Michigan’s democratic gubernatorial candidates met recently at WOOD TV8’s Grand Rapids studio to talk about the issues Michigan faces as it prepares to choose a new governor.
Voters will decide in November whether to legalize recreational marijuana in Michigan. The good news is that all three candidates said they supported the legalization measure.
Candidate and former state Senate minority leader Gretchen Whitmer, said she supported legalizing medical marijuana and blamed Republican attorneys general who fought that after voters approved it.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed said he supported the measure because of the connected civil rights issue, pointing out that African Americans are 3.8 times more likely to be arrested for weed possession than their white counterparts even though they both consume the same amounts.
El-Sayed noted that the situation has led to mass incarceration and negatively affected communities. He added the tax revenue legal marijuana would bring in could be used to fund schools and roads.
A third gubernatorial candidate, Businessman Shri Thanedar, said that if elected he would pardon and expunge the records of nonviolent offenders imprisoned for marijuana use.
All three candidates weighed in on Michigan’s, and the country’s deadly opioid crisis. They agreed that Naloxone should be available to family members and friends of people at risk of overdosing and that the pharmaceutical companies should be held accountable for irresponsible marketing.
Meanwhile, Republican gubernatorial candidates are split on legalizing recreational cannabis.
Medical marijuana has been legal in Michigan since – At the moment opioid addiction syndrome is not on the list of qualifying medical marijuana conditions.
A recent survey showed that 61 percent of Michigan voters favor legalizing marijuana.
