Michigan Launches Pot Legalization Ballot Drive

Activists in Michigan introduce signature campaign aimed at putting pot on Nov. 2016 ballot

Last weekend, advocacy group MI Legalize began a push toward legalizing recreational weed, hemp cultivation and other pot-positive moves. The group hosted an event at the Superior Dome at Northern Michigan University and now has 180 days to collect more than 250,000 signatures from valid, registered voters in order to place the legalization initiative on the ballot for November, 2016.

If the initiative is approved, voters will be asked in the forthcoming election if they would like to legalize recreational pot, among other things.

According to MI Legalize, the initiative serves to:

• Legalize all forms marijuana for adults twenty-one and older, including topicals, oils and tinctures.

• Allow for adults to cultivate up to twelve plants.

• Allow for the cultivation, possession and otherwise processing of hemp and hemp products.

• Grant medical marijuana patients & consumers additional legal protections.

• Provide licensing to marijuana establishments and cultivation facilities.

• Allow a ten-percent excise tax on recreational marijuana sales that will contribute to state funds for education, transportation and a portion for local government, tax will not apply to medical marijuana patients.

• Remove all criminal penalties for distribution, cultivation, and possession of marijuana with the exception of sale to an unauthorized minor.

• Allow for civil infractions to be issued if the person is in violation of the act.

• Protect consumers from search, seizure and investigation by law enforcement for marijuana-related offenses.

• Authorize local units of government to adopt limited regulation of marihuana facilities and stores.

Recreational retail Cannabis would be taxed at ten percent and localities would have the right to refuse the operation of pot-related businesses in their area, but voters would retain the right to appeal and possibly reverse such bans.

If the efforts of MI Legalize are successful, recreational weed would be legalized as of March 1, 2017.