Michigan has become the first state in the Midwest to legalize recreational use of marijuana, allowing citizens at least 21 years of age to light up and toke. The law is set to take effect on December 6th this week.
In the Nov. 6th election, voters endorsed legalizing the use of recreational cannabis (Proposal One) by adults who are at least 21 years old, similar to current alcohol laws.
So far, eleven states including California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington and the District of Columbia have legalized the use of recreational marijuana.
Although marijuana has been legalized, there are still restrictions and stipulations that smokers must adhere to. Marijuana can only be consumed on private property, although landlords and employers can prohibit its use according to a report by the Associated Press.
Citizens will only be allowed to have 10 ounces of marijuana kept at home. Meanwhile, anything over 2.5 ounces has to be kept in a locked container. Cannabis enthusiasts can also grow up to 12 marijuana plants in their home for personal use.
However, retail cannabis shops aren’t expected to open until sometime in 2020 or potentially later. When retail does start selling cannabis it’s worth noting there will be a 10% excise tax on all marijuana sales.
The tax money will go toward “the implementation, administration, and enforcement” of the act. After that, $20 million would be provided annually to “one or more clinical trials that are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration and sponsored by a non-profit organization or researcher within an academic institution researching the efficacy of marihuana in treating the medical conditions of United States armed services veterans and preventing veteran suicide,” according to a report by Michigan Radio.
Activist Post previously reported that if ballots for either medical or recreational legalization passed in just four states – Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota, and Utah – the marijuana markets could generate an estimated more than $2 billion in combined sales. But the biggest hurdle smokers and smoke shops face is the federal government.
Federal laws currently classify marijuana as a Schedule I drug — the highest level of classification given to illegal drugs, which unfairly puts it in the same category as heroin and ecstasy.
However, with the Democrats winning the House this may make reform of federal laws a future possibility.
“[I]t’s the people in leadership who have the power … and whether they want this to get done sooner or later,” Douglas Berman, an Ohio State University law professor who writes about marijuana policy, wrote in a blog post.
A bipartisan bill currently making its way through Congress may weaken federal law when it comes to prosecuting marijuana infractions. The Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) Act would ensure “that each State has the right to determine for itself the best approach to marijuana within its borders.”