WYOMING, MI – A Libertarian-leaning Republican running for City Council thinks two incumbents are foolish for fighting medical marijuana.

Despite statewide voter approval of medical marijuana and strong local support at the polls, Wyoming has prohibited it within the city. Ivan Assenov criticized Sam Bolt and Kent Vanderwood, both of whom also are part of the GOP's tent, during a recent debate about the Aug. 6 primary election.

Bolt and Vanderwood both are seeking re-election to their third 4-year terms. The ballot also includes Assenov, Awilda Diaz and Shake Broukian.

"What the City Council did is very troubling to me because they interject themselves between a doctor (and) a patient," Assenov said around the 43:30-minute mark of this video from a Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce forum.

He later added at the 55-minute mark: “Even today they’re still going against the state of Michigan. They’re going against a sick person who is maybe dying and has no attorney to fight in court and yet you hear how they are going to vote against that, spending money for nothing.”

RELATED: Wyoming's attempt to ban medical marijuana not done yet - state Supreme Court takes case

Bolt, who lost a Kent County Commission election last year, said Wyoming opposes medical marijuana because marijuana is still illegal under federal law.

"The law that Michigan passed was very poorly written. Nobody interprets it the same way twice," he said. "Wyoming has taken a stand: As long as it is illegal at the federal level, then it’s illegal in the city of Wyoming. I think that’s a very fair stand to take and I will defend that stand.”

Vanderwood, who lost a Republican state House primary in 2004, called the voter-approved medical marijuana law "unenforceable" and said it would pose problems for city police.

“If it comes down to the point where we’re required to change what we’re doing, we’ll do it," he said. "But at this point we’re taking the right position for the city of Wyoming and our public safety department.”

During the 1 hour, 7 minute debate, Assenov also parted from the two incumbents on service consolidation and criticized the upcoming National Night Out.

Broukian and Diaz did not participate in the forum.

Broukian told MLive she wants marijuana available to people who need it for medicinal purposes. But the state law in practice seems to let doctors give out marijuana for any reason, she said.

“I’m really torn on it,” Broukian said. “For the people that need it, I’m all for it. For the people that abuse it, jail ‘em up.”

Diaz also has reservations about medical marijuana, which she called "a very complex issue we need to be more cautious of."

"As a city we are to respect the state law, but at the same time we need to be extremely careful," she said.

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