RECENT MICHIGAN BILL SIGNED INTO LAW: PUBLIC ACT 268 OF 2013
Public Act 268 of 2013 provides the guidelines for Michigan to regulate large-scale marihuana growers and sell their products in pharmacies. This comprehensive law contains a caveat, though: “The department of licensing and regulatory affairs may begin promulgation of the rules required under this article at the time marihuana, including pharmaceutical-grade cannabis, is rescheduled under federal authority. However, implementation and enforcement of this article shall not occur sooner than 180 days after that federal authority reschedules marihuana.” S.B. 660, 97th Legislature (Mich. 2013).
This Act does not do away with the current caregiver-patient model; instead, it gives patients the option to have access to carefully tested and consistently dosed marijuana. If the federal government classifies marijuana as a Schedule II drug, rather than a Schedule I drug, this Act would create a more regulated system than the current system Michigan has under the MMMA.
It is clear from the passing of this bill that the state of Michigan is prepared to allow for the prescription of medical marihuana, but this is contingent upon the federal reclassification of marihuana as a Schedule II drug fit for medical use. Until marihuana is rescheduled, physicians would be risking their licenses to prescribe medical marihuana to patients.
Contact us at Hills Law Office today for more information on this new law.
