August 31, 2018

Recreational/Adult-Use Cannabis Will be On November Ballot in Michigan

August 31, 2018
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Victory in Michigan: Legalization of Recreational/Adult-Use Cannabis Will be On the November Ballot

It’s been a hard fought struggle but Michigan voters will officially see Proposal 1 on their ballots Nov. 6, 2018 asking them if they want to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and over in the state.

The Board of State Canvassers assigned the number on Thursday after the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol garnered enough signatures to place the question on the ballot.

The coalition is made up of multiple cannabis activist groups, the ACLU and drug policy reform groups. Josh Hovey, spokesperson for the coalition, said they successfully brought together cannabis and social justice advocates to write the ballot language.

The coalition gathered more than 360,000 signatures from supporters to qualify the measure for the ballot.

Michigan lawmakers, meanwhile, had a chance to take action on recreational cannabis over the summer, but failed to act in time, according to MLive.

They had been mulling an adopt-and-amend plan that would have had lawmakers adopt the proposal put forward by the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, and then make changes.

Now, voters in Michigan will have a chance to decide for themselves.

Proposal 1, if passed, would legalize the recreational use of marijuana for those over 21 while continuing bans on smoking in public places or driving under the influence.

It would direct the state to create a licensing and regulatory system for the recreational marijuana industry — similar to the efforts the state is taking now with medical marijuana.

Hovey said that polling has shown strong public support for the legalization initiative.

“Multiple opinion polls have shown that 60 percent of Michigan voters want to end cannabis prohibition and create a legalized and regulated system, so that’s a very strong starting position as we head into the campaign season,” said Hovey.

“However, we know we can’t just rely on polls and we know the prohibitionists will continue to spread ‘Reefer Madness’ era misinformation about the initiative.”

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