Michigan Marijuana as Medicine Act of 1979
On Oct 10, 1979 the Michigan Marijuana as Medicine Act passed the State House of Representatives by a vote of 100 to 0. The next day the Senate confirmed an earlier vote by 33 to 1. In accordance with the Michigan Constitution, because the bill received more than 3/4 vote of the total Legislature, it was immediately enacted into law, by-passing the governor's office. The bill was so popular, Governor Milliken held a signing ceremony anyway.
Within a year, a viable, working medical marijuana research program had been established in Michigan. At its apex, over 350 patients were receiving medical marijuana directly from their doctors during office visits and there was a waiting list of new clinics wanting to enroll in the program.
So what happened? How did we fall so far back after coming so far forward? The Achilles Heal of Michigan's program was that it depended upon the National Institute on Drug Abuse to supply the medicinal marijuana. Two years of federal intransigence, double dealing and stonewalling effectively smothered the program.
Paperwork, reporting and documentation connected with the program mushroomed. Federally supplied marijuana was variously described as "moldy," "extremely dry," and "low potency." NIDA documents later obtained through a FOIA request reveal the batch of medical marijuana sent to Michigan had previously been rejected as, "Not fit for therapeutic use." In January, 1981 Chief NIDA researcher, Dr. Willette notified Michigan that a recent batch of medical marijuana sent to the state had been contaminated with various pathogens.
Doctors became frustrated and dropped out; patients turned to more reliable and higher quality street supplies. Federal supplies dwindled to zero. Eventually the Michigan Marijuana as Medicine Act was quietly allowed to lapse as it came up for sunset review.
In 1988 DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge Francis Young held a series of hearings that became known collectively as, A Petition to Reschedule Medical Marijuana. Judge Young heard scores of witnesses and reviewed tens of thousands of pages of written testimony. Below are three sworn affidavits from those hearings that taken together lay out in excruciating detail how the Michigan Marijuana as Medicine Act came to be and was subsequently sabotaged by the federal interference.
Roger D. Winthrop, Executive Director (Emeritus), MI NORML
Winthrop affidavit 1 Winthrop affidavit 2 Winthrop affidavit 3 Winthrop affidavit 4 Winthrop affidavit 5
Rhett Johnston, Administrative Assistant, Michigan Senator Jerry Hart
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