The issue of medical marijuana has set several communities in the neighboring county ablaze in recent weeks, as leaders in Niles and Buchanan have discussed the possibility of opening up their cities to growing and distributing operations.

With the issue popping up so close to home, several Cass County agencies are looking to cut through the haze and deliver some legal answers to professionals about a subject that continues to grow in complexity.

The Cass County Prosecutor’s Office and the C.A.S.S. (Cass Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs Safety Solutions) Community Coalition are teaming up with the Van Buren County Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force to host a symposium on the current state of Michigan’s medical marijuana laws, titled “Marijuana Forum: Is This What the Doctor Ordered?” The event is scheduled to take place from 8 a.m. to noon Thursday, April 20, at Southwestern Michigan College.

Registration for the forum, aimed at law enforcement, educators, social workers and other professionals, is currently open, and is offered free of charge. People can register online at bit.ly/2mBrNr1.

Space is limited to 200 attendees, so people are encouraged to register as soon as possible to reserve a seat.

The event follows several months of discussion and planning from members of the prosecutor’s office and the C.A.S.S. Community Coalition, an organization focused on addressing drug issues in the county.

The organization issued a survey to area professionals who deal with drug-related problems last fall. Most of the people who responded said they were still unclear on Michigan’s marijuana laws, which are constantly evolving due to court decisions and new legislation, said E.J. McAndrew, coordinator of the coalition.

“There are still a lot of questions when it comes to the legality of marijuana,” McAndrew said. “Where do the laws fall and who do they apply to?”

This confusion has only been compounded by the new laws passed in Lansing late last year, which, among other changes, cleared the way for marijuana dispensaries to be opened in communities that approve them — something previously ruled illegal by the Michigan Court of Appeals.

“For many of us in law enforcement, the new laws have been a bit of a head scratcher,” said Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz.

To clear the air on the situation, the coalition and prosecutor’s office decided to host a forum — the third the two have jointly presented, and the second dealing with marijuana — designed to provide insight to local officials and professionals.

The keynote speaker at the event will be Ken Stecker with The Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan. His talk will focus on the state of legal use of marijuana in the state, as well as information about how the drug is grown, what kind of products are being offered and what trends are emerging about its use in not only Michigan but Colorado and other states that have approved use of the substance.

“He brings a very legalistic approach to his talks, but he is also very entertaining,” McAndrew said. “He knows this subject inside and out.”

On top of his talk, Stecker will field questions from the audience following his presentation, McAndrew said.

Also speaking during April’s event will be Chris Suarez, with the Southwest Enforcement Team, and David Toxopeus, with the Cass County Drug Enforcement Team, who will share their own experiences dealing with marijuana enforcement in the field as well as other subjects related to drug trade and manufacture.

“We want to arm people with as much information as possible, so they can make the best decisions possible for their communities,” McAndrew said.