Say “No” to Prohibition

First, prohibition has been a complete failure. It leads to illegal activity and unsafe untested products in the black market.

Second, more than 60% of Meridian Township voters already said in 2018 that they wanted cannabis to be legalized and regulated. If this referendum is approved by voters it would reverse the will of the majority of people and have the township “opt out” of that previously approved decision. A vote to ban the adult-use cannabis industry would also mean rejecting the jobs and tax revenue that come with this rapidly growing industry.

No. Rejecting this misguided proposal will only tell the township that adult-use cannabis businesses should not be banned. After this election, township officials would still need to create their own local zoning and licensing laws that apply to adult-use cannabis businesses.

Not at all. There are 168 local communities that have already decided to allow regulated cannabis businesses within their jurisdictions. Meridian Township can use the best practices from these communities to ensure we have local laws that allow for safe, tested products while limiting the number of businesses allowed and ensuring they only operate in designated areas.

While it’s important to ensure patients have access to cannabis through licensed medical dispensaries, market forces have changed and the only dispensaries that will remain open are those that can serve medical and adult-use customers. Creating access to medical cannabis for Meridian Township patients requires allowing adult-use access for anyone 21 and older.

Research shows that limited access to legal cannabis is one of the most common reasons people continue to use the black market. If we want to prevent people from turning to black-market sellers –who do not check IDs to ensure buyers are 21 years or older and whose products are not tested for safety –then we need to reject this proposal and allow for a limited number of regulated cannabis businesses in Meridian Township.

The main benefit we would lose our jobs and tax revenue. Michigan’s cannabis industry is a $3.2 Billion industry that currently supports more than 31,000 jobs. This year, communities that allowed adult-use cannabis sales received $56,400 for every adult-use dispensary in their jurisdictions. Meridian would receive none of these benefits if it bans adult-use cannabis establishments. Even if a medical cannabis-only dispensary did open, the township would receive no tax benefit because medical products are not taxed.

The township has the full authority to create local licensing and zoning laws –just like it already has done for medical cannabis –that cap the number of cannabis businesses in the community limit the hours of operation and ensures they are located only in appropriate areas. The medical cannabis laws Meridian Township passed are a perfect example of this.

Several studies have shown that communities with regulated cannabis businesses actually see an increase in their property value. A 2021 report by Clever Real Estate found home values were $22,090 higher in cities with recreational dispensaries, compared to home values in cities where recreational marijuana is legal but dispensaries are not available.