Readers weigh in on teacher's arrest in medical marijuana case; take our poll on legalizing pot

Julie Mack | By Julie Mack | The Kalamazoo Gazette
on October 31, 2013 at 1:42 PM, updated October 31, 2013 at 2:03 PM

PAW PAW, MI -- Some readers see Scot Granke as a guy who did the crime and should do the time.

Others look at his case and say, in essence: Seriously? You think THIS is a good use of the criminal-justice system?

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Granke is a 50-year-old Paw Paw Middle School who also had a license to grow marijuana for medical patients. He and his wife are going through a divorce, and this summer she tipped off the Michigan State Police that they might want to check out Granke's operation.

In August, two officers with the State Police's drug-enforcement team raded Granke's farm near Bangor.  Granke wasn't charged immediately. There was, for instance, some question about what exactly constitutes a marijuana plant. Granke was allowed to have 48, and the cops counted 66, although that appeared to get into a debate  about what gets counted.

He also was allowed to have 15 ounces of processed marijuana, but had a pound. Moreover, he had turned some of the pot into hashish butter -- it was easier for patients to digest, he told police -- but the cops said Michigan's medical marijuana law doesn't cover hash.

In the end, Grranke was charged with one count of manufacturing marijuana and one count of manufacturing hash, both felonies, plus four misdemeanor counts of possessing of an  unlicensed handgun -- there were four such guns found on the property.

Each felony count carries a potential sentence of seven years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000.

RELATED STORY: Paw Paw teacher with medical marijuana license faces felony drug counts.

The case sparked a lively debate among online comments.

"Stop flouting the law and you will be ok," smilingteeth said. "Good grief at least pretend to be following the rules."

Trollfeeder offered scathing criticism of the medical marijuana law:

The law was passed based on empathy for the truly sick when we all know it was just a bunch of hippies who couldn't care less about the sick trying to put their foot in the door to the legalization of marijuana. If these voters knew how frequently patients are being used and abused to provide cover for the these drug dealers to illegally traffic marijuana THEY would be sick. It was not designed to be a money making enterprise, yet that's all it is for most of the people we hear about getting busted. Capitalism is great when you follow the laws and make legitimate money. There is very little that is legitimate in the current MMMA climate. Just a bunch of dopers trying to make a buck.
Responded msusnicknel:
I respectfully disagree with the idea that medical marijuana was some sort of farce perpetrated on the populace. Did some vote for it as a step towards legalization? Absolutely. I fail to see how that takes away from the genuine relief from suffering this law has brought to thousands of suffering Michiganders. I also disagree with the premise that those trying to make a living off providing this medicine to those who need it are doing anything wrong. Compensation was specifically anticipated and accounted for in the law. Caregivers making a living by providing this medicine are every bit as noble as your local pharmacist who earns his living by providing pills and tinctures to those who need them.  Funny how medical marijuana is about the only area where people want to hate on free market principles.
From imwithya:
For the love, this is getting ridiculous. How much money was spent on this great bust?

2 officers, warrants, raid, has got to cost the tax payer 2-5k. And pile on court costs, the expense to put this guy is jail for a couple years at 35k a year.. Nice work dummies!! He must have had high dollar equipment the cops wanted to resell to help the budgets. I have no respect for law enforcement that continues to persecute MJ. Yes, it is illegal, but they watch people break the law everyday and don't do anything. I called the police on a unregistered sex offender and was told by the officer that came out he would not arrest him. MI law says its an automatic felony not to register. But the officer told me the jail was too full, and only violent criminals were being arrested..
In a similar vein from makes_sense_to-me:
Wiley described it as a "very large, complex marijuana and hash manufacturing operation."

They don't understand that this rhetoric and hyperbole isn't working like it once did. We're not buying this.

This is a WASTE of society's resources.
What do you think?