They are needed, the 30,000 or so caregivers in the state should have been included, part of the reasoning behind law enforcements lobbying for the transports and caregivers to be excluded was they didnt want overages ending up on the street. What fucking kind of sense does it make to exclude us from a system that would of clearly stopped that very scenario. Your yes vote to me, tells me you wont be much different, but then again i dont know much about you.
Let's clarify something. Dispensaries are not currently, nor have they ever been, legal. The only system in place is the caregiver/patient system (and of course self growing patients). I am very upset that caregivers were not given permission to sell overages to the new provisioning centers, as it would have provided a good source of income to many families in Michigan as opposed to making a few rich people richer. At least we now have an option for many patients that do not have the knowledge to grow themselves nor a caregiver. We've set up systems to help patients find caregivers since the demise of the compassion club system (and what brought that about???), but it is very difficult for many to figure out what meds they need and then find someone to grow them for them. At least with provisioning centers there will be variety and supply.
There clearly were arguments for separating caregivers from commercial growers. Economy of scale is one, the other was to address the issue of caregivers promising free ounces to get the right to grow 12 more plants and then vanishing on their patients. Clearly it was just a few bad eggs, but it keeps caregivers with patients and is tax free. I do think it is absurd to put this system in place without recreational use, and I feel it unfairly penalizes the patients that use dispensaries, but there is always the option to do it the original way and get a caregiver. The benefit is at least you had the opportunity to try different strains and see what works for your specific condition, enabling you to work with your caregiver to have the right meds.
As for me being the same, clearly you DON'T know me. I am running against a former cop. I've been an advocate for years and publicly called for full legalization in 2010 (Lansing State Journal 'Put Me Out of a Job'). So before you go writing me off as part of the problem- know what you are dealing with and understand I will be replacing Jeff Irwin in the House. Or the cop will.
Dr. Bob