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.

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.