By Eric Lacy

Lansing State Journal

LANSING – Mayor Virg Bernero called Monday for a moratorium on new medical marijuana dispensaries because, he said in a statement. “enough is enough.”

Bernero said he still supports medical marijuana use and legalization of the drug, but opposes the “explosive growth” of medical marijuana facilities in the city.

“We have a sufficient number of medical marijuana dispensaries in the city to serve the needs of medical marijuana patients,” Bernero said in a statement. “Now we need a comprehensive system of regulations as soon as possible to govern the growing and distribution of medical marijuana.”

The press release from Bernero’s office doesn’t say how many medical marijuana facilities are in the city. Bernero’s statement comes nearly eight weeks after the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce urged the city to have a moratorium on new pot shops.

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Bernero said in Monday’s statement that he hopes City Council’s work on drafting a new medical marijuana ordinance moves the growth of marijuana out of neighborhoods and into commercial corridors and industrial areas.

“We have seen too many problems with home-based growing operations, including criminal activity that targets home growers for robbery or worse,” Bernero said. “Let’s move the grow operations into secure facilities in business and industrial districts so this necessary activity can be done a safe distance from children and families in our neighborhoods.”

Lansing doesn’t have a licensing process for medical marijuana dispensaries, despite City Council’s passage of an ordinance in 2011 regulating the businesses. At least 30 businesses applied for licenses that year, according to the City Clerk’s Office, but the Court of Appeals struck down dispensaries as a violation of state law.

Since marijuana provisioning centers are technically illegal in Michigan, Lansing’s City Attorney Office informed City Council in 2011 that any centers open would operate at their own peril.

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that centers can be shut down using the state’s public nuisance law. Bernero said last year that Lansing centers follow the law by serving only medical marijuana cardholders, adding that most law enforcement agencies would like state law clarified.

Medical marijuana patient and Steve Green, 37, of Lansig said Monday he counted 63 dispensaries in the city about two weeks ago and believes that’s a suitable number. Increased supply in the city has dropped prices at some dispensaries to about $6 a gram. If city officials want to regulate the number of dispensaries, they need to create clear-cut zoning designations and standards because pot shops aren’t going away, Green said.

Is a dispensary considered a retail business, a medical consulting business or something else? Green said the city’s current policy is too confusing. He suggests frequent checks on dispensary violations ranging from overgrown grass and weeds to noise violations and sales to minors.

“You can’t say you can come to Lansing and can’t find marijuana,” Green said.

Eric Lacy is a reporter for the Lansing State Journal. Contact him at 517-377-1206 or elacy@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @EricLacy.