Michigan became the thirteenth state to legalize medicinal cannabis in 2008 when voters approved Proposal 08-1, also known as the Michigan Medical Marijuana Initiative.
Exactly ten years later, the people voted to become the tenth state to legalize adult-use marijuana by passing Proposal 18-01, or the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act, in the November 2018 midterm elections.
On November 26, the Michigan Board of State Canvassers certified the election results, finalizing the legalization date of December 6 when adults over the age of 21 will be allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and grow up to twelve cannabis plants at home.
While cannabis will be legal in Michigan in just a matter of days, retail stores will not be opening their doors until the licensing and regulation system has been established. The infrastructure is expected to be functional by sometime in 2020.
Under the new law, local municipalities will have the option to permit, limit, or ban cannabis businesses as well as collect an annual fee of up to $5,000 to help cover costs of implementation.
When retail sales finally commence, they will come with a ten percent excise tax which is to be used for implementation of the law, K-12 education, road and bridge maintenance, and research aimed at using medicinal cannabis to help treat military veterans and prevent suicides.