Michigan Prosecutor to Handle Marijuana Arrests on a Case-By-Case Basis

Although rules for Michigan’s medical marijuana law will not be set up until April 4th, at least one prosecutor in the state says he will look at each marijuana case individually until rules are in place.

Last week Michigan’s medical marijuana law took effect, but without a proper way to issue ID cards, the law essentially changed nothing in the state leading many to wonder how marijuana arrests would be handled until provisions can be set in place.

Mason county prosecutor-elect Paul Spaniola, who takes office in January, said he plans to take medical marijuana cases on a case-by-case basis.

“If the suspect has a bona fide diagnosis from a licensed physician which would make him eligible under the medical marijuana law, we would have to seriously consider the extent which he has complied with the medical marijuana law in the decision whether to prosecute,” he said.

Outgoing prosecutor Susan Kasley Sniegowski said she doesn’t expect to see any medical marijuana cases during the last few weeks of her tenure.

Michigan became the 13th state to legalize medical marijuana when 63 percent of voters approved proposition 1 in November. The state joins the list of Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington in legalizing medical marijuana.

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