Detroit Councilwoman Calloway is calling for a ban on cannabis billboards

Detroit City Council member Angela Whitfield Calloway is asking for the city to limit the number of cannabis billboards allowed in the community.

She will be putting forth a resolution on Tuesday to ask the Legislative Policy Department to form a report on how to restrict the billboards.

“There is an over proliferation of these in our community,” Calloway told WDET.

Calloway called out Mark Savaya, CEO of the cannabis dispensary Leaf & Bud, for the over saturation of billboards and another on 8 Mile Road near the Southfield Freeway that says “Come get it. Free Weed.”

“I believe the ‘weed, come and get it it’s free’ is violating ordinances. I’m not sure but I’m in conversations with an attorney,” Calloway said.

The council member says she is working with fellow council member Scott Benson to create an ordinance to ban the signs and says other cities in the country have already taken these steps.

“So, if they can do it in other communities across the country, we can do it here in Detroit,” Calloway said.  “And I am hopeful that what you see today, you will not see next year this time.”

An 11-year-old boy appeared before the council last Tuesday to complain about the number of advertisements he sees on his way to school every morning.

And last week, Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Nikolai Vitti wrote a letter to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan to strengthen laws to prevent students from using marijuana edibles and vape pens. Vitti said in the letter not a week goes by that a student is not sent for medical care because of the substances.