In November 2017, legalization advocates submitted 365,000 signatures to put a cannabis legalization measure on the 2018 ballot. [14] In April 2018, it was certified that supporters had submitted the required number of valid signatures. [15] In June 2018, state lawmakers rejected the option of passing the measure themselves and sent it to a vote in November. [16] On November 6, 2018, Michigan voters voted 56-44 in favor of Proposition 1, making Michigan the 10th state (and the first in the Midwest) to legalize recreational cannabis. [17] After legalization, Michigan police still have a likely reason to search a busy car if it smells like marijuana. [2] This is because some prohibitions remain in place, for example, it is still illegal to use marijuana as a driver or passenger in a car. [3] Each state criminalizes driving under the influence of a controlled substance. Some jurisdictions also impose additional laws on their own. In their strictest form, these laws prohibit drivers from operating a motor vehicle if they have a detectable amount of an illegal drug or drug metabolite (i.e., compounds made from chemical changes of a drug in the body, but not necessarily psychoactive themselves) present in their bodily fluids above a certain threshold imposed by the government. Learn more about cannabinoids and their effects on psychomotor performance.
More information about cannabinoids and the proposed limits themselves is available online. Possession of up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana is legal for adults 21 years of age and older. In a residence, adults can grow up to 12 marijuana plants and/or possess up to 10 ounces of marijuana (provided more than 2.5 ounces are kept under lock and key). Click here for a full summary of Proposition 18-1, Michigan`s Legalization Act. Ever-changing marijuana laws seem to be all over the news lately. Between legalization, decriminalization, and medical marijuana, it can be difficult to know which laws apply and where. The same goes for our Great Lakes state, where Michigan legalized recreational marijuana use as part of an election initiative in 2018. In this article, we will analyze the top 7 cannabis laws in Michigan that need to be known.
Although marijuana remains illegal under federal law, a growing number of states have approved its use for medical purposes. This tension between federal and state laws has shifted over the years. Currently, Michigan`s marijuana laws treat possession of any amount as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in prison and/or a fine of up to $2,000. However, this will change after Proposition 1 accepted by voters has been certified. The basics of marijuana laws in Michigan are listed in the table below. Check back later for updates when Michigan`s cannabis legalization law goes into effect. Regardless of what a state`s marijuana laws say, possession and sale of marijuana remains illegal under federal law through the Controlled Substances Act. And when state and federal law conflict, federal law always prevails. In 2008, 63% of voters approved a medical marijuana measure led by the MPP. Like other medical marijuana laws that preceded the election of Pres. Barack Obama (which led the federal government to take a hands-off approach to well-regulated medical marijuana programs), Michigan`s original law provided clear protections for patients and caregivers, but did not set regulations for companies that supplied them with medical marijuana. As mentioned above, state marijuana laws are constantly changing.
You can contact a drug lawyer in your area if you need legal help with a drug case or want to know your rights. You can also do more of your own legal research by visiting FindLaw`s drug fees section for additional articles and resources. Prior to statewide legalization, many Michigan cities decriminalized cannabis or made cannabis enforcement the lowest priority. Cities that implemented such reforms included: Ann Arbor (1972), Kalamazoo (2012), Detroit (2012), Flint (2012), Grand Rapids (2012), Ypsilanti (2012), Ferndale (2013), Jackson (2013), Lansing (2013), Hazel Park (2014), Oak Park (2014), Berkley (2014), Huntington Woods (2014), Mount Pleasant (2014), Pleasant Ridge (2014), Port Huron (2014), Saginaw (2014), East Lansing (2015), Keego Harbor (2015), and Portage (2015). [4] This state has local jurisdictions that have enacted municipal laws or resolutions that decriminalize minor cannabis possession offenses, in whole or in part. The following is a brief summary of the current state of marijuana laws in Michigan. Since the 1970s, the college town of Ann Arbor has enacted some of the mildest cannabis possession laws in the United States. These include a 1972 City Council Ordinance, a 1974 referendum that made possession of small amounts a civil offence punishable by a small fine, and a 2004 referendum on the medical use of cannabis.