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Ann Arbor Democratic State Representative Hopes To Ease Medical Marijuana Restrictions

Michigan House Democrats
State Representative Jeff Irwin

The challenge lies in educating new lawmakers about the issues around non-smokeable forms of the drug.

When state lawmakers return to the capitol in January, State Representative Jeff Irwin hopes efforts to ease medical marijuana restrictions will be a priority.

The Ann Arbor Democrat thinks it is especially important to pass legislation allowing the use of non-smokeable forms of the drug. Irwin says the House overwhelmingly passed the measure, and it appeared to have support in the Senate, until Attorney General Bill Schuette raised new concerns about the proposal. Irwin stated "because it was the last minute, it was hard to refute these points." Irwin thinks many of the Republican Senators changed their positions because "they didn't want to get crosswise with Attorney General Schuette."

Irwin is of the opinion that it will be a challenge to educate new lawmakers about the issue, in order to reach the three-quarters majority needed to amend the state's medical marijuana act.

Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter— Andrew Cluley is the Ann Arbor beat reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him acluley@emich.edu.       

Like many, I first came to this area when I started school at the University of Michigan, then fell in love with the community and haven’t left. After graduating from U of M in the mid 1990’s I interned at WDET for several years, while also working a variety of jobs in Ann Arbor. Then in 1999 I joined the WEMU news team.
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