Pot Dispensary Lawsuit Could Have Implications For Statewide Policy In Michigan

Big Daddy's Hydroponics, a medical marijuana dispensary in Chesterfield Township, is the target of a high-profile lawsuit over the legality of Michigan dispensaries in a case that could have implications for statewide policy.

"This is the social revolution of our time," Rick Thompson, a Big Daddy's shareholder and editor of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine, told Patch's Christy Arboscello.

Since July, the dispensary has been embattled with the Chesterfield Township in a lawsuit that could play a significant role in shaping the debate over pot distribution in Michigan. The state's attorney general, Bill Schuette, on Monday announced he has joined the lawsuit in the Macomb County Circuit Court, citing zoning standards as a key reason for his intervention.

"Across Michigan, our communities are struggling with an invasion of pot shops near their schools, homes and churches," Schuette in a statement. "Local governments have the right to protect their communities from illegal marijuana dispensaries."

Big Daddy owners Rick and Sue Ferris are scheduled to present depositions in circuit court on Friday.

Read the full story on New Baltimore-Chesterfield Patch.