Is 2018 the Year Michigan Legalizes Marijuana?

Reporters Jake Neher and Cheyna Roth talk about what the proposal would mean for Michiganders and the state’s economy.

MILegalize Rally Lansing Marijuana

Jake Neher/WDET

It’s looking more likely Michigan will vote next year on whether to legalize recreational marijuana.

This week, the The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol submitted over 360,000 petition signatures to place the question on the 2018 ballot.

If the Michigan Bureau of Elections determines that at least 252,523 of those signatures are valid, the question will likely appear before voters next November.

WDET’s Jake Neher and Michigan Public Radio’s Cheyna Roth talk about what the proposal would mean for Michiganders and the state’s economy.

“The revenue would be shared between schools, roads, and local governments (under the proposal),” says Roth. “And these are areas that people are constantly saying are in desperate need of money.”

Neher and Roth also point out local governments and law enforcement are still trying to grapple with Michigan’s nine-year-old medical marijuana law. They say legalization would likely lead to an entirely new set of issues to sort out when it comes to public safety and quality of life.

Click on the audio player above to hear the full conversation.

Authors

  • Cheyna has interned with Michigan Radio and freelanced for WKAR public radio in Lansing. She's also done some online freelancing and worked on documentary films.
  • Jake Neher is senior producer for Detroit Today and host of MichMash for 101.9 WDET. He previously reported on the Michigan Legislature for the Michigan Public Radio Network.