Lansing politicians respond to dispensary denials

Some candidates slammed in a blog post by Your Healthy Choice Clinic owner Shekina Pena about his company’s offer of free marijuana to those who register to vote are responding to her comments.

Pena made headlines two weeks ago when her clinic offered a half a gram of medical marijuana or a free medible for registered patients who registered to vote at the clinic, located six blocks from the state capitol. Election officials for the state said the original post could have violated state election law, and Chris Swope, the Lansing City Clerk referred the matter to the Lansing Police Department for investigation under Michigan’s election inducement or bribery laws.

For her part, Pena says characterizing her offering as pot for votes or anything else “is dishonest and shameless.” She then goes on to say that council candidates for at-large seats Carol Wood and Rory Neuner were opposed to medical marijuana as well as First Ward Candidate Jody Washington.

Pena has a sign up in her clinic supporting at-large candidate Derrick Quinney. She is silent on her opinions in relation to Lynne Martinez who will face Washington in November, and Tom Stewart, the last of our candidates will battle for the two at-large seats currently held by Wood and Quinney.

Now, candidates Neuner, Washington and Wood are speaking out.

“It’s unfortunate that some dispensary owners continue to oppose my candidacy for 1st Ward City Council, simply because I spoke up on behalf of neighbors in calling for fair, reasonable and balanced regulations that protect the integrity of our neighborhoods,” said Washington in a statement to Michigan Messenger. “Voters approved medical marijuana to protect seriously ill patients from arrest and prosecution — not because they wanted pot shops next to schools, churches and day-care centers, and certainly not because they wanted unscrupulous businesses giving out pot for votes.”

Neuner’s response was, “I’ve been perfectly clear from day one on my support for upholding the will of Michigan’s voters while also ensuring Lansing’s zoning laws are applied fairly and appropriately to these facilities just as we do for any other type of business.”

“I am having trouble understanding the statement from Healthy Choice,” Wood wrote in a statement to Messenger. “I read the website and saw the news footage and both illustrated drugs for registering to vote as well as indicated candidates they were supporting for the election. Supporting someone who furthers your agenda is part of the political process, let’s just do it legally.”