Will Michigan Soon Have Legal Recreational Marijuana?

Advocates for and opponents of Proposal 1 on the November ballot join Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson.

Cheyna Roth/MPRN

There is less than a month left before the November election, and Proposal 1 will ask voters to decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana in Michigan for adults age 21 and over.

Several states have already done this and cashed in on tax revenue that stretches into the hundreds of millions. But it’s also true that those states have, in some cases, faced regulation challenges. And, of course, marijuana remains illegal at the federal level.

Detroit Today host Stephen Henderson talks with both sides of this issue. First, he speaks with Scott Greenlee, president of Healthy and Productive Michigan, a group which is working to defeat Proposal 1.

Jake Neher/WDET

“More marijuana around means more access to kids, which of course is a problem,” says Greenlee. “It affects children more dramatically than adults.”

Henderson also speaks with Barton Morris, principal attorney with Cannabis Legal Group and a supporter of Proposal 1. He says Michigan’s ongoing prohibition of marijuana has failed.

“Right now, the black market is significantly large,” says Morris. “By regulating it and putting in dispensaries…it would significantly decrease the black market, especially for minors.”

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

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  • Detroit Today
    Dynamic and diverse voices. News, politics, community and the issues that define our region. Hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Stephen Henderson, Detroit Today brings you fresh and perceptive views weekdays at 9 am and 7 pm.