Michigan voters in 2008 elected to legalize marijuana for medical purposes, but as of January 10, 2013 the state is no closer to sorting the legal mess out created since then.
Other states have legalized its use for medical reasons as well as decriminalize it.
Detroit now allows personal possession by adults 21 and over of up to an ounce of pot on private property. That proposal was passed in the last election in November 2012.
More and more states around the country are moving forward, and progressively toward making marijuana legal yet the fed's continue to drag their size 17 EEEEEE shoes keeping the substance illegal, and on the Schedule I drug list.
Despite rhetoric to the contrary, the fed's and DEA continue to do their business with marijuana busts privately, and commercially. Pot dispensaries are still taking hits, and folks at the local level are getting busted for possession of pot by community police agencies.
Those arrested each year for possession of marijuana charges exceeds 750,000 persons per year. One marijuana arrest occurs every 42 seconds in the U.S. according to the FBI Uniform Crime Report.
Something has got to give with the arrest of this many people for pot.
"However, the big unknown still is if the federal government would allow a regulated marijuana market to take shape. Attorney General Eric Holder, who was a vocal opponent of California's legalization initiative in 2010 saying he would "vigorously enforce" federal marijuana prohibition, has continued to remain silent on the issue this year," reported Huffington Post Denver.
At the very least marijuana should be legal across the board for medical purposes, and eventually for recreational use by adults.
However, medical marijuana legalized in Michigan across the board has been a hard sell to many local community politicians, and police agencies as the blizzard of legal hocus pocus evinces.
Legalizing pot outright would just be lip service, because the feds, and even local law enforcement could, and would enforce federal law to bust folks.
It's all a big waste of money coming from the coffers of the "War on Drugs" and has made no difference in the availability of the substances, or demand for that matter. What it has accomplished is contributing greatly to the 2.2 million people locked up in this country.
Legalize it and get over it. And for reference, look to Portugal.
Peace...
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If you or a loved one needs help with any type of drug abuse/addiction problem, contact these sites depending on where you live. SEMCA (Wayne County residents), CARE (Macomb County residents), PACE (Oakland County residents), Drug Free Detroit (City of Detroit residents). For those residing outside the State of Michigan, contact SAMHSA for assistance. For assistance with medical marijuana issues contact The Michigan Medical Marijuana Association, Michigan Medical Marijuana Certification Center, or greentreesdetroit.com, phone number: (313) 967-9999, or (248) 677-2888
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