80-Year-Old Grandma Thrown in Jail For Smoking Pot In Her Own Home to Treat Her Arthritis

 Clare County, Mich. – Delores Saltzman, an 80-year-old grandma was  recently arrested because she had an expired medical marijuana card and  police found a very small amount of cannabis in her home, about the  equivalent of just a few joints. Last month, Clare County Sheriff’s Deputy Ashley Gruno went by  Saltzman home and knocked on the door around 9 pm, in search of the  woman’s great-granddaughter, reportedly to return a lost phone and ID.  The officer immediately smelled marijuana and began interrogating the  poor old woman. 

Saltzman was honest with the officer and told her that  she was a medical patient that allowed her card to expire, and she was  arrested on that small technicality. She was then handcuffed and thrown in a cold jail cell where her  arthritis — without the cannabis to help her — began taking its toll. “That’s ridiculous what they do to people, they don’t need to make you that cold,” Saltzman told FOX 17. 

“Old Arthur was screaming at me!” she said, referring to her arthritis. “That’s what I want people to do: don’t be ashamed of something that’s going to help you feel better,” she added. 

“I just thought it was absolutely ridiculous to put her through  this like that: they could have given her a ticket. And just show us  your card later. Reapply for your LARA card, show us this, and then drop  the charges,” her son Mark Saltzman said. 

Saltzman said that cannabis has saved her life, and helped her with a  variety of issues, including appetite, pain, and arthritis. “[Cannabis] saved my life because I had a bad bleed about four  years ago, and Mark took care of me. After I smoke I go down to a one,  pain-wise. Before I smoke, I would say I’m an 8 right now,” the 80-year-old grandma explained.

 Clare County Prosecutor Michelle Ambrozaitis made the following statement to FOX 17: 

“Law enforcement went to Ms. Saltzman’s home looking for an  individual who had been known to stay at that residence. When the deputy  arrived, she could smell the odor of marijuana. When she interacted  with Ms. Saltzman at the door, Ms. Saltzman admitted to have been  smoking marijuana and possessing marijuana and that she had allowed her  medical marijuana card to lapse. At that time, Ms. Saltzman turned over  to the deputy 7 marijuana pipes, 4 joints, a grinder, and a purple glass  jar that also held a quantity of marijuana inside. The deputy arrested  Ms. Saltzman for the illegal possession of marijuana and lodged her in  the Clare County Jail. Based upon that arrest, a police report and  request for charges was generated by the deputy and presented to our  office. My assistant prosecutor authorized a possession of marijuana  charge based upon the admission by Ms. Saltzman that she wasn’t a  medical marijuana card holder and the evidence that she did possess  marijuana illegally. However, our goal is to ensure that individuals who  utilize medical marijuana are doing so legally. As such, Ms. Saltzman  was encouraged to obtain her medical marijuana card and if she did so,  the case would be dismissed. She did obtain her medical marijuana card  and the case was dismissed.” 

Luckily, this week, a Clare County judge signed an order to dismiss  Saltzman’s case, however, she still had to spend a night in jail, which  was likely traumatic and could lead to health problems for people with  compromised immune systems, which is common at her age. Showing the callous, cruel, and inhumane nature of the drug warriors,  the sheriff had no remorse and was proud to have thrown a grandma in  jail. 

“What the person was doing was illegal, had she renewed her  medical marijuana card she would have been fine. I agree with the action  the prosecutors office and allowing the subject to renew her card, thus  dismissing the case. The person was illegally in possession of  marijuana,” Clare County Sheriff John Wilson said.