallbanger.
How much money is at risk to the Sheriff and the Department if the drug legislation is passed? It is all about the money.
Rx
Never forget the Rx thugs
clink!
Was it that those cake makers refused to do a cake “dildo”? That’s my guess.
“Sheriff Michael Bouchard approached one of her peers in the locker room at the YMCA with a hand on his weapon and said:
“Don’t even think about proposing, sponsoring or voting for any medical marijuana bills. And drop the ones currently in committee, or well, you know, things can happen.””
Like the Battle of Athens, Ga?
Had ANYONE done (hand on weapon) and said what this POS did to this commie faggot of a sheriff, can there be ONE IOTA OF DOUBT WHAT HIS RESPONSE WOULD HAVE BEEN?????
That person would have far more than likely to have been shot dead on the spot.
As pointed out by others, according to their own b.s. law, that was nothing less than a ‘terrorist’ threat.
pot is rated a dangerous as heroin – talk about BS
Freedom is NOT “given” to people!
That sounds as if our rights come from government .
They do not!
*** The criminals in blue get too much Federal money and don’t want to lose it. Just like CPS kidnaps children for Federal funds.***
They want caregivers shut down, so they can more easily and robustly pursue their civil asset forfeiture scheme.
“Dispensaries only” is a HORRIBLE idea. Basically turns cannabis over to mafia…