Now that the Michigan GOP has decided against legalizing recreational cannabis early for the sake of keeping progressives away from the polls, residents can expect to see the measure on the ballot at this year’s midterm elections on November 6.
Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about what recreational cannabis means for Michigan if we vote to legalize it.
So if this passes, I can legally smoke weed in Michigan?
Yes, if you’re over 21 you can legally consume cannabis. You can also carry up to 2.5 ounces or 15 grams of concentrates and have up to 10 ounces in your home in a locked container.
Can I grow my own weed?
Yes, you can grow up to 12 plants in your home as long as they are completely hidden from public view. If you want to grow more than that, you will need to get a license from the state.
What kind of licensing is available?
The same types of licensing for medical marijuana will continue to be used for growers, processors, testers, dispensaries, and secure transporters. These are your options:
- Marijuana retailer
- Marijuana safety compliance facility
- Marijuana secure transporter
- Marijuana processor
- Marijuana microbusiness
- Class A marijuana grower for up to 100 cannabis plants
- Class B marijuana grower for up to 500 cannabis plants
- Class C marijuana grower for up to 2,000 cannabis plants
Licenses will be valid for at least one year.
I already own a tobacco smoke shop. Can I add weed products to my selection?
No. Cannabis businesses will be prohibited from selling tobacco products.
How will recreational cannabis be taxed in Michigan?
The ballot proposal includes a 10% excise tax for retail on top of the 6% state sales tax.
Where will the money go?
Out of this revenue, 35% will go toward K-12 education, 35% to roads, 15% to communities allowing marijuana businesses, and 15% to counties where businesses are located.
Where can I open a cannabis business?
That depends. Communities will be allowed to decide whether they will allow marijuana businesses, and municipalities can ban or limit these establishments at their own will. In communities where it’s allowed, the businesses cannot be located in a residential zoning area, and they must be at least 1,000 feet from a public or private school unless the local government allows otherwise.
Can I smoke weed in public if this passes?
Nope. (Yeah, for real.)
My landlord doesn’t let me smoke or grow. Will that change?
Nope. Landlords can still decide what is allowed in their buildings.
My employer drug tests for weed. Will that change?
Not unless they decide to. Employers can still set their own workplace policies regarding cannabis use and punish employees as they see fit.
Can I drive/snowmobile/get behind the helm of a boat while high?
No! Be smart and be safe.
Is this good for Michigan?
Time will tell, but the effects in other states with recreational laws have been overwhelmingly positive and it’s expected to have a similar effect on Michigan.
In 2015, recreational marijuana created more than 18,000 jobs in Colorado and added $58 million to the Pueblo County economy in 2016.
(Interested in a career in cannabis? Check out 11 educational programs to help you kickstart your career in the cannabis industry).
Pueblo County’s revenue is expected to hit $100 million a year by 2021, according to a Colorado State University study on the impact of the cannabis industry released earlier this year.
In 2017, the county gave out $420,000 in scholarships to 210 students. That number is expected to triple this year.
In 2016, roughly 22,000 people in Michigan were arrested for sale or possession of marijuana. Would you like to see the police break up a family because Dad smokes weed sometimes, or would you rather the police do something like, I don’t know, finish testing the 11,000 rape kits they found in an abandoned Detroit police facility in 2009 that they’re still working through 10 years later?
Remember, this isn’t just going to give Michigan adults access to big blunts and smokeable flower. Dispensaries sell plenty of therapeutic, non-psychoactive oils, tinctures, balms, salves, and edibles that contain high levels of CBD and little to no THC. CBD is one of many non-psychoactive compounds in the cannabis plant responsible for the health benefits many people find from marijuana. Read more about how CBD works, some studies on its benefits, and the variety of products available here.
Opponents think cannabis is a gateway drug that will lead to harder drug use, even though studies have shown that cannabis helps people with chronic pain lower their use of opiates. They also think this means unmitigated access to weed for kids. Selling to a minor will always be criminal, just like it is with alcohol.
How can I help?
Vote this November.
Tell every Michigan voter you know to vote this November.
Support MINORML and RegulateMI. Donate, volunteer, share their information on social media, get involved however you can.
If you’re a cannabis consumer, come out of the closet (as far as you’re comfortable) and open up to people about your cannabis use. Show that you’re above the stereotype and that it’s possible to smoke weed and have a productive, fulfilling life. Show that personal responsibility does not leave the building as soon as someone lights a joint.
Remind everyone you can that the entire point of this is to regulate cannabis like we regulate alcohol. The main difference is that cannabis is considerably safer than alcohol and tobacco.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash