Global Ganja Report

The Oakland County Narcotics Enforcement Team raided sites Sept. 14 in Michigan's Commerce Township, where defense attorneys said 34 caregivers grew cannabis in 34 leased and locked units. No arrests were made in raids on properties associated with Absolute Herbal Remedies, but 500 plants and tens of thousands of dollars in growing equipment were seized.

The raids come weeks after four people in the county's Oak Park industrial area were arraigned, having been arrested in January on drug possession and conspiracy charges. Two were associated with Big Daddy's Management Group—a major player in the Michigan medical marijuana industry. Following the new raids, Big Daddy's decided to close its Oak Park facility. "We're going from five locations in the state to four," said Big Daddy's spokesman Rick Thompson. The move from Oak Park involves a dozen employees, the affiliated Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine, and a business that marketed indoor cultivation equipment. Big Daddy's remaining locations are in Chesterfield Township, Detroit, Livonia and Burton near Flint.

A state Appeals Court decision Aug. 30—the second such ruling in a week against medical-marijuana users—upheld the conviction of a man arrested for possession after he obtained a state card as an approved user. The man, Brian Reed of Montmorency County, had been growing marijuana before he got the card, according to evidence in the case. Reed suffers from chronic back problems. He was arrested 10 days after he got his card, in August 2009. (Detroit Free Press, Sept. 16; Detroit Free Press, Sept. 1)

Photo by the Mad Pothead