Some Michigan Republicans seem to be hoping to curb voter turnout in their favor by legalizing marijuana before it has the chance to appear on the state’s November ballot.
The Republican-dominated state Legislature has until June 5 to decide whether to pass the measure, which would not require the governor’s signature. If legal weed moves forward without a public vote, it would also be easier to amend without voter input.
Matthew Abel, executive director of Michigan NORML and attorney at Detroit-based Cannabis Counsel, P.L.C. says his group supports legalization, and the sooner the better.
“While we think it unlikely that the Legislature will adopt the ballot proposal, we are open to that possibility,” Abel said. “People still are being arrested daily. Some people think it would not bode well for the legislature to pass it rather than it pass by the voters, because then they only would need a simple majority to amend it, rather than 3/4 support if it passes at election.”
However, Abel added that it will likely be difficult for Legislators to reach an agreement in a lame-duck session to make serious changes. Michigan’s Republican governor is term-limited, and many state rep and senate seats are up for grabs, with a good chance of a power shift taking place, turning the state back to blue.
If Republican intention to legalize seems dubious, there’s certainly plenty of history to back up the shade. Michigan first legalized medical marijuana in 2008 in a Democratic sweep election, and since then, dispensaries, growers, caregivers, and patients have had anxiety over the logistics of when and if medical marijuana in Michigan would ever come to a close.
Various cities across the state have decriminalized the possession of less than one ounce of cannabis by