Posted on Tue, Jul 30, 2013 : 4:30 p.m.
Authorities raid medical marijuana dispensary
By John Counts
The Shop medical marijuana dispensary in Ypsilanti was raided by agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Tuesday morning between 10:30 and 11 a.m., the Ypsilanti Courier reports.
Officials could not comment about the search warrant that was executed at the dispensary, located at 513 W. Cross St., due to the ongoing investigation, according to the article.
Eyewitnesses told the newspaper that police seized two vehicles, boxes, bags of marijuana and what appeared to be a small electronic device.
Read the Ypsilanti Courier story.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Jon Wax
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 2:39 p.m.
why'd you dl my comments? they didn't violate anything. seems like you folks at AnnArbor.com have some sort of hidden agenda. i told you guys: Obama never said he wasn't going after the supplier. he said he wasn't messing with the end user. if you're a supplier, keep your head on a swivel. the feds are watching. Peace Wax
Solitude
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 2:07 p.m.
Those carrying on about federal abuse of power and conspiracies, etc., need to gain and then employ some critical thinking skills. If this were some federal assault on marijuana users, why did the DEA raid only this dispensary and not the other 5 in the city? There's obviously more to this, so until the rest of the details are known, why the rush to judgement on the legitimacy of the raid?
aalady
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 12:44 p.m.
Paul, I am open to the thought that there was illegal activity going on and not some blatant police abuse of power. Otherwise, it would negate my belief that the police protect and serve their fellow citizens. It is however, important for me to express that as a client of The Shop, I saw nothing but professionalism.
Paul
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 11:44 a.m.
lots of comments against the raid. Now, as a supporter of legal dispensaries and taking into consideration that no information has been released as to why the raid took place, did anyone consider that the owners might have been involved in some illegal activities on the side (selling to non card holders??,etc) that justified this big raid? Just saying we need the facts before we start judging.
aalady
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 11:05 p.m.
I have numerous health issues and I'm on 9 prescription medications. I am persistently nauseous and in pain. I am also a grandmother who has never bought marijuana before, and was pretty clueless. This was my dispensary. I am shocked and outraged. My experience here was very positive. The person I dealt with, I think it was the owner, informed me about the difference between THC and CBD and which type of medication would serve me best. He color coded the medication for what time of day I should take each and how much to take, given my low body weight. I was escorted to my car and frankly, I felt more heard than I have from most of my physicians. I'm so sorry this happened to someone that was trying to make a difference in the lives of people that live with chronic illness.
MsCochise
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 9:43 p.m.
Paul....You are right. They did not treat me so well either. Sorry to hear they got the raid...
Bryan Ellinger
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 7:04 p.m.
"Never shall we succeed in preventing the production of something that, since it is in demand, has value." - Bastiat
dogpaddle
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 6:11 p.m.
Sorry, Clownfish, normally I agree with most of your posts and we seem to be on the same page about so much, but if Obama was really like Reagan, he'd have raised taxes several times already, lol!
Paul
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 9:30 p.m.
Obama like Reagan, ha ha ha. Don't get me started on Reagan, from crack to Aids, the man did so much harm
clownfish
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 6:26 p.m.
Touche'!
riverguy
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 4:59 p.m.
Why do people insist on thinking that prohibition on pot is going to work any better than it did on alcohol. It hasn't thus far and it never will. Legalize it, tax it and use the money to fight the abuse of prescription painkillers. But the drug companies want to keep people addicted to those. I had a friend who had diabetes whose doctor kept him on Oxy to the point that he became like a zombie to the point he stopped caring about his diabetes. Over about 5 years of this, he lost both feet to gangrene because all he cared about was getting the next Oxy. He passed away last year. We're all responsible for own actions, but nobody can tell me that his doctor and the drug company that makes Oxy aren't at least partly responsible.
Greg
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 2:18 p.m.
Do not think anyone here said pot was harmless, any more than beer or cigarettes. Just that the legal overkill trying to outlaw it has made things much worse rather than helped. Drug loards incredibly richer. Thousands with bad records and jailtime. Billions upon billions spent on jails, police and legal fees and problem is actually worse by most any way you care to measure it than when the so called "war on drugs" started. Want to make a drug lord cry - legalize his highest profit margin stock (pot). You certainly have not stopped its use in decades of trying and hundreds of billions of dollars spent. Talk about failure in a massive way.
Fat Bill
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 1:50 p.m.
I used to think along the same lines as many of those who have already posted. Having watched a child who was once considered talented and gifted become a regular marijuana user and simply quit trying, my views have evolved somewhat. I resent people trying to shove their version of morality down my throat; but marijuana is not "harmless".
Fat Bill
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 2:12 a.m.
Of course there could have been other factors; but there appeared to be a strong correlation to use of marijuana with the nose dive in ambition. I think most of us know a user that has allowed the pursuit of the desired drug to interfere with other aspects of their life.
Paul
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 9:36 p.m.
Hey, good point, yet every drug has side effects and every drug people react different to. Alcohol isn't for me, makes me tried and act foolishly. Some pain pills work OK short term but then I get hook on them and plus they stop working as good the longer I take them. Thanks to M.M. I feel great 90% of the time and can go without it short term and feel fine-no withdraws.
clownfish
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 6:24 p.m.
It should be up to ADULTS to choose. If your example person was a child, they should NOT be using Marijuana, and I don't know anybody that would suggest otherwise. as they were able to obtain it while the Drug War wages, I submit that the Drug War is an abject failure and a waste of resources. Better to put that money and manpower into treatment for individuals such as those you brought up.
riverguy
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 4:31 p.m.
How can you be so sure it was the fault of marijuana? Maybe she would have quit trying anyway and you're using marijuana as a scapegoat.
slave2work
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 2:04 p.m.
Amen!!..same thing here.. same feelings.
L'chaim
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 1:48 p.m.
Response to headline: The swine.
Steven Taylor
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 1:19 a.m.
I..... Well. I got nuthin'. you win the internet today.
clownfish
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 1:10 p.m.
Waste of time and resources! Legalize it already.
mady
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 1:50 p.m.
clownfish, totally agree. sick people need their medicine. just ask anyone who suffers chronic, ongoing pain, case in point one of my daughters(4 back surgeries)! I" Dare"(pun intended)anyone to tell me that she has no right to manage her pain using the only thing that works.
nickcarraweigh
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 12:57 p.m.
Best way I can think of to force ridiculous laws off the books is to rigorously enforcement them
Paul
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 9:41 p.m.
Wrong, the evil doers just make more $ and hurt those trying to help others by pushing their beliefs on everybody else. Law enforcement is way out of hand, sad when Toronto has vapor lounges that anybody 19 or old can go inside and puff up, no medical id needed and never been raided the 5 years its been open. Some countries the law looks the other way as people views change but not in the USA it seems. Well OK, Fed law is now being over look for medical patients, a small step in the right direction.
Greg
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 12:26 p.m.
Mass Vocals - Take a breath and try to use a paragraph or two to break up your points if you want most to even try to read them. FWIW. Yes priorities are really messed up. Those who expected Obama to help are set for disappointment. He is building a bigger government structure, not smaller.
clownfish
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 6:37 p.m.
I had some time to look this up..it turns out that Obama is actually better than many previous presidents at keeping federal payroll low, and it turns out that the party that sees more growth of federal employees is Red, not Blue. On December 31st 1976 (Not Carter's term yet), total nonmilitary personnel was 2,883,000. By December 31st 1980 the end of his term (minus a month), the total in nonmilitary personnel was 2,875,000. Federal government nonmilitary employees shrunk by 8,000 employees under Carter. On January 21st, 1981, President Reagan started with 2,875,000 nonmilitary federal employees. By the end of Reagan's terms the total number of nonmilitary federal employees was 3,113,000. That is an INCREASE of 238,000 On January 20th, 1989, total federal nonmilitary employment was 3,113,000 by the end of his only term, President George H.W. Bush had 3,083,000 federal nonmilitary employees on the books. That is a REDUCTION of 30,000 employees. President George W. Bush came into office with 2,703,000 nonmilitary employees and by the time his terms were through, the total nonmilitary federal employees on the books were 2,756,000, which is an INCREASE of 53,000 employees. President Bill Clinton came into office with 3,083,000 and by the END of his TWO TERMS he reduced the number of Federal employees to 2,703,000. That is a reduction of 380,000 federal employees. TOTAL NONMILITARY EMPLOYEES IN 1980 — 2,875,000 TOTAL NONMILITARY EMPLOYEES IN 2010 — 2,840,000 As of 2010, We had 35,000 less nonmilitary employees under President Obama than we had 30 years ago.
clownfish
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 12:56 p.m.
Which makes him just like every other president, including Reagan.
Jon Wax
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 12:48 p.m.
why is everyone shocked? he said up front after the last election that he wasn't going after the user. which means he is going after the suppliers. he was totally honest about it. and if you think the DEA has no federal power... try telling that to the folks they just busted. smh. Peace Wax
Mass Vocals
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 11:24 a.m.
The DEA is not the government , federally they have no jurisdiction or venue in the state / they have to show cause the federal government is limited under the constitution however the congress has been very busy making the same laws as the states within boarders . Fact is the federal agencies is making war with Nixon CSL and excuse to raid a legal business this is an attack on all patients We should demand and end to the DEA and IRS , HLS and CIA We must end the attacks or go to war everyone of those agents are thugs against the people will of the state protection laws as to shoot and kill should be place in all shops thee federal government refuses to even establish medical use . they refuse to establish any state right and refuse to stay out of the state legal right therefore they are thugs stealing by arm enforcement they should be killed for this act there paper war' parent government is against the people there will and our contract principle the US Constitution which allow us to defend our rights that we have not two master and the federal government is to be restricted form such laws as the state has right to amend The federal government has no right to act in the state jurisdiction or its venue if this continue i would say to all patriots its time to cause a reovlution time to defend our freedoms and liberty please refuse drug testing refuse Corri refuse wavers of any rights and tell the president Obama Administration... to end this predominantly foolish point stop the war on patients on marijuana our herb our medical re-leaf / or we shall war and declare it by any means freedom and liberty is not the DEA job title they are a despondent police without common since to stop this pony show of power remember the people have power also massvocals You have the power to stop this . massvocals
quintessentially
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 2:18 a.m.
Get your facts straight, while the DEA might not be government, the agents are federal agents, meaning they do have jurisdiction
rutrow
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 10:14 a.m.
As usual, wasting precious police resources on morality laws. It's past time to disband and defund the DEA.
Paul
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 9:45 p.m.
We have the moral police in the USA, we just don't call them that. Look at those children the police claimed to save this week, the ones I seen on the local TV news were all in handcuff. That is saving them ? Oh, I'm not for underage anything but saving to me means not throwing handcuffs on 16-17 year old girls.
Bear
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 6:39 a.m.
stupid, just plain stupid.....
Basic Bob
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 1:06 a.m.
Tainted heroin is killing folks, black market prescription opiods are devastating our schools, and we bust a marijuana store. Priorities?
Paul
Tue, Jul 30, 2013 : 11:48 p.m.
Wow, thought the place was pretty cool but I did not feel very welcome so I stop going....been neat to seen the raid, ha ha. Then again, glad I wasn't around. Hope nothing comes of this. again they did seem pretty cool and did treat me alright for a newbie.
Michigan Man
Tue, Jul 30, 2013 : 11:20 p.m.
Nice - Keep up the really good work! Sounds like lots of illegal activity going on inside - drugs, pimps, prostitution, contraband, etc.
quintessentially
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 2:13 a.m.
You are a perfect representation of the kind of people that keep marijuana illegal...or any other unjust law that was ever implemented
aanative
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 5:03 a.m.
Uh, what article did you read??
a2citizen
Tue, Jul 30, 2013 : 10:58 p.m.
Can't blame this waste of time on Snyder.
hail2thevict0r
Tue, Jul 30, 2013 : 10:28 p.m.
How sad is it that it takes 10 minutes for police to respond to a burglary in Ann Arbor and over 40 minutes in Detroit but they have the time to do this kind of stuff....what a waste of time.
Paul
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 1:41 a.m.
If the DEA spent less money, there could be more money for our local police. How about cutting the DEA budget by 30% and giving the money saved equally to the local police depts ? They could hire more cops and respond times would go down with no tax increases for us.
Paul
Tue, Jul 30, 2013 : 11:51 p.m.
There is so much waste in law enforcement. Money can be so tight but then its like the police have their own money tree and can do whatever they like to. Maybe they can interview everybody who was 1,500 feet from the Shop and spend $$$ on investigations.
tdw
Tue, Jul 30, 2013 : 10:43 p.m.
Although I do agree that its a waste of time the article sates it was the DEA that conducted the raid.So local response times have nothing to do with it.Sorry, nice try though
Anna
Tue, Jul 30, 2013 : 9:42 p.m.
Just legalize it, already...
GoNavy
Tue, Jul 30, 2013 : 8:58 p.m.
Yay Obama Administration... You have the power to stop this. Please do.
chris
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 11:09 a.m.
Apparently you don't read much. A number of dispensaries were raided last week in Washington state, where marijuana was legalized last year.
Paul
Tue, Jul 30, 2013 : 11:55 p.m.
Yeah but change comes slowly. If that other dude would have been elected, it would have been open season on M.M. Don't kidd yourself not. Obama is the best we can hope for right now, least hes leaving most people alone and allowing the 2 states that legalized it alone to work out the details.
treetowncartel
Tue, Jul 30, 2013 : 8:57 p.m.
Small electronic device is most likely a scale. It helps the prosecutor out as evidence in the manufacturing and delivering prongs of the federal statute(s).
Bear
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 6:35 a.m.
uhm, it's a dispensary. Of course they would have scales. So does a grocery store.
Paul
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 1:35 a.m.
If they were just going after the manufacturing and distribution of pot, how come other places were not raided too ?
Paul
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 1:33 a.m.
If they were shorting the customers that is wrong-illegal. If the supermarket meat scales are not calibrated correctly, they can face fines. If the gas pump doesn't pump a full gallon as it says, again the station can be fined. Used to be pretty common to tamper with measuring devices to make more $ but now the big corporations own the gas stations and grocery stores and the workers there just get paid by the hour.
Michigan Reader
Wed, Jul 31, 2013 : 1:08 a.m.
Paul--What does it matter if the scales WERE off? They're probative evidence of manufacturing and distribution of pot.
Paul
Tue, Jul 30, 2013 : 11:56 p.m.
Maybe the scales were off ? Seems crazy the DEA would care about that but who knows ?