Attorney Jeffrey Hank, Chairman of the Michigan Comprehensive Cannabis Law Reform Initiative (MILegalize), said the organization’s proposal to legalize marijuana in Michigan is uniquely suited to address the funding shortages by the failure of Proposal 1 on Tuesday evening. In fact, he’d like to sit down with the Governor and talk about it.
“Our Initiative would direct profits from a reasonable excise tax on legalized marijuana to fund road repair, to support schools and to add financial resources to local communities,” Hank said. “But more than that, the MILegalize proposal offers the best plan for small business generation and small businesses are the backbone of the state’s economic growth. Cities keep control, cities set the rules and cities get the reward.”
The overwhelming defeat of Proposal 1 indicates the public is not supportive of standard tax-based solutions to financial deficit. Conversely, a local ballot proposal to legalize marijuana was overwhelmingly approved by East Lansing voters on Tuesday with a 65.5% YES vote. Hank led the effort to place the proposal before East Lansing voters; he hopes the sales tax question’s failure, and the success of the local legal question, will prompt Governor Snyder to sit down and discuss the MILegalize plan.
“The MILegalize proposal is a fresh, out-of-the-box opportunity based on successful programs from other states,” Hank said. “It is not the whole solution to Michigan’s financial struggle, but it will give a much-needed boost to fix the roads and support kids, their teachers and schools.”
Under the MILegalize ballot proposal, legalized adult use of marijuana would be restricted to adults 21 years of age and older. Distribution and cultivation centers would have to be zoned and approved by the local community before applying to a state agency. Several aspects of the proposal imitate the privileges contained in the state medical marijuana law, including a 12 plant limit on cultivation and protection for minor patients who have a physician’s recommendation for marijuana use.
“Proposal 1’s failure is just more evidence that the time is now for legalized marijuana in Michigan,” said Jamie Lowell, a MILegalize Director. “The voters are clearly on board for legalization.”
For more information regarding the MILegalize proposal, please visit:
Source: The Compassion Chronicles
