LANSING -- Update: July 30th
Since this story was first published, Shekina Pena has posted the following statement on the "Your Healthy Choice Clinic" website:
"Your Healthy Choice has not and will not compensate anyone to vote nor will we compensate for voting for a particular candidate. Anyone who says or implies that we are compensating people for a vote is dishonest and shameless.
Your Healthy Choice and the Greater Lansing Medical Marijuana Association is conducting a Voter Registration Drive, just like other organizations. We need to encourage voters to get out and vote.
We have politicians who do not respect the Michigan voters’ decision of 60+ majority to have access to medical marijuana. Yes, we support the candidate who support us. However, we never compensate people for a vote. Candidates like Council Woman Carol Wood, Rory Neuner and Jody Washington don’t respect patients’ access.
They want to kill jobs and kill access. We won’t support Carol Wood, Rory Neuner or Jody Washington. We are in a fight, we will vote for those who support us. But we’ve never compensated a single person for a vote or to vote. That’s dishonest and untrue.
All dispensaries are doing a voter registration drive. If you sign up at Your Healthy Choice, we will assist you in filling out the registration form and will mail it out for you. We believe in power in numbers and everyone taking a stand. I’m planning an event for the preliminary voting that will have shuttles to the polls! We have to amend our Lansing ordinance! May God bless our efforts!"
Register to vote, and you could get free marijuana. That’s what “Your Healthy Choice Clinic ” in Lansing is doing to encourage its clients to vote.
The company’s owner, Shekina Pena, tells NBC25’s sister station, WILX-TV, that the purpose is to educate voters about medical marijuana, and to highlight which city council members support it.
WILX-TV reports the clinic offered half a gram or a free medible, one of their food products, as a thank you for medical marijuana patients who registered to vote.
The company is being investigated, as it is illegal in Michigan to entice voters. However, Pena says they’re not enticing voters on how to vote, but merely encouraging them to register.
We want your feedback on this topic. How do you feel about this group giving away free medical marijuana to people who register?
