Promising Developments for Michigan Marijuana Legalization Efforts

Momentum is building for recreational marijuana legalization in Michigan.

A new poll has found that 56% of likely voters in the state said they would support a constitutional amendment allowing the use of cannabis by adults 21 and over, according to the Detroit News. Just 36% oppose cannabis legalization in Michigan, while 8% said they haven’t decided.

The results come after a pair of competing marijuana legalization measures in the state received the green light last week to begin collecting signatures.

The two dueling campaigns – the Michigan Cannabis Coalition (MCC) and the Michigan Comprehensive Cannabis Law Reform Committee (MCCLRC) – each must turn in at least 252,523 signatures of registered Michigan voters in six months to make the 2016 general election ballot.

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One of the biggest differences in the competing proposals involves tax rates. The MCC’s initiative would leave the issue up to state lawmakers, while the competing initiative calls for a 10% excise tax on top of the state sales tax.

A third potential campaign is also in the works by a group called the Michigan Responsibility Council, but so far that organization has not turned in proposed initiative language to the state.