By Charmie Gholson
The Michigan Medical Marihuana Act was passed with
overwhelming support in 2008. Specific protections were written into that
voter-initiated law to protect families from removing children from the homes
of caregivers and patients who register with the State.
Five years after the enactment of our law, Michigan Child
Protective Services (CPS) continues to
unjustly remove children from the homes of state sanctioned medical marijuana
patients and caregivers.
They thought their compliance with the Act, their
relationship with their doctor and their card issued from the state would keep
them safe from police encounters.
That is not the case. Despite the protections provided in
the Act, the State is still removing children from the homes of card carrying
caregivers and patients. These are good parents, loving, fierce parents who
participate in the MMJ program and trusted the state to protect them.
On Friday, September 6th, an Ingham county family court
removed 7 month-old Bree Green from her loving parents, despite their status as
state-sanctioned medical marijuana patients and caregivers. A re-hearing Friday, Sept. 20 resulted in
Judge Garcia reaffirming the decision to remove Bree from her parents custody, based
on CPS workers asserting that marijuana was being smoked in the home. The Judge
also partially based his decision on his belief that any home where medical
marijuana was present is vulnerable to armed robbers, putting the children in
immediate danger.
At the September 20 review, Judge Garcia ordered Steve to be
examined by a board certified neurologist. He questioned whether Steve actually
has seizure,s and if he does he wants to an opinion regarding whether marijuana
would be an appropriate treatment.
Steve Green says he’s had over 300 grand mal seizures, and that
concentrated cannabis oil stopped them completely for two years. Trying medical
marijuana was a last ditch effort to find something, anything at all that would
stop these life threatening seizures. Steve had been swallowing handfuls of
anti-epileptic anti-convulsion pills every day without completely relieving his
symptoms.
This is just one of many, widespread incidents throughout
Michigan involving CPS agencies that disregard the clearly written protections
provided in the Act. Michigan Moms United calls on the State to immediately return
Bree Green to the custody of her parents, to acknowledge and adhere to the
Michigan medical Marijuana act, and stop removing children from the homes of
patients and caregivers.
A 2011 study published in the July 25 2011 online edition of
the Journal of Pediatrics found that children living in drug-producing homes
may not be exposed to the alarming health risk widely believed to exist. The
researchers found the majority of children removed from these homes were
healthy and drug free.
The Greens, who head up The Human Solution Michigan Chapter, have requested a jury trail, which begins October 9th at 8:30am at 303 W. Kalamazoo St, Lansing, MI. You can donate to their defense fund at
http://www.gofundme.com/thegreenfamilydefensefund
Charmie Gholson is the
founder of Michigan Moms United. You may email her at okisay@yahoo.com
