When the clock strikes midnight on Wednesday, Michigan will become the 10th state in the Union to allow the consumption of recreational marijuana.
In November, nearly 60 percent of Michiganders voted in favor of Proposition One, which permits adults over the age of 21 to own up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and grow up to 12 plants in their homes. Public use will remain illegal.
In exchange, the state will leverage a 10 percent excise tax on marijuana sales, which a pro-legalization group projected would raise as much as $130 million in annual revenue.
"The legalization of the adult use of marijuana in Michigan represents a victory for common sense public policy, while delivering yet another body blow to our decades long failed prohibition on marijuana," said Erik Altieri, executive director of pro-legalization group NORML. "Instead of continuing to arrest over 22,000 citizens a year for marijuana related charges, Michigan will now be able to reallocate precious law enforcement resources to combat violent crime while respecting civil liberties and advancing racial justice."
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Other states, Maryland included, prefer to keep the arrest/fine/confiscation cash cow mooing, even when common sense says otherwise.
ReplyDeletecha cha ching!
ReplyDeleteMichigan is allowing the people to exercise a little bit of freedom.
ReplyDeleteSo long as they keep it under 2.5 ounces and 12 plants.
Otherwise, they will get smacked down again - as they should!
Obey
Maybe confiscating asserts brings in more money than tax?????
ReplyDelete