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Lawmaker To Introduce Pot Legalization Bill Similar To Ballot Initiative


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 A Democrat in the state House plans to introduce a bill that would decriminalize and regulate marijuana in Michigan.

State Rep. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, says public support for legalization has reached critical mass.

“You’ve got people on the left who are saying that people should not be having their lives ruined over something like marijuana and you’ve got people on the right who are saying marijuana prohibition and the war on drugs is the granddaddy of all big government programs,” said Irwin.

“It makes sense from a public safety and public health perspective to bring that activity into the regulated space where we can make sure that consumers are protected. And we can also take the hundreds of millions of dollars we’re spending on prosecuting marijuana offenders and direct those resources towards real criminals with real victims.”

Marijuana activists and some political operatives agree with Irwin’s belief that the writing is on the wall for pot legalization in Michigan. At least three groups are working to put the question on the November 2016 ballot.

Irwin says lawmakers have a chance to craft a system that works better than what voters have passed in other states.

“It’s not doing as good a job as they could do in breaking the black market, taking power away from Mexican drug cartels and criminal gangs,” he said.

Irwin says his bill would tax marijuana at a lower rate compared to other states. It would impose a five-percent state excise tax that would rise to ten percent over five years. The Ann Arbor lawmaker says if taxes are much higher than that, it becomes cheaper for people to purchase pot on the black market instead of from licensed sellers.

The bill would be similar in many ways to one ballot initiative – known as MILegalize – which would allow adults to buy and sell marijuana and grow 12 plants each.

Many marijuana activists are skeptical the Republican-controlled Legislature will take up legalizing recreational pot.

 

http://michiganradio.org/post/lawmaker-introduce-pot-legalization-bill-similar-ballot-initiative#stream/0

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It's always going to be cheaper and better to buy directly from a low overhead grower than a pot store. The only way taxes will work is with stores. Don't think they will let the tax go on the honor system. It's stores or nothing. 

 

This comment is a total lie because it does not fit with regulate and tax; which would allow adults to buy and sell marijuana and grow 12 plants each.

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It's always going to be cheaper and better to buy directly from a low overhead grower than a pot store. The only way taxes will work is with stores. Don't think they will let the tax go on the honor system. It's stores or nothing. 

 

This comment is a total lie because it does not fit with regulate and tax; which would allow adults to buy and sell marijuana and grow 12 plants each.[/size]

these are examples tactics that concern me. They pop up often, and reek of deceit imo.

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This legislature is good at voting in laws that effectively nullify ballot measures. They did this with several other ballot proposals.

 

Don't be surprised if this one passes just before the MiLegalize proposal comes to a vote.

 

 

Do you think it will be a wast of time for the people taking up signatures ?

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I want to say i heard tim skubick on the radio yesterday talking about this and he mentioned they would likely place a 2 year moratorium on the legalization, ill see if i cant find the story it was broadcast on 950 am

Two years to get a 75% vote to amend it and set up their 10 warehouse grows. Makes sense. That has always been their end game.

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