Michigan’s Department of Community Health is refusing to voluntarily turn over the records of 7 medical marijuana patients to the federal government. The federal government is now taking the state to court to get them.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrationwants the medical marijuana records of 7 individuals from the Lansing area. Court documents show special agents with the DEA say the records are relevant to an ongoing drug case.
Michigan’s Department of Community Health does keep a list of qualifying patients and their caregivers, but under Michigan’s medical marijuana law, it’s a crime to disclose it. The department ignored a DEA subpoena to turn over the information last June. Now the DEA is asking a federal judge to force the state to turn over the records. Officials with both the federal and state governments declined requests for an interview, citing the pending court case.
A hearing in the case is scheduled in federal court in Grand Rapids next week.