Watson’s rejection of dispensary ordinance based on fear

ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” story. It is an editorial by the editor.

“There are people in every time and every land who want to stop history in its tracks. They fear the future, mistrust the present, and invoke the security of a comfortable past which, in fact, never existed.” — Robert Kennedy

The Watson Township Board’s decision not to proceed with preparing an ordinance permitting a medical marijuana dispensary was disappointing, a demonstration of fear trumping opportunity.

The board Thursday evening voted 3-2 not to recommend the Planning Commission prepare a proposed ordinance, paving the way for the Circle G Corp. to build and establish a business near the corner of 12^th Street and M-222.

A new state law signed last fall by Gov. Rick Snyder enables local governments to allow such dispensaries so card-carrying medical marijuana patients can buy and sell the product under strict and specified regulations.

It is clear that dispensaries provide much better oversight for marijuana transactions for patients and caregivers, which now are limited to exchanges in homes of growers. Having a safe place for providers and patients to conduct business seems to be in the better interests of public safety. This law came in the wake of the Medical Marijuana Act, passed in 2008 by 63 percent of the voters.

But drug warriors such as the West Michigan Enforcement Team (WEMET), who stand to lose power and revenue because of dispensaries, have launched a public relations blitz that features questionable if not downright wrong information. Their continuing promotion of the 45 years of failure in the War on Drugs perpetuates America’s serious overcrowding of prisons with non-violent offenders and wastes public safety resources that should be used on much more serious scourges, such as heroin, meth, cocaine and prescription drugs.

WEMET put together a presentation to the Allegan City Council and succeeded in persuading officials there not to consider a dispensary ordinance. Watson Township Trustee Michelle Harris cited the Allegan County News & Gazette article in expressing her opposition to Circle G’s proposal.

Unfortunately, a good portion of WEMET’s data, from a Colorado prosecutor with an agenda, has been challenged as inaccurate, information that was not published. WEMET’s presentation was not “fair and balanced.”

Harris and Trustee Chuck Andrysiak both said because the law is new, they didn’t want Watson to be among the first, a position that comes from fear rather than critical thinking. They were told there are dispensaries already exisiting in the Muskegon area, Ann Arbor, Allegan Township and Orangeville Township, but that didn’t appear to have any impact.

Harris asserted the Planning Commission does not have a planner to prepare such an ordinance. Poppycock. I’ll bet Professional Code Inspections, which serves as planner for the City of Wayland, Hopkins Township, Martin Township, Dorr Township and other area municipalities can get the job done.

What this amounts to is fear trumping rational thinking, and it’s a damn shame because Harris and Andrysiak customarily have shown abilities to think critically. This was a missed opportunity for the township to pick up some sorely needed revenue, though Harris insists it’s not about the money and Andrysiak said a small rural township like Watson has a tight budget.

The real problem here is the tired old horse and buggy thinking that won’t budge in the face of economic opportunity. And I thought all those ridiculous “Reefer Madness” horror stories had been put to rest a long time ago.

Perhaps the board should heed the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 when he said, “We have nothing to fear, but fear itself.”