An Open Letter To Bill Schuette, Michigan Attorney General

Warning: Hippie Political Raving Ahead

This is the text of a letter I sent to Bill Schuette’s office today, Friday, August 26, 2011. For those outside the state of Michigan or in the state and not following the developments surrounding the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, Bill Schuette has made it his single-minded focus to undermine the will of the people of Michigan, who voted to legalize the medical use of marijuana in our state. Most recently, he declared the Michigan Court of Appeals decision to uphold the ruling in Michigan vs. McQueen, “a huge victory for public safety and Michigan communities struggling with an invasion of pot shops near their schools, homes and churches.” The ruling means that medical dispensaries are made illegal, and patients would have to seek their medication from possibly illegal, dangerous sources.

Dear Mr. Schuette,

I just wanted to offer a hearty and sarcastic “job well done” on effectively obliterating legal marijuana dispensaries in Michigan. Now, instead of getting my medicine from a secure, licensed facility, I can go to a drug dealer! And it will be so awesome when he tries to “up sell” me on illegally begotten Oxy, Vicodin, and Adderall! These dealers sometimes carry guns or other weapons (for their own protection only, I’m sure). These are definitely the kind of people I want to be involved with.

This is your “great victory” Mr. Schuette. Sick people, who are looking into alternatives to dangerous, sometimes off-label or untested drugs, will be immersed in drug culture. True drug culture, with all the dangers inherent when dealing in the illegal drug trade. These are operations that are happening near our “schools, homes, and churches.” Just because they don’t have a storefront doesn’t mean the streets are completely absent of drug crime. Instead of a clean, licensed, safe facility, you are asking patients to monetarily support the illegal drug trade in the event that they cannot receive medication from a licensed caregiver. You, by taking such a hard stance against dispensaries and patients, are supporting the illegal drug trade.

I assume that since you stand firmly against dispensaries, you won’t be buying your prescription medications from licensed facilities, either. If you need any kind of drug, from aspirin to Prozac, you’ll be going to your friendly neighborhood drug dealer to obtain it. It’s only fair, after all. I hope that we can soon also celebrate the removal of Walgreens, Rite Aid, and any other dealer of medications that can be abused from our neighborhoods.

Thanks for keeping us “safe”.

Jennifer Armintrout

Registered voter, proud Michigander