A snapshot of the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act

In November of 2018, a majority of Michiganders voted for the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, which allows for the use, cultivation, and sale of marijuana products statewide.

Which, if anything, shows there’s still things people can agree on.

The act went into effect on December, 1st, 2019, much sooner than expected. As is common with legislation, making something legal isn’t as simple or straightforward as it sounds, so Taco Tuesdays won’t be followed by Weed Wednesdays at your local bar & grille anytime soon.

Here’s a snapshot of the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act:

On your person you may have up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana,
- or up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrate.
No more than 10 Ounces in your home
You can cultivate up to 12 plants in your personal residence, out of public view.

LARA did not respond to a request for clarification around the rule in a case wherein a person’s twelve cultivated plants yield more than the allotted 10Oz. limit.

You can apply for a “Micro-business” License which allows an individual to grow up to 150 plants and sell direct to the consumer.
Municipalities have the right to block or decide how many marijuana establishments can operate within its boundaries

The Act gives LARA the authority to approve or disapprove licenses and imposes a 10% excise tax on the sale of recreational marijuana, in addition to the states 6% sales tax.

There are municipalities that have opted out of allowing any kind of marijuana related business, some just want to see how things unfold knowing they have the option to opt back in, some areas just may not like the idea.

More information on Opting In/Out

We wanted to know more about the concerns of cities, towns, and villages across the state as well as what the act (Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act) does for the black and brown Americans who’ve been disproportionately impacted by marijuanas prohibition.

For a more detailed information: Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act

To fill us in on this and a common questions people have about this new regulation, One Detroit Associate Producer, Will Glover talked to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Executive Director of the Marijuana Regulatory Agency, Andrew Brisbo.

Check out the conversations below:

What does LARA do?

What are the costs for getting started?

When can people buy weed at a regular store?

What can businesses do about drug testing employees?

Will asks Andrew Brisbo about specific efforts being made to make up for damage inflicted to black citizens and communities as a result of marijuana prohibition.

Impacted communities and reciprocity