As medicinal marijuana becomes more mainstream, hospitals, acute care and long-term care facilities must carefully…
Michigan’s recreational marijuana laws permit individuals 21 or over to possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis, with up to 12 cannabis plants allowed for home cultivation according to Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act.
Hot Box Social, one of Ann Arbor’s first licensed cannabis consumption establishments, hosts private events for adults.
Medical Marijuana
Michigan dispensaries licensed to sell recreational cannabis products are required to follow strict quality control standards and can charge higher prices due to a 10% excise tax.
Adults can legally possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis products at one time, such as flower and concentrate. However, this must be stored away from public view and only consumed on private property or at legal events/lounges for consumption purposes; transporting cannabis across state lines is illegal.
Many Michiganders with criminal records for marijuana offenses find it difficult to secure employment or housing, making life harder. Legislators need to acknowledge that cannabis is no more harmful than alcohol or tobacco, leading many municipalities to try and ease Michigan’s restrictive marijuana laws by decriminalizing possession and decreasing enforcement efforts of state statutes against cannabis use.
Recreational Marijuana
Michigan voters approved recreational marijuana legislation in 2018, enabling those 21 or over to possess 2.5 ounces of cannabis in public and 10 ounces at home; 12 plants can also be grown within each household. Furthermore, Michigan allows adult residents to transfer up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana products to another person as long as no money exchanged hands and the transfer takes place on private property that’s hidden from view of public.
Recreational marijuana can only be purchased at state-licensed retail provisioning centers, which can be found listed in the state registry. While towns or counties could ban these facilities altogether, most opt-in and offer both medical and recreational cannabis to their communities.
Andrew McFarlane, founder of Leelanau Wine Trail website, advocates that marijuana industry professionals make cannabis mainstream by demonstrating its safety and enjoyment. He sees budtenders as acting like wine sommeliers by providing education on customer selection. Each person’s tolerance levels differ.
Marijuana Business Licenses
As well as local permits, marijuana businesses must comply with state regulations and pay excise taxes. Since requirements vary depending on how the business is organized, it is wise to consult experienced professionals for guidance.
Entrepreneurs face another difficulty in securing financing: private lending may offer high interest rates – as much as 10-15% on real estate backed loans and equipment loans.
State requirements have also become less stringent for owning a marijuana business, with three years’ of tax returns now sufficient instead of six. However, the Marijuana Regulation Authority still scrutinizes applicants carefully for financial and criminal backgrounds; business litigation histories; regulatory history as well as physical locations that have been zoned and approved to house marijuana establishments; any designs appealing to children such as candy canes are prohibited as this protects both the industry as well as underage sales.
Marijuana Taxes
The Excise Tax on Recreational Cannabis generates revenue that directly benefits local governments, schools, roads and public safety – providing much-needed funds for cash-strapped municipalities and states alike to increase budgets.
Michigan law permits consumers to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana on them at any one time and use it within their homes (with permission from the owner) without legal issues arising. They cannot use or consume marijuana in public places, drive while under its influence or cross state lines with it.
Michigan residents may cultivate up to 12 plants for personal use in secure, secluded conditions. As with the legal market overall, however, much work still needs to be done in making marijuana mainstream and more easily accepted among society, according to Andrew McFarlane’s Leelanau Wine Trail which helps people plan cannabis-friendly activities. He draws parallels between wine culture and cannabis as a safe yet enjoyable pursuit and strives to show consumers just that!