Expo to educate about medical marijuana

Bill Laitner, Detroit Free Press | NationalDesk

DETROIT -- Despite an adverse court ruling that shut down numerous shops across Michigan that sold medical marijuana, signs that the fledgling industry remains robust are filling the Roostertail catering facility on Detroit's east side this weekend.

Detroit's third annual T.H.C. Expo will draw 10,000 people through Sunday at $15 apiece, organizers said.

Looking around the tables crowded with vendor displays Friday night, Al McQueary of Southgate shook his head.

"This would get Michigan back to work in a heartbeat," if marijuana were legalized for recreational use, said McQueary, who said he uses it to ease pain from a 1984 pedestrian traffic injury.

The Expo on Saturday and Sunday will have lectures, demonstrations, live music and more than 100 vendors.

For some patrons, there's a special -- er -- high point.

"Ride the magic vapor bus to the medicating site!" say online Expo ads. A chartered bus was set to take those who flash state-registry cards to a secret site where they can smoke marijuana, then return to the expo.

This year's Expo comes at a crucial time, said one Friday-night visitor and longtime activist for medical marijuana.

"There's a lot of confusion about medical cannabis in Michigan because of recent changes in the law and court rulings," said Rick Thompson, editor of Compassion Chronicles, an online magazine.

The Expo will help to educate state-registered caregivers and patients about tighter restrictions going into effect April 1 for transporting medical marijuana and for getting a doctor's approval to use it, Thompson said.

Also, the Expo is a site for raising political awareness about a state Supreme Court ruling in January that forced most shops selling medical marijuana to close, he said.