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New Plan Allows Michiganders To Possess the Most Weed in U.S.

New Plan Allows Michiganders To Possess the Most Weed in U.S.

Legalization

New Plan Allows Michiganders To Possess the Most Weed in U.S.

A new ballot initiative will allow Michiganders to possess the most weed out of any state in the country—if it passes, that is.

A ballot initiative in Michigan would allow Michiganders to possess the most weed in the U.S. That is, if it passes. The petition, which has garnered over 100,000 signatures since it was introduced earlier this summer, would allow for recreational users to have the highest amounts of cannabis in their possession both at home and while carrying.

The proposal would allow people to have up to 2.5 ounces on their person. They could have up to 10 ounces in the privacy of their own home. The initiative calls for full legalization for recreational cannabis use for those 21 or older. But consumers will not be able to smoke in public places, or (thankfully) drive while high.

Michiganders to Possess the Most Weed in the U.S.?

new plan allows Michiganders to possess the most weed in U.S.

As Michigan news site MLive put it, these numerical limits aren’t entirely new. As of now, citizens in the state of Maine can carry up to 2.5 ounces while out and about, and people in Nevada are allowed to possess up to 10 ounces in their places of residence.

What would set Michigan apart, however, is the confluence of these limits. As MLive reported, “neither of those states allows as much as Michigan in the other category, meaning Michigan has the highest possession limits overall.”

The proposed limits have become a point of contention for some. Take New York University professor Mark Kleinman, who is an expert in criminal justice and public policy. Kleinman’s concerns stem from the question of what would necessitate one person to carry 2.5 ounces at a time.

“I’m not clear why anybody would need 2.5 ounces on his person unless he’s selling,” he said. To put these numbers into context, 0.32 grams of cannabis is used for a single joint. That means that one ounce contains enough weed for roughly 88 joints. With that in mind, some think Michigan’s proposed limit is a bit excessive.

Final Hit: Michiganders To Possess the Most Weed

Some experts note that cannabis is categorically less dangerous (and addictive) than legal substances like alcohol. Similarly, there are no restrictions on how much booze someone of legal age can buy.

Sam Mendez is one such expert. He is the former director of the Cannabis Law and Policy Project at the University of Washington School of Law. Currently, he is an attorney.

“You could have probably as much alcohol in the trunk of the car as you want, and there’s no limit to that,” he remarked. “I’m of the belief, but there’s also plenty of evidence showing, that marijuana in terms of danger to society is either comparable to alcohol or less dangerous than alcohol.”

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