Ferndale Pot Activist Goes to Jail For (Wait For It) Pot

Ferndale, MI — An activist who helped putmarijuana decriminalization measures on ballots in Ferndale and several other Michigan communities was sentenced Monday to 90 days in jail on drug charges resulting from a 2013 sting operation by Oakland County narcotics officers.

Upon his release, Andrew Cissell, 28, must observe strict guidelines outlined by Oakland County Circuit Judge Hala Jarbou as a condition of his two-year probation sentence, The Oakland Press reports.

Those conditions require Cissell to turn in his medical marijuana card, submit to twice-monthly marijuana and alcohol testing, and enter and completing a drug treatment program upon release from jail. He was given credit for 10 days in jail.

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“Because you may not agree with them doesn’t mean you don’t have to abide by them,” Jarbou said before Oakland County deputies led Cissell from the courtroom in handcuffs to begin his jail sentence.

“You don’t get to decide if you have some special status if you violate the conditions of this court or the laws of the state,” the judge continued. “You’ve shown for quite a few years that because you don’t believe in (the laws) you’re choosing to violate them. If you come back, you’re going to get a lot more time than I’m about to give you.”

Prosecutors argued for jail time, alleging that Cissell had violated the terms of his pretrial release by testing positive for marijuana use and posting a YouTube video that said he his medical marijuana dispensary in Detroit was still open for business.

Troy defense attorney Farris Haddad said prosecutors mischaracterized the video, which Haddad said was an interview rather than an advertisement. He also said Cissell had sought treatment for drugs.

Cissell said a jail sentence was not in his or the community’s best interests.

“This law is very vague — everyone can see there’s a lot of gray area,” he said. “I tried to involve what I see fit in the most civilized way which is through a ballot initiative ... in my little community, and it passed in the city, but it doesn’t excuse whether or not I broke the law. ... I’m just going to try my hardest to make my community a better place.”

Cissell, who has twice campaigned for state representative, has said that he will appeal his case.

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