Negaunee Twp. Shuts Down Medical Marijuana Business

The medical marijuana law allows for the existence of co–op stores.

If a caregiver expects to grow more plants that the 12 per patient the law allows, the excess plants must be sold to other patients at one of the stores.

The stores are called collectives.

The owner of Pioneer Testing Services in White Pine recently opened a second collective store under the same name in Negaunee Township.

It did business in the former home of a car dealership for about 3 weeks until the township shut it down.

Last Friday, the owner received a cease–and–desist order from the township.

The order cited several violations of local ordinances, including a newly–created medical marijuana ordinance.

The owner’s attorney, Brian Bloch, says the words ‘medical marijuana’ and ‘dispensary’ can cause otherwise rational people to act as if the sky is falling, and he says he thinks that’s what’s happened here.

Mike Hoey has been following this story, and he has much more about it tonight at 10 and 11.