First It Was Washington, Then California, Then NJ Ahead Of Legislation & Now Over 350 Michigan Communities “Ban” Regulated Cannabis Retail

The Metro Times writes

But so far, at least 386 communities — or about a quarter of all of Michigan’s cities, villages, and townships — have adopted ordinances banning the businesses, according to data from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. More communities are expected to ban cannabis businesses before the state begins taking applications — likely in December — from prospective dispensaries and commercial growers.
Proponents of dispensaries and grow operations say it’s unfair for communities where a majority of residents approved legalization to ban the businesses that would allow people to buy recreational marijuana.
One of those proponents is former state Rep. Mike Callton, a Nashville, Mich., Republican who’s now helping municipalities understand the laws and benefits of recreational marijuana.
“I don’t understand the municipalities that opt out when their voters approved recreational marijuana,” Callton says. “Communities aren’t listening to their voters.”
Under the new law, residents can override municipalities’ ban on cannabis businesses by gathering petitions to put the issue on the ballot. Callton said he expects several ballot initiatives over the next two years.
The first community to challenge a ban on cannabis businesses was Royal Oak Township. But only 377 voters turned out on May 7, and the ballot initiative was defeated. The initiative called for an unlimited number of dispensaries and growers.
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The communities that banned the businesses are going to lose out on a share of what the Senate Fiscal Agency expects to be $157.4 million in sales and excise taxes in the 2020-21 fiscal budget year. By 2022-23, the agency projects the tax revenue to reach $262 million.
Read the full story at the link . https://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/hundreds-of-michigan-communities-have-banned-recreational-pot-businesses-but-voters-can-challenge-them/Content?oid=21647593

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