Detroit officials to unveil proposed law for recreational marijuana sales

Proposed rules for the operation of recreational marijuana shops in the city are expected to be introduced Monday, with a focus on giving priority to Detroiters.

City Councilman James Tate is set to join Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and members of the community for a news conference at City Hall to detail the long-awaited ordinance for recreational marijuana licensing that guarantees no less than half of all licenses awarded in the city will go to legacy residents.

The program is crafted to ensure residents disproportionately affected by the nation’s failed “War on Drugs” will have an equitable opportunity to participate in the industry that’s estimated to yield $3 billion in annual sales, the city said in a news release.

“We have taken the necessary time to craft legislation that is not aimed at excluding anyone from their goals to succeed in this market but to ensure that we legally provide a pathway towards inclusion and opportunity for residents of our city, which has been disproportionately impacted by marijuana convictions,” Tate said in a statement.

“Many are now profiting from the same plant that has led to countless criminal convictions which devastated countless families within our city. The time has come for equity currently not present within Detroit’s cannabis industry.” [Read more at The Detroit News]