You will have to excuse me for not blogging for some time, as I have been extremely busy!!! I would like you all to keep an eye out over the holidays for some fantastic new services for our members - both patienta AND caregivers. We intend to organize a tax seminar for home based businesses, and cottage industries pertaining to medical marijuana some time in mid February.
I would like to express my thanks again to the Lansing City Council, and Councilwoman Wood, and the others on the board who supported her. Patients do in fact need to be served, and I belive Lansing is a well served community already. In fact, I know there are a few entites already there that could match the standards of services of any other profession or vocation. I look forward to working with them.
CA hopes to have it's IT infrastructure started sometime around the New Year, and be on the lookout for C13 Jilly-Bean - It's be in the $20 row, but it WONT be $20, so it may not last long!!! We also hope to have gift cards available, which can be purchased by anyone, as long as it is redeemed by a cardholder. These same cards could be used as "donation cards" to patients in hospitals or hospice if a donor chose to do so. I look forward to setting many similar exciting services as soon as possible.
Thank you Michigan, and Mount Pleasant, Lansing, and Traverse City!
M Taylor
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
CA of Mt P
Before Brandon and I opened C.A. on May 1st 2010 (formerly known as Compassionate Apothecary) we suggested a meeting between City Council members, law enforcement officials, neighborhood watch leaders, local doctors, patients, caregivers, and ourselves. We wanted to figure out the best way to make the 2008 law benefit patients, the community of Mount Pleasant, and the State of Michigan as a whole. I was very glad to see that such a discussion was conducted at a regular meeting this Monday. But I wished we had been invited by law enforcement officials to join the discussion. What is it that drives Public Safely officials to continue alienating itself from the medicinal community instead of joining us in a way that will be to everyone’s benefit? What’s wrong with open communication and even co-operation with C.A.?
We at C.A. have been extremely forthcoming, transparent, honest, and we even invited law enforcement officials inside our private club when we did not have to. The fact is, we at C.A. have invited the opinion and expertise of Law Enforcement from the very beginning. And due to our willingness to co-operate, we were brought to court. Why still a desire to alienate C.A. from any plan that will make this law work for everyone? C.A.’s mission statement is “To bring Proposal 1 2008 from a state of theory into a state of practice in such a way that it benefits not only patients and caregivers, but the State of Michigan as a whole”. We would love to enjoy the help and protection of those sworn to uphold Michigan Law, and we are ready to accept any advice we are offered.
But due to stigma associated with medical marijuana and marijuana in general, I think many people in law enforcement just assumed “Well, these idiot stoners will quickly prove to the public that they just can’t do a good job of this. They’ll make a joke of themselves as usual, and it will all go away soon.” And then the William Dagit’s hit the newspapers, and other people who fulfill the existing stereotypes. This is exactly why Brandon and I became involved in cannabis services. We wanted Proposal 1 to have a good reputation in the State of Michigan. We firmly believe that C.A. fulfills the goal of the law without going outside any of the guidelines set forth in the law.
Now that the greater public knows that places like C.A. exist who work against this stereotype, and that we quietly and safely fulfill the Spirit of the 2008 law, it seems that many in law enforcement seem to want to stomp their feet in some irrational frusteration and say, “No! No! No! Put the Genie back in the bottle!”
And as you may know, this matter is still under advisement by the Honorable Judge Chamberlain. Therefore I will avoid commenting on the merits of that particular case, and limit my response to some of the quotes found in the Tuesday, September 28 Morning Sun article by S. Eckert pertaining to the meeting between the City, Public Safety Director Gomez, and Mount Pleasant Attorney Scott Smith. This should clear up a few matters that could have been addressed should the discussion have included C.A. staff from the outset.
First of all, we are not a “growing cooperative” as Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Peter O’Connell has ruled against. And therefore, this ruling does not address an entity like ours. So what exactly is C.A.? What does C.A. do? Let’s clear this up and put an end to misinformation and rumor.
C.A. is an administrative service to service providers. As an entity C.A. buys or sells no medicinal marijuana, it goes directly from varying caregiver services to the legally carded patient. Or it goes directly from a legal patient to another legal patient.
This is where I want to avoid interpereting, and just present the facts. The 2008 law states that “A person may assist in a registered qualifying patient’s medical use”. And “medical use” in the 2008 law allows patients to “…transfer, transport, deliver, acquire…” medicinal marijuana.
Brandon and I did assume that “transfer” meant person to person, and that “transport” meant space and time. Therefore, to our knowledge all we do at C.A. is administer legal patient to patient transfers within the black and white guidelines of the law, provide for recordkeeping, limit what any one patient can acquire in a given two-week period, and levy a service charge for these administrative services. We are not a group of caregivers acting as a team. C.A. is an entirely original concept based on the 2008 law.
I would particularly like to address two of the comments found in Tuesday’s Morning Sun articleby S. Eckert - “This is a poorly written law with many voids.”, and also “Individuals have been interpereting the law themselves.”
First of all, let there be no mistake about this fact – the one and only person interpereting the law in this particular case is the Honorable Judge Chamberlain of Isabella County.
Next, the reason people perceive a “void” in Proposal 1 is usually because they have not read it fully. But in addition to that, the 2008 initiative was presented as a set of guidelines to achieve a goal that policymakers had no idea how to achieve. The Spirit of the 2008 law demands that ailing patients have access to medical grade marijuana, and Brandon and I firmly believe we have achieved this without breaking the Letter of the law.
The policymakers who had this thrust upon them had no idea how to grow medicinal marijuana, or how to achieve this goal. And that is exactly why the 2008 law did not limit Michigan citizens from using these guidelines in order to facilitate the greater goal of the law – to provide ailing patients in Michigan immediate and un-interupted access to medicinal marijuana in order to best combat their particular symptoms.
The State of Michigan really needs to decide on a model for this service that they are comfortable with, and keeps public safety in mind. We have put much thought into keeping the public safe at C.A., but we would rather not do it alone. It is time to move forward.
There are other models out there, but C.A. does have its advantages. C.A. LLC is a NO GROW, NO SMOKE, flea market of legal cannabis services under the law as it is written. We are a private club where legal patients can share their usable medicine (for home use only) in a safe and professional environment with other legal licensed patients by way of C.A.’s administrative services. We are ADT secured. We limit what any one patient can acquire in a given two week period. Because there is no Service Tax in Michigan, and because our Mission Statement demands that we benefit the State, we currently pay taxes under the “flea market” clause even though generally doctor prescribed medicine and therapy is not taxed. We have already paid over $7,000 by this method to the State of Michigan if they decide to cash our checks. I hope they do.
And just what are laws, exactly? Laws are really just words on paper. Without Detective Lauria to enforce it on the scene, or Larry Burdick to prosecute each case, or someone like the Honorable Judge Chamberlain to interperet it on a case by case basis, it would remain just words on paper. Likewise Proposal 1 2008 would remain just words on paper without people like Brandon and myself to educate themselves on the law, to take the initiative with the law, and to find a responsible, professional, and safe way of making this law work for “we the people” of the State of Michigan.
For so many years, we were told “Just because you don’t like the law (concerning marijuana), that doesn’t mean you can take it into your own hands.” If you want to change the law, you have to stump, and get on your soap-box, and go get petitions signed. You have to do all the things that people thought we could never accomplish, but that people like Brandon McQueen did, in fact, accomplish through hard work and devotion.
So now I put the same statement to those who would try and create any unfair obstacles for those fulfilling the Spirit of the 2008 law – “You are sworn to uphold the law as described by Michigan voters, and the legislature… just because you don’t like what the voters passed does not mean you can wriggle out of your oath to uphold their wishes by taking this new law into your own hands.”
Finally, we at C.A. understand that there are some gaps in the 2008 law. Of course there are! This is an entirely new concept for the State of Michigan. We are no longer wasting tax money to incarcerate non-violent so-called “criminals”. Of course there are going to be bumps in the road, gaps to fill, and perfections to make. But, no… the genie will not go back into the bottle now. Now we are left to WORK TOGETHER, as C.A. has sought to, in order to find a way to do this that benefits everyone in the State of Michigan.
I am glad that the Honorable Judge Chamberlain is taking this under advisement with the merits of C.A.’s model in mind. My suggestion to law enforcement and State policymakers is to quickly find a model of providing for all these patients that “we the people” are comfortable with, and then move forward together in a new spirit of co-operation.
We at C.A. keep public safety in mind always. We have operated since May 1st with no public complaints other than Mr. Burdick’s. We are against smoking and driving, we limit patient consumption, and we stand against advertising in radio, or TV, or even mass print media. Why? Because we believe that parents should have the right to bring this up with their children on their own terms, in their own good time, and in any way they see fit… without anyone shoving medical marijuana in anyone’s face.
It sounds to me like C.A. shares most of Mr. Gomez’s concerns, and works every day to address the same. I hope our actions and our non-actions make this clear to all. And I hope to work together with those who know more about Public Safety that I do in the future.
Thanks for your support Mount Pleasant!
Matthew C Taylor
We at C.A. have been extremely forthcoming, transparent, honest, and we even invited law enforcement officials inside our private club when we did not have to. The fact is, we at C.A. have invited the opinion and expertise of Law Enforcement from the very beginning. And due to our willingness to co-operate, we were brought to court. Why still a desire to alienate C.A. from any plan that will make this law work for everyone? C.A.’s mission statement is “To bring Proposal 1 2008 from a state of theory into a state of practice in such a way that it benefits not only patients and caregivers, but the State of Michigan as a whole”. We would love to enjoy the help and protection of those sworn to uphold Michigan Law, and we are ready to accept any advice we are offered.
But due to stigma associated with medical marijuana and marijuana in general, I think many people in law enforcement just assumed “Well, these idiot stoners will quickly prove to the public that they just can’t do a good job of this. They’ll make a joke of themselves as usual, and it will all go away soon.” And then the William Dagit’s hit the newspapers, and other people who fulfill the existing stereotypes. This is exactly why Brandon and I became involved in cannabis services. We wanted Proposal 1 to have a good reputation in the State of Michigan. We firmly believe that C.A. fulfills the goal of the law without going outside any of the guidelines set forth in the law.
Now that the greater public knows that places like C.A. exist who work against this stereotype, and that we quietly and safely fulfill the Spirit of the 2008 law, it seems that many in law enforcement seem to want to stomp their feet in some irrational frusteration and say, “No! No! No! Put the Genie back in the bottle!”
And as you may know, this matter is still under advisement by the Honorable Judge Chamberlain. Therefore I will avoid commenting on the merits of that particular case, and limit my response to some of the quotes found in the Tuesday, September 28 Morning Sun article by S. Eckert pertaining to the meeting between the City, Public Safety Director Gomez, and Mount Pleasant Attorney Scott Smith. This should clear up a few matters that could have been addressed should the discussion have included C.A. staff from the outset.
First of all, we are not a “growing cooperative” as Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Peter O’Connell has ruled against. And therefore, this ruling does not address an entity like ours. So what exactly is C.A.? What does C.A. do? Let’s clear this up and put an end to misinformation and rumor.
C.A. is an administrative service to service providers. As an entity C.A. buys or sells no medicinal marijuana, it goes directly from varying caregiver services to the legally carded patient. Or it goes directly from a legal patient to another legal patient.
This is where I want to avoid interpereting, and just present the facts. The 2008 law states that “A person may assist in a registered qualifying patient’s medical use”. And “medical use” in the 2008 law allows patients to “…transfer, transport, deliver, acquire…” medicinal marijuana.
Brandon and I did assume that “transfer” meant person to person, and that “transport” meant space and time. Therefore, to our knowledge all we do at C.A. is administer legal patient to patient transfers within the black and white guidelines of the law, provide for recordkeeping, limit what any one patient can acquire in a given two-week period, and levy a service charge for these administrative services. We are not a group of caregivers acting as a team. C.A. is an entirely original concept based on the 2008 law.
I would particularly like to address two of the comments found in Tuesday’s Morning Sun articleby S. Eckert - “This is a poorly written law with many voids.”, and also “Individuals have been interpereting the law themselves.”
First of all, let there be no mistake about this fact – the one and only person interpereting the law in this particular case is the Honorable Judge Chamberlain of Isabella County.
Next, the reason people perceive a “void” in Proposal 1 is usually because they have not read it fully. But in addition to that, the 2008 initiative was presented as a set of guidelines to achieve a goal that policymakers had no idea how to achieve. The Spirit of the 2008 law demands that ailing patients have access to medical grade marijuana, and Brandon and I firmly believe we have achieved this without breaking the Letter of the law.
The policymakers who had this thrust upon them had no idea how to grow medicinal marijuana, or how to achieve this goal. And that is exactly why the 2008 law did not limit Michigan citizens from using these guidelines in order to facilitate the greater goal of the law – to provide ailing patients in Michigan immediate and un-interupted access to medicinal marijuana in order to best combat their particular symptoms.
The State of Michigan really needs to decide on a model for this service that they are comfortable with, and keeps public safety in mind. We have put much thought into keeping the public safe at C.A., but we would rather not do it alone. It is time to move forward.
There are other models out there, but C.A. does have its advantages. C.A. LLC is a NO GROW, NO SMOKE, flea market of legal cannabis services under the law as it is written. We are a private club where legal patients can share their usable medicine (for home use only) in a safe and professional environment with other legal licensed patients by way of C.A.’s administrative services. We are ADT secured. We limit what any one patient can acquire in a given two week period. Because there is no Service Tax in Michigan, and because our Mission Statement demands that we benefit the State, we currently pay taxes under the “flea market” clause even though generally doctor prescribed medicine and therapy is not taxed. We have already paid over $7,000 by this method to the State of Michigan if they decide to cash our checks. I hope they do.
And just what are laws, exactly? Laws are really just words on paper. Without Detective Lauria to enforce it on the scene, or Larry Burdick to prosecute each case, or someone like the Honorable Judge Chamberlain to interperet it on a case by case basis, it would remain just words on paper. Likewise Proposal 1 2008 would remain just words on paper without people like Brandon and myself to educate themselves on the law, to take the initiative with the law, and to find a responsible, professional, and safe way of making this law work for “we the people” of the State of Michigan.
For so many years, we were told “Just because you don’t like the law (concerning marijuana), that doesn’t mean you can take it into your own hands.” If you want to change the law, you have to stump, and get on your soap-box, and go get petitions signed. You have to do all the things that people thought we could never accomplish, but that people like Brandon McQueen did, in fact, accomplish through hard work and devotion.
So now I put the same statement to those who would try and create any unfair obstacles for those fulfilling the Spirit of the 2008 law – “You are sworn to uphold the law as described by Michigan voters, and the legislature… just because you don’t like what the voters passed does not mean you can wriggle out of your oath to uphold their wishes by taking this new law into your own hands.”
Finally, we at C.A. understand that there are some gaps in the 2008 law. Of course there are! This is an entirely new concept for the State of Michigan. We are no longer wasting tax money to incarcerate non-violent so-called “criminals”. Of course there are going to be bumps in the road, gaps to fill, and perfections to make. But, no… the genie will not go back into the bottle now. Now we are left to WORK TOGETHER, as C.A. has sought to, in order to find a way to do this that benefits everyone in the State of Michigan.
I am glad that the Honorable Judge Chamberlain is taking this under advisement with the merits of C.A.’s model in mind. My suggestion to law enforcement and State policymakers is to quickly find a model of providing for all these patients that “we the people” are comfortable with, and then move forward together in a new spirit of co-operation.
We at C.A. keep public safety in mind always. We have operated since May 1st with no public complaints other than Mr. Burdick’s. We are against smoking and driving, we limit patient consumption, and we stand against advertising in radio, or TV, or even mass print media. Why? Because we believe that parents should have the right to bring this up with their children on their own terms, in their own good time, and in any way they see fit… without anyone shoving medical marijuana in anyone’s face.
It sounds to me like C.A. shares most of Mr. Gomez’s concerns, and works every day to address the same. I hope our actions and our non-actions make this clear to all. And I hope to work together with those who know more about Public Safety that I do in the future.
Thanks for your support Mount Pleasant!
Matthew C Taylor
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Mission Statement
Our Mission Statement from the outset of Proposal 1, 2008 has been to "Bring Proposal 1 frm a state of theory, into a state of practice, in such a way that it benefits not only patients and caregivers, but the community as a whole, and by extension the State of Michigan.
I believe we have done so. As I said at the City Council (of Mount Pleasant) meeting we do not believe we have all the answers, or the perfect system. But we have built the foundation of somthing that works better and better everyday. And from the moment we send this $3,500 sales tax check to the State of Michigan, I am confident saying that we have accomplished our Mission Statement.
But we have also made farming a viable way of making a living again for the first time since the Great Depression and the Dustbowl combined to practically wipe out family farming in a nation that never should have lost that option. Economic independence breeds political independence.
And everyday, we at Compassionate Apothecary try hard to bridge all the gaps left between peaceful farming as a way of life, and full acceptance. With that comes our dedication and co-operation.
I want to personally thatnk each and everyone of our members for making all of this possible, and creating a few NEW jobs in Michigan. Not an easy task these days, I assure you!
Matt Taylor
I believe we have done so. As I said at the City Council (of Mount Pleasant) meeting we do not believe we have all the answers, or the perfect system. But we have built the foundation of somthing that works better and better everyday. And from the moment we send this $3,500 sales tax check to the State of Michigan, I am confident saying that we have accomplished our Mission Statement.
But we have also made farming a viable way of making a living again for the first time since the Great Depression and the Dustbowl combined to practically wipe out family farming in a nation that never should have lost that option. Economic independence breeds political independence.
And everyday, we at Compassionate Apothecary try hard to bridge all the gaps left between peaceful farming as a way of life, and full acceptance. With that comes our dedication and co-operation.
I want to personally thatnk each and everyone of our members for making all of this possible, and creating a few NEW jobs in Michigan. Not an easy task these days, I assure you!
Matt Taylor
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
PRICES!!!
Apparently, although it was never explained to me, posting a MENU on MMMA site is OK. But not PRICES!!!
That's fair. So from now on you will find our menu without prices on MMMA, and our orices will only be posted on compassionateapothecary.com
I hope I havent offended anyone at MMMA. That has never been my goal.
Thanks, and have a GREAT DAY!!!
That's fair. So from now on you will find our menu without prices on MMMA, and our orices will only be posted on compassionateapothecary.com
I hope I havent offended anyone at MMMA. That has never been my goal.
Thanks, and have a GREAT DAY!!!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
SEEDS
Things are going very well here at Compassionate Apothecary. Everyday we strive to find a way to serve patients and the community to the best our ability. Today we came across a bunch of Michigan seeds to help support Michigan farmers.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The Amercian Way
Farming has become a viable way to make a living once more in a state and a nation that such an option never should have been taken away from. As you all know, Brandon and I have stated our goal from the beginning - "To take Proposal 1 from a state of theory, into a state of practice, in a way that benefits the patients, the farmers, and the community as a whole."
We have been open for over a month now, and we have 138 members! We have striven to do everything provably legally, and to give proposal 1, the patients, and the farmers, a GOOD reputation in The State of Michigan by conducting ourselves with the same, or superior professionalism as any other legitimate business operation.
Many tell us that our setting, our variety, and our prices are the best in the State, and we have been vesited my almost every zip code in Michigan. But we know that we can do better! We started with $10/g of excellent meds for patients, and we will get back there. Yet, we have to allow farmers to offer their services at the price they deem they need. I don't knock them for it, it is not easy to consistently produce medicinal quality cannabis, and there are risks involved.
Still, we are currently brainstorming on how best to create a donation "kitty" to use for good causes, or to have voulonteers deliver meds to bedridden patients. Give us some time. We won't fail you.
In the meantime, lately there has been a lot of reactionary nonsense in the news. Other places that people call "dispensaries" as opposed to "cannabis therapy clinics", and those working with un-carded patients, have caused many of the people who one supported us to become uncomfortable with the changes that this new law brings with it.
But I think this only because they see all these places popping up, but have yet to be educated on how we conduct ourselves at C.A.
As you know, we have been collecting member-patient testimonials. I am sending these anonymously to the Lansing State Journal. I encourage you to do the same!!!
Exlpain to the media that what we do here is a SERVICE to patients, a SERVICE to farmers, and given time, a SERVICE to the surrounding community. We do what we do safely, legally, above board, and in a safe and dignified setting.
You can write a 175 opinion piece to the Lansing State Journal by staying right around 175 words, and sending it to:
opinions@lsj.com
or you may write a 500 word essay to:
dmelot@lsj.com
Please help us to re-educate the public so that we can continue to GROW TOGETHER, as a communtiy. And protect what we have created.
As always, THANK YOU ALL for your support, understanding, and your patience as we smooth out all the rough spots with patient service in mind.
THANKS!
Matthew C Taylor
We have been open for over a month now, and we have 138 members! We have striven to do everything provably legally, and to give proposal 1, the patients, and the farmers, a GOOD reputation in The State of Michigan by conducting ourselves with the same, or superior professionalism as any other legitimate business operation.
Many tell us that our setting, our variety, and our prices are the best in the State, and we have been vesited my almost every zip code in Michigan. But we know that we can do better! We started with $10/g of excellent meds for patients, and we will get back there. Yet, we have to allow farmers to offer their services at the price they deem they need. I don't knock them for it, it is not easy to consistently produce medicinal quality cannabis, and there are risks involved.
Still, we are currently brainstorming on how best to create a donation "kitty" to use for good causes, or to have voulonteers deliver meds to bedridden patients. Give us some time. We won't fail you.
In the meantime, lately there has been a lot of reactionary nonsense in the news. Other places that people call "dispensaries" as opposed to "cannabis therapy clinics", and those working with un-carded patients, have caused many of the people who one supported us to become uncomfortable with the changes that this new law brings with it.
But I think this only because they see all these places popping up, but have yet to be educated on how we conduct ourselves at C.A.
As you know, we have been collecting member-patient testimonials. I am sending these anonymously to the Lansing State Journal. I encourage you to do the same!!!
Exlpain to the media that what we do here is a SERVICE to patients, a SERVICE to farmers, and given time, a SERVICE to the surrounding community. We do what we do safely, legally, above board, and in a safe and dignified setting.
You can write a 175 opinion piece to the Lansing State Journal by staying right around 175 words, and sending it to:
opinions@lsj.com
or you may write a 500 word essay to:
dmelot@lsj.com
Please help us to re-educate the public so that we can continue to GROW TOGETHER, as a communtiy. And protect what we have created.
As always, THANK YOU ALL for your support, understanding, and your patience as we smooth out all the rough spots with patient service in mind.
THANKS!
Matthew C Taylor
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