Cannabis advocates in Michigan have cleared a procedural step in getting a legalization initiative in front of lawmakers and potentially voters, according to an Associated Press report. Having received clearance from the Board of State Canvassers, activists now have six months to collect and submit about 252,000 valid voter signatures to the state legislature.
This push is being led by the Michigan Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, who released a draft of their proposed initiative in March. The group’s proposal would legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older, with possession limits of 2.5 ounces of flower and 15 grams of concentrates; the proposal would also allow the home cultivation of up to 12 plants in a residence for personal use and establish a taxed, regulatory structure for the commercial cultivation and sale of cannabis.
A new ballot committee, dubbed Keep Pot out of Neighborhoods and Schools, formed on Thursday to oppose the renewed legalization efforts. Spokesman Chris De Witt said, “Now is not the time for the recreational use of pot to be foisted upon Michigan, and this proposal definitely puts our kids at risk.”
De Witt would not say who is backing the opposition group, though he suggested that law enforcement officials may eventually join.
A legalization initiative put forward in 2016 ultimately failed due to a lack of valid signatures, with 137,000 of the signatures collected then being deemed “too old” for the campaign to more forward.
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