Michigan Officially Legalizes Marijuana For Recreational Use

Legal marijuana has officially come to the Midwest.

Under a new measure taking effect Thursday in Michigan, people ages 21 and older in the state can legally possess and use cannabis for recreational purposes. Michigan voters approved the initiative in November with 56 percent of the vote.

Michigan’s Proposal 1 allows for the possession and transportation of up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana ― including up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrate ― and the possession of up to 10 ounces in a nonpublic place. Residents can also grow up to 12 plants at home, though those plants cannot be visible from a public place.

The new law strictly prohibits the public consumption of cannabis. Driving while under the influence of marijuana also remains illegal.

Although the measure calls for state policymakers to begin developing rules and regulations to guide the creation of Michigan’s recreational marijuana industry, officials say retail stores aren’t likely to open until 2020. Proposal 1 also legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp, nonintoxicating strains of cannabis that can be used to make textiles, biofuels and foods. [Read more at Huffington Post]