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A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 10 OctOber 2018

Marijuana backers look for Midwest breakthrough in November

By DAVID EGGERT campaign director for the
Associated Press Michigan legalization ef-
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — fort, known as the Coalition
Backers of broad marijua- to Regulate Marijuana Like
na legalization are looking Alcohol.
to break through a geo- Midwest voters have con-
graphic barrier in Novem- sidered recreational legal-
ber and get their first foot- ization just once before,
hold in the Midwest after a in 2015, when Ohio over-
string of election victories in whelmingly rejected it. Sup-
Northeastern and Western porters said the result was
states. more back lash against al-
Michigan and North Da- lowing only certain private
kota, where voters previ- investors to control growing
ously authorized medical facilities than opposition to
marijuana, will decide if marijuana.
the drug should be legal Proponents of Michigan's
for any adult 21 and older. measure say it would align
They would become the with a new, strong regu-
10th and 11th states to le- latory system for medical
galize so-called recreation- marijuana businesses and
al marijuana since 2012, add roughly $130 million
lightning speed in political In this Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018, photo, a warning label from Utopia Gardens, a medical marijuana annually in tax revenue,
terms. dispensary, is shown in Detroit. specifically for road repairs,
Meantime, Missouri and Associated Press schools and municipali-
Utah will weigh medical ties. Military veterans and
marijuana, which is permit- medical marijuana. el because so many states Two years ago, voters in retired police officers are
ted in 31 states after voters "We've kind of reached are in conflict with U.S. pol- California approved a bal- among those backing le-
in conservative Oklahoma a critical mass of accep- icy that treats marijuana as lot measure creating the galization in online ads that
approved such use in June. tance," said Rebecca Haf- a controlled substance like world's largest legal mari- were launched Tuesday.
Even if Utah's initiative is fajee, a University of Michi- heroin. juana market. Oregon, Critics say the Michigan
defeated, a compromise gan assistant professor of "Generally, people either Washington, Alaska, Colo- proposal is out of step and
reached last week be- health management and find a therapeutic benefit rado and Nevada are oth- cite provisions allowing a
tween advocates and op- policy. She said the coun- or enjoy the substance and er Western states with legal possession limit of 2.5 ounc-
ponents including the Mor- try may be at a "breaking want to do so without the marijuana for medical and es (71 grams) that is higher
mon church would have point" where change is in- fear of being a criminal for personal uses. On the other than many other states and
the Legislature legalize evitable at the federal lev- using it," Haffajee said. side of the country, Massa- a 16 percent tax rate that is
chusetts, Maine, Vermont lower. Opponents include
and Washington, D.C., chambers of commerce
have legalized recreational and law enforcement
marijuana, and every other groups along with doctors,
Northeastern state has ap- the Catholic Church and
proved medical marijuana. organizations fighting sub-
In Michigan, surveys show stance abuse.
the public's receptiveness Randy Richardville, a for-
to marijuana legalization mer Republican legislative
tracks similarly with na- leader and spokesman
tionwide polling that finds for the opposition group
about 60 percent support, Healthy and Productive
according to Gallup and Michigan, said adults —
the Pew Research Center. even those without serious
The Washington-based health problems — already
Marijuana Policy Project can easily obtain pot un-
was the driving force be- der the state's lax medical
hind successful legalization marijuana law. The ballot
initiatives in other states proposal, he said, would
and has given at least lead to a more "stoned"
$444,000 for the Michigan workforce, car crashes
ballot drive. and crimes, and increased
"The electorate is recogniz- health risks for teens.
ing that prohibition doesn't "This has nothing to do with
work. There's also a grow- a citizens' initiative with a
ing societal acceptance of whole bunch of people out
marijuana use on a person- there that said they would
al level," said Matthew Sch- like to smoke marijuana
weich, the project's deputy recreationally and respon-
director. sibly," Richardville said. "This
"Our culture has already le- is a special interest group
galized marijuana. Now it's that put up a lot of dollars
a question of, 'How quickly so that they can sacrifice
will the laws catch up?'" our kids' futures to make
added Schweich, also the more money."q