Marijuana Legalization Possibly On 2018 Michigan Ballot

LANSING, MI- Voters may notice a pretty crowded ballot in next years election. This year the coalition in Michigan to legalize marijuana turned in a petition of over 300,o00 signatures to the Secretary of State on Monday to be included in the 2018 election.

This isn't the first time the marijuana effort has been made to be added to the ballot. Usually the effort has fallen short of the required signatures on previous petitions making it unable to qualify in the 180-day window to submit it to the state. This year Josh Hovey, a spokesman for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol, knew that the fundraising had been the more difficult part of trying to get the proposal signed, however they were able to pay a vendor the $30,000 to get the signatures required.

A few components of the new bill would include: (via Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Website)

• Legalize personal possession, cultivation and use of limited amounts of cannabis for adults 21 and older;
• Legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp (used to make textiles, biodegradable plastics, food, construction materials and even fuel);
• License marijuana businesses that cultivate, process, test, transport and sell marijuana;
• Protect consumers with proper testing and safety regulations for retail marijuana;
• Tax marijuana at retail levels with a 10 percent excise tax and 6 percent sales tax; and
• Local governments will have the choice of whether and where to allow marijuana businesses in their community. (This takes marijuana sales out of neighborhoods and into a regulated spaces where IDs are checked and products are tested for safety.)

If the proposal is approved by the Legislature expect to see it on the ballot next election along with a few other proposals that are already on board for Michigan voters next year.

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Image Credit via Paul J. Richards ( AFP/Getty Images)