Fight To Legalize Marijuana Possession In Detroit Hits Roadblock

[bobandtorey]

Detroiters who tried for two years to get a proposal on Detroit ballots that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana hit a roadblock tonight when the city's law</span> department appealed to the Michigan Supreme Court to disqualify the measure.

A brief filed by city of Detroit lawyers argues that such a ballot question would not create a legitimate city ordinance because legalizing marijuana would be in conflict with state law.

Wednesday's appeal follows a series of legal efforts by the city in lower courts</span> to keep the proposal off Detroit ballots. The proposal would allow anyone in Detroit who is 21 or older to use or posses up to an ounce of marijuana on private property.

“The law is on our side, and we have every expectation that the people of Detroit will vote on this in 2012,” said Tim Beck, 60, of Detroit, who heads the initiative committee called Coalition for a Safer Detroit.

http://www.freep.com/article/20120509/NEWS01/120509069/1001/rss01