In the News – 2010

February 25, 2017 admin

Read some of Rick’s more quotable media statements from the year 2010

Jump to any single year’s In The News by clicking on the date below:

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MARCH

“Once the baby step of decriminalizing medical marijuana nationally occurs, the legality issue will fall into place.”

“Our goal is to make the process easier for patients to access. We include a lot of information about non-smoked varieties of marijuana.”

Michigan company seeks to create community around medical marijuana

3/31/2010 Addiction Professional Magazine

https://www.addictionpro.com/article/michigan-company-seeks-create-community-around-medical-marijuana

A group of editors this week was putting the finishing touches on the fifth issue of the monthly Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine, a publication featuring regular contributions from a physician, a legal advocate and a gardener, among others. Contributing editor Rick Thompson says the magazine is intended to connect medical marijuana patients and caregivers in his state and does not focus much on broader marijuana legalization, although he leaves no doubt about his views on that subject.

“Once the baby step of decriminalizing medical marijuana nationally occurs, the legality issue will fall into place,” Thompson says.

Thompson says the 40-plus page magazine is meeting its expenses through a combination of paid advertising and a $5 per issue subscription price. “Our goal is to make the process easier for patients to access,” he says. “We include a lot of information about non-smoked varieties of marijuana.”

Also, Thompson says some police officials around the state have maintained a blanket law-and-order mindset around marijuana. “One sheriff refuses to accept paperwork and wants to see the [identification] card,” even after the period in which paperwork is allowed as documentation in the law, Thompson says. “Some are still resisting the new laws.”

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JULY

Civil Asset Forfeiture Rally in Saginaw, MI “Medical Marijuana”

Thompson interviewed in this video.

“The rally in Saginaw couldn’t be complete without sheriff William Federspiel showing off his new ride. He pulls up in a brand new ford mustang that reads on the side “confiscated from a drug dealer”. Funny, i thought that asset was city property guess hes a mustang fan!”

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July 7, 2010. SAGINAW TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The home of a Saginaw County man was raided again after he held a protest last week on rights for medical marijuana users.

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AUGUST

“I can guarantee that none of the people at that press conference voted for this law in 2008.”

Royal Oak rejects proposed medical marijuana growing operation

Published: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 Daily Tribune

Rick Thompson of Center Line, editor of Michigan Medical Marijuana magazine, said cities like Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills that have banned medical marijuana dispensaries and grow operations outright face legal challenges from the American Civil Liberties Union.

“We just went through an election when everyone was talking about jobs, jobs, jobs. Now we have a chance to create jobs, and I don’t think we can afford to pass it up.”

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15 arrested in Oakland sheriff’s pot raids

Detroit Free Press; Aug 27, 2010

http://www.ravebook.net/fr/news_info/220050/all/

More than 50 Michigan cities, townships and counties have passed
ordinances limiting or banning medical-marijuana dispensaries, Rick
Thompson, editor of Oak Park-based Michigan Medical Marijuana magazine, said.

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Medical marijuana grow facility likely to be denied

August 4, 2010 C & G Newspapers/Royal Oak Review

Rick Thompson of Center Line spoke in favor of the grow facility and lifting the moratorium.
“We just went through an election when everyone was talking about jobs, jobs, jobs,” Thompson said. “Now we have a chance to create jobs, and I don’t think we can afford to pass it up.”
Several officials said the current law is far from perfect and that the state Legislature needs to act to give communities direction on dispensaries and grow facilities.

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SEPTEMBER

“It’s a shame that the county sheriff’s department in Lapeer has resorted to a tactic like this in order to achieve their eventual goal.”

State medical marijuana proponent calls padlocking of Dryden facility ‘a shame’

Flint Journal, September 22, 2010

Rick Thompson, editor of the Oak Park-based magazine, said there are better ways to work with a facility than to shut its doors.

“It’s a shame that the county sheriff’s department in Lapeer has resorted to a tactic like this in order to achieve their eventual goal,” he said.

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Medical pot advocates to protest arrests, raids

Detroit Free Press; Sep 11, 2010

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“Each time we gather we gain strength, and moving forward our voice will be one — they have no choice but to listen to us.”

Investigation into Dryden medical marijuana dispensary continues

September 15, 2010  The Flint Journal

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/09/investigation_continues_into_d_1.html

Rick Thompson, editor of Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine and spokesman of Michigan Association of Compassion Centers, said more protests are planned to call attention to the law.

“Each time we gather we gain strength, and moving forward our voice will be one — they have no choice but to listen to us,” said Thompson.

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“To take the attitude that we’ll just hide our head in the sand until someone else solves the problem for us, is not taking a stand at all. You are avoiding a situation that you can resolve.”

Royal Oak takes first step in outlawing medical marijuana

September 15, 2010 C & G Newspapers/ Royal Oak Review

Several commissioners on both sides of the issue called on the state Legislature to fix the law, which was passed by voters in 2008.

Rick Thompson, a medical marijuana advocate, said state Legislature action is not a viable option because it would take years to get bills through the process, and a supermajority would be needed to change the law.

“To take the attitude that we’ll just hide our head in the sand until someone else solves the problem for us, is not taking a stand at all,” he said to the commission. “You are avoiding a situation that you can resolve.”

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Law enforcement in Oakland and Lapeer counties is forcing the issue into courts, Thompson complained, “at the expense of patients who have been jailed, had their personal possessions confiscated and their lives turned upside down.”

Judge Calls for Clarity in Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Law

Detroit News, September 15, 2010

Rick Thompson, a board member with the medical marijuana dispensary, Big Daddy’s Compassionate Care Club in Hazel Park, said he and other business owners are worried about police raids. Big Daddy’s considered adding a second location in Ferndale but withdrew its application over zoning concerns. The company is looking for other locations in southeast Michigan.

Law enforcement in Oakland and Lapeer counties is forcing the issue into courts, Thompson complained, “at the expense of patients who have been jailed, had their personal possessions confiscated and their lives turned upside down.”

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“The police have a very narrow interpretation of the law. They should not be allowed to take patient records.”

More than 150 rally outside Lapeer County Sheriff’s Office in protest of recent medical marijuana raids

September 13, 2010 The Flint Journal

Rick Thompson, editor of Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine, spoke about the recent raid of the Dryden dispensary where police seized customer records.

“The police have a very narrow interpretation of the law,” he said. “They should not be allowed to take patient records.”

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“This law needs to be interpreted liberally. These protests are in direct response to the actions in Lapeer and Oakland counties.”

Dryden dispensary operator could face charges this week, officials say

September 13, 2010, The Flint Journal

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/09/dryden_dispensary_operator_cou.html

About 150 people protested the sheriff’s department actions Monday afternoon outside the department. Compassionate Care centers in seven counties chipped in to rent buses to transport protesters from Oakland, Genesee and Lapeer counties, as well as Ann Arbor, metro Detroit and elsewhere, said Rick Thompson, editor of Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine and spokesman of the newly formed of Michigan Association of Compassion Centers.
“This law needs to be interpreted liberally,” Thompson said. “These protests are in direct response to the actions in Lapeer and Oakland counties.”

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“This really is the largest, most diverse protest in Michigan in defense of patients’ rights today.”

Marijuana advocates protest police action

http://thecountypress.mihomepaper.com/news/2010-09-15/Front_Page/Marijuana_advocates_protest_police_action.html

September 15, 2010

“This really is the largest, most diverse protest in Michigan in defense of patients’ rights today,” said Rick Thompson of Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine. He was speaking on behalf of the event’s sponsor, the newly-formed Michigan Association of Compassion Centers. The organization represents centers in seven counties, with a combined membership of more than 6,000 patients and caregivers.

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Hundreds rally to support medical marijuana use

September 13, 2010 Oakland Press

Forsberg said the demonstration came together as a result of the Aug. 25 drug raids that occurred in Oakland County. A smaller protest occurred on the county complex Wednesday, Sept. 8.

Rick Thompson with Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine said the protest was organized by the Michigan Association of Compassion Clubs.

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OCTOBER

“Any previous existing zoning ordinances should be enough to regulate the growth, sale and use of medical marijuana. The hurdles you’ve already established seem to be sufficient to take care of this.”

Council issues 90-day freeze on medical pot facilities

October 13, 2010 C & G Newspapers/ Woodward Talk

Rick Thompson, editor of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine and operator of a dispensary in Oak Park, said that he had submitted one of the eight applications to the city and argued that issuing a moratorium would be a “frivolous” move on the council’s part.
“Any previous existing zoning ordinances should be enough to regulate the growth, sale and use of medical marijuana,” he said. “The hurdles you’ve already established seem to be sufficient to take care of this.”

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“The intent of the initiative was to enable patients to utilize medical marijuana.  So, if there are any gray areas in the law, they have to be decided in favor of patient’s rights, not in favor of what’s easiest for law enforcement, or what might contribute to their forfeiture funds.”

Medical Marijuana Supporters Rally

October 7, 2010 3:15 PM CBS radio WWJ

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2010/10/07/medical-marijuana-supporters-rally-2/

Rick Thompson, who helped organize the demonstration, said they’re showing support for defendants recently arrested during clinic raids in Waterford, Ferndale and Royal Oak.
“We support anyone who is full compliance with the Michigan Medical Marijuana act,” Thompson told WWJ’s Florence Walton.
“The intent of the initiative was to enable patients to utilize medical marijuana.  So, if there are any gray areas in the law, they have to be decided in favor of patients rights, not in favor of what’s easiest for law enforcement, or what might contribute to their forfeiture funds,” Thompson said.

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NOVEMBER

“We are speaking out on behalf of people who cannot do it for themselves. If these patients’ rights are eroded here today, then they will be throughout the whole state.”

Protesters hold rally at medical marijuana court proceeding

C & G News/Woodward Talk/Royal Oak Review, November 10, 2010

Three buses filled with people from all across the state — Lansing, Port Huron, Ypsilanti and Detroit, among others — pulled up to the Kulick Community Center, 1201 Livernois St., carrying signs, bullhorns and loudspeakers. The group was made up of vocal medical marijuana supporters from the Michigan Association of Compassion Centers, an organization “dedicated to protecting the rights of medical marijuana patients,” according to MACC spokesperson Rick Thompson.
“We are speaking out on behalf of people who cannot do it for themselves,” said Thompson, who also works as editor of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine. “If these patients’ rights are eroded here today, then they will be throughout the whole state.”

Thompson and others gave impassioned speeches and led the crowd through chants of “Stop arresting patients!” while the court hearing was on a lunch break.

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“When any law enforcement organization thinks it’s OK to take protected records, HIPAA protected documents, on an unprecedented scale in Ferndale history, then we have to take a stand.”

Testimony begins in medical marijuana case

November 03, 2010 Daily Tribune, Oakland Press, Macomb Daily,

“When any law enforcement organization thinks it’s OK to take protected records, HIPAA protected documents, on an unprecedented scale in Ferndale history, then we have to take a stand,” said Rick Thompson, editor of a medical marijuana magazine based in Oak Park.

Thompson spoke to medical marijuana advocates from as far away as Ann Arbor, Lansing and Port Huron who carried signs saying, “Bouchard did you get the news? … Medical marijuana is MI law” and “Patients are not criminals.”

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“If Oakland County is successful in doing this to patients locally, others think they can do it too. It is a statewide issue and not just a local issue.”

Protesters Rally At Medical Marijuana Trial

November 3, 2010 WDIV channel 4

Rick Thompson of the Michigan Association of Compassion said the Oakland County case has statewide implications.

“If Oakland County is successful in doing this to patients locally, others think they can do it too. It is a statewide issue and not just a local issue,” Thompson said.

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DECEMBER

“The biggest potential increase in Michigan is in individual caregivers.”

Medical marijuana grows Michigan businesses

Published: Saturday, December 11, 2010 Oakland Press

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/12/11/business/doc4d03d89f60be6875747573.txt?viewmode=fullstory – photo1

Rick Thompson of Center Line is on the board of directors of Big Daddy’s Management Group, and a contributing editor of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine — MMMM, one of several new publications focusing on marijuana issues.
The magazine celebrates one year of publication with its December issue. In its first year, it grew to 700 subscribers paying $50 a year, with a statewide distribution of more than 5,000 copies a month, and is now profitable.
Thompson says that the medical marijuana industry is attracting entrepreneurs from other states, and he sees growth in legal, accounting and insurance services..
“The biggest potential increase in Michigan is in individual caregivers,” Thompson said.

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