Detroit Free Press: Medical marijuana supporters push to legalize drug as access tightens

[marmar]

Narrowing access to medical marijuana is leading Michigan's registered patients, supporters and lawyers to a new strategy: a campaign to gain limited legalization of marijuana in Michigan for all uses.

Access to the drug has tightened as doctors increasingly refuse to sign the state forms to approve the drug, patients said. In addition, dozens of communities -- including Birmingham and Livonia -- are enforcing total bans on the drug, and dispensaries that once openly sold it have been raided and shut down by police.

Detroit attorney Matt Abel, a state-registered user, is a chief organizer of the petition campaign that is to start Wednesday -- the first day when signatures can be gathered within the 180-day period allowed before the July 9 filing deadline, Abel said. The goal is to be on the statewide November ballot with a proposal allowing Michiganders 21 and older to possess small amounts of marijuana, he said.

"It would be for religious, medical and personal use, industrial use and agricultural use -- we're putting all that right in the wording," said Abel, 53, of Detroit. .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.freep.com/article/20120108/NEWS06/201080479/Medical-marijuana-supporters-push-to-legalize-drug-as-access-tightens