Republican Senator Roger Kahn of Saginaw Township is leading the charge to make marijuana available at pharmacies across Michigan. The bill, which was approved last week by a Senate Committee, aims to classify marijuana as a schedule 2 drug. The change would move marijuana’s status from the ranks of heroin and LSD to that of other potentially harmful but medically beneficial substances such as cocaine and morphine.
The new system would not replace the existing law but would be run parallel to it. Doctors would be permitted to issue enhanced marijuana cards which would allow patients access to pharmaceutical grade marijuana. A patient would be required to surrender any previously issued marijuana cards under the current system. They could not have been convicted of any previous drug related offenses and would have to be at least 18 years old.
If passed, Michigan would be the first state to attempt to reschedule marijuana. While the Federal government has actively turned a blind eye towards Colorado and Washington’s legalization measures it is unclear how they would respond to a reclassification effort. It is also difficult to predict how pharmacies would react to such new and potentially contentious laws.
Critics of the bill are concerned that the new system will undermine the current program which allows registered caregivers across the state grow marijuana for over 120,000 patients throughout Michigan.
At the heart of this unprecedented move is a controversial Canadian agricultural company. Prairie Plant Systems Inc. has been the Canadian government’s sole marijuana provider for the last 13 years. They have been criticized for producing a low grade and heavily contaminated product. They are currently lobbying for Michigan to reschedule marijuana in hopes of expanding their market.
(Corporatizing Cannabis Production in Michigan)
Proponents of the Bill argue that a centralized growing operation would provide a more consistent and easily regulated product. The bill appears to have broad republican support and could potentially make its way to Gov. Snyder’s desk with a simple Senate majority.
