DEARBORN – Residents are invited to a town hall meeting Dec. 11 to voice their opinion on whether recreational marijuana businesses should operate within city limits.
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Dearborn Administrative Center, 16901 Michigan Ave.
City Council members hope the meeting will give a better understanding of where city residents stand on the recently passed Proposal 1, which legalizes the use and sale of marijuana products for recreational purposes in Michigan.
The council will not take any action or vote on any matter at the meeting.
Michigan voters, including those in Dearborn, approved Proposal 1, also known as the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act of 2018, in the Nov. 6 general election. Recreational marijuana use became legal at the state level Dec. 6. Marijuana use and sale is still illegal at the federal level.
The new state law gives communities the choice to “opt out” of allowing marijuana businesses from operating within municipal limits.
The City Council was on its way to passing an ordinance that would ban marijuana establishments from operating within the city; however, it decided to not take any further action on its proposed ordinance until it could gather more input from the public.
Marijuana businesses, as defined by the proposal, include retail growers, marijuana safety compliance facilities, marijuana processors, marijuana microbusinesses, marijuana retailers, marijuana secure transporters and any other type of marijuana-related businesses.
Municipalities that ban marijuana retail sales forfeit the tax proceeds collected by the state from such sales.
Even if a community bans retail marijuana businesses, the new law still allows residents 21 years or older to use recreational marijuana. A community cannot prevent people from purchasing, using and growing marijuana, as long as they follow the provisions within the state law.
In summary, the new state law does the following:
• Allows individuals 21 and older to purchase and use marijuana and marijuana-infused products (such as edibles).
• Allows individuals 21 and older to grow up to 12 marijuana plants for personal use.
• Imposes a 10-ounce limit for marijuana possession, use, storage, or processing at residences.
• Imposed a 2.5-ounce limit for individual possession, use, transfer, or consumption.
• Creates a licensing system for marijuana businesses and allows municipalities to ban or restrict them.
• Permits retail sales of marijuana and edibles subject to a 10 percent tax, dedicated to implementation costs, clinical trial, schools, roads, and municipalities where marijuana businesses are located.
• Changes several current marijuana violations from criminal acts to civil infractions.
Residents attending the meeting should enter the DAC through the west entrance of the building and proceed to the Council Chambers.
Individuals with disabilities who require special accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to attend or participate in this program should contact 313-943-2025. Reasonable advance notice is required.