8/7/2019 Compassionate Apothecary Opinion

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STATE OF MICmGANI N T H E I S A B E L L A C O U N T Y TRIAL C O U R T

S TA TE O F M I C H IGA N ,Plaintiff, Case No.10-8488~CZv

H on, Paul H . C ham berlainB R A N DO N M C QU EEN > M A TTH EWTAYLOR,dlb/aCOMPASSIONATEA PO TH EC AR Y, L.L.C ., F I L E [

D E C l . 6 2 0 1 0COIINJY C L E R KISA BEllA COU NTYOPINION AND ORDER M T. PLeASANT, MICH.

ON PLAINTIFF'S MOTION FOR TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER,SHOW~CAUSE ORDER, AN D PRELIMlNARY INJUNCTION

Defendants .

I. FINDINGS OF FACTOn M ay 1, 20 1O ~d e fe nd a n ts s t a rt e d a b u s in e s s t h ro u g h w hi c h t hey claim they e ngage in

l a wfu l, m e d ic a l m ar i hu a n a r e la t e d c o n du c t p u r su a n t t o the M ichigan M edical M arihuana A c t(MMMA), MeL 333.26421. et. seq. Th e MMMA def i nes t he p r o te c ti o n s a v a il a bl e fo ri n di v id u al s w h o a p p ly t o M i ch i ga n 's D e p ar t m e nt o f C o m m u n it y H e a lt h ( M D C H ) to e ngage inm e d i ca l m a ri h ua n a r e la t e d c o n d uc t , w h ic h i n cl u de s r e g is t e re d q u a li fy in g p a ti e n ts a n d r e g is t e re dprimary caregivers. Defendant McQueen is a registered qualifying patient,. as well as ar e g is t e r e d p r im ar y c a re g iv e r . D e fe nd a n t T a y lo r i s a r e g is t e re d primary c a re g i v er . D e fe n d an t sl e a se l o c k e r s o n th e i r p r e m i s e s t o o t he r r e g i s te r e d q u al i fy i n g p a ti e n ts a n d re g i st e r e d p r im a r ycaregivers , w ho be come "m em bers> ' of de fe ndants ' business upo n appro ved applicat ion, w i thinw hich to s to re m edical m arihuana. D efendants o nly appro ve an applicant fo r m em bership ifth eapplicant is a registered qualifying patient or r e g is t e re d p r im a r y caregiver with the MDCH.O nce an applicant becomes a m e m b e r , h e o r s h e p a y s a m e m be r s h ip fee, receives a membershipn u m b e r, m a y l e a s e a lo c k e r) an d m a y s to r e m e d ic al m a ri hu a na i n s uc h l o c ke r . T h e m e m be r st he n p u rc ha s e o r s e ll t h e m e d ic al m a ri hu a na a m o ng o t he r m e m b e rs . F r e qu e nt ly , a re g is te r edprimary c a re g i ve r m e m b e r r e c e iv e s p e r m is s i o n f r o m h i s o r h e r r e g is t e r e d q u al ify i ng p a ti e n t t ostore such patient's marihuana at defendants' business and to sell such marihuana to o t h e rm em be rs. T hus, the re gistere d qualifying patient o w n s t h e m e d i ca l m a r ih u a na a t a l l t im e s . T h em em bers determ ine the price o f the m arihuana. D efendants ' business do es no t o wn, purchase. o rsel l an y marihuana; however, defendants collect locker renta l fees, m em bership fees , and re ce ive2 0 % o f th e s a l e s p r ic e p e r tr a ns fe r. T h e b u s i ne s s a l s o p ay s a s a le s tax to the Sta te o f M ichiganfor each transfer.B e ca us e t he M M M A p e rm i ts a s p e c if ic a m o un t o f m e d i ca l m a ri hu an a a r e gi s te r edq u a li fy i n g p a ti e n t o r r e g i s te r e d primary caregiver may p o ss e s s, d e fe n da n ts k e e p r e c o rd s o f th e

01/00 39~d ldno~I~Idl~113H~SI L E E L - Z , U - 5 8 E .

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significantly interferes with the public's health. safety, peace. comfort, orconvenience, (2) is proscribed by law, or (3) is known or should have been knownby the actor to be of a continuing nature that produces a permanent Or long-lasting, significant effect on these rights. A private citizen may file an action for a .public nuisance against an actor where the individual can show he suffered a typeof harm different from that of the general public. [ld.; Capitol Pr ope r ti e s G r ou p ,L L C, v 1247 Ctr Street, LLC, 283 Mieh App 422, 427-428; 770 NW2d 105(2009).]Further, in order to properly analyze plaintiff's two nuisance claims. this court must

construe the MMMA. "Generally, the primary objective in construing a statute is to ascertainand give effect to the Legislature's intent." People v Re d d e n , _ Mich App _; ~ NW2d _2 0 1 0 W L 3 61 1 7 1 6 . The intent of the Legislature is most reliably evidenced th ro u g h th e w o r d sused in the statute. Neal v Wilkes, 470 Mich 661,665; 685 NW2d 648 (2004). If the language inthe statute is unambiguous, judicial construction is neither required nor permitted. Nastal vHenderson & Assoc Investigat ions , Inc, 47 1 Mich 112, 720; 691 NW2d 1 (2005). However, if astatute is ambiguous, judicial construction is appropriate. Adrian School Dlst v Michtgan PubSc hool E m pl oy e es Re t ir e m e nt Sy8. 458 Mich 326, 332; 582 NW2d 767 (1998). A statute isambiguous "only if it 'irreconcilably confllctfs)' with another provision or when it is equallysusceptible to more than a single meaning," Fluor Enterprises , Inc: 1 1 ' Dep't o f T r ea s u r y , 47 7M ich 170, 177-178 n 3; 730 N W2d 722 (2007) (e mphasis in original), quoting L ans i ng M ay or vPub Service Comm, 4 7 0 Mich 1 5 4 . 1 66~68 0 NW2d 84 0 (2004).

MeL 333.26424 states inpertinent part:

(a) A qualifying patient who ha s been issued and possesses a registryidentification card shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution, or penalty in anymanner, or denied an y right or privilege, including but not limited to civil penaltyor disciplinary action by a business or occupational or professional licensingboard or bureau. for the medical use of marihuana in accordance with this act,provided that the qualifying patient possesses an amount of marihuana that doesno t exceed 2.5 o u n ce s o f u s ab le mar ih uan a . an d , if the qualify ing patient has notspecified that a primary caregiver will be allowed under state law to cultivatemarihuana for the qualifying patient, 12 marihuana. plants kept in an enclosed,locked facility. Any incidental amount of seeds, stalks, and unusable roots shallalso be allowed under state law and shall not be included in this amount.

(b) A primary caregiver who has been issued and possesses a registryidentification card shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution, or penalty in anymanner, OJ denied any right or privilege, including but not limited to civil penaltyor disciplinary action by a business or occupational or professional licensingboard or bureau, for assisting a qualifying patient to whom he or she is connectedthrough the department's regis tration process with the medical use of marihuanain accordance with this act, provided that the primary caregiver possesses anamount of marihuana that does not exceed:

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01/170 3 9 V ' d l d n 0 8 l V ' I d l V ' 1 1 3 8 V ' S I LESL-UL-585

(I) 2.5 ounces of usable marihuana for each qualifying patient towhom he or she is connected through the department's registrationpro c es s ; a nd(2) fo r ea c h reg i s t e red qua li fy ing pa t ien t w ho has specified that the

primary caregiver will b e allowed under state law to cultivate marihuanafor the qualifying patient. 12 marihuana plants kept in an enclosed, locked2 / 8

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8/7/2019 Compassionate Apothecary Opinion

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(3) any incidental amount of seeds, stalks, and unusable roots.(d) There shall be a presumption that a qualifying patient or primary

caregiver is engaged in the medical use of marihuana in accordance with this actif the qualifying patient or primary caregiver:

(1) is inpossession of a registry identification card; an d(2) is in possession of an amount of marihuana that does not

exceed the amount allowed under this act. The presumption ma y berebutted by evidence that conduct related to marihuana wa s not for thepurpose of alleviating the qualifying patient's debilitating medicalcondition or symptoms associated with the debilitating medical condition,in accordance with this act.(e) A registered primary caregiver ma y receive compensation for costs

associated with assisting a registered qualifying patient in the medical use ofmarihuana. A ny such compensation shall not constitute the sale of controlledsubstances,

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