What are you doing on November 6th? (Yep. You know where we’re going with this one.)
How about legalizing marijuana in Michigan?
Look, getting Proposal 1 on the ballot was a victory. And the efforts to get it there ought not be diminished. But just so we’re all clear on the bottom line here:
Legalizing Marijuana in Michigan Now Depends Solely on the Voters
People are largely decided on how they feel about this issue.
And if you’re reading this, then you’re more than likely in the camp that wants to legalize it. Maybe you’ve been to a cannabis event or two. Could be you’re gearing up for the 1st Commercial Cannabis Expo and Conference at the end of this month.
Perhaps you advocate for marijuana’s far-reaching health benefits. Or maybe you just like it. It really doesn’t matter your reasons for wanting to legalize it.
What does matter is that you vote.
Recent Polls Show a Closing of the Gap
If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve heard the rhetoric over this past year that “according to the polls,” the majority of voters in Michigan believe that marijuana should be legalized. And that the proposal has widespread support in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. And that it’s winning by smaller margins in all but the northern part of Michigan.
This can FEEL like a safety net, ya know, just in case you, like, don’t make it to your precinct on November 6th. It can conjure up this false notion that it’s just as unlikely that marijuana won’t be legalized as it was that an openly sexist/racist, narcissistic, reality TV “star” could ever be president.
By now, we all know that just about anything can happen.
And a September 28th poll conducted by the Detroit Free Press shows the support for legalization has shrunk from the 61 percent support in March to 56 percent now.
Some of this has to do with the language of the proposal and how it was presented in each survey. But after the 2016 election, all of it feels like a cautionary tale.
The Opposition Is Gearing up
When surrounded by like-minded folks, it’s easy to forget that dissenting views exist. And those who oppose the legalization aren’t necessarily folks who are convinced that the “devil’s weed” is a gateway drug to the harder stuff or that Reefer Madness is actually a thing.
Some have what they feel, at least, are legitimate concerns.
As such, organizations like the Healthy and Productive Michigan (HPM) anti-marijuana campaign are pulling out the stops to oppose the legalization efforts. And it appears they may be gaining some traction.
HPM, along with the Michigan Sheriffs Association, are also holding a series of events across the state. They’ve had speakers on television shows and radio interviews. Plus, they maintain a fairly active Facebook site.
And these are just a couple of the allies of the national Smart Approaches to Marijuana anti-pot organization who are fighting what they believe is the scourge of marijuana. There are others.
In the days leading up the election, they will likely heighten their efforts. And that could close the gap even further.
So Get to the Polls on November 6th
And vote yes on Proposal 1. It’s is the only way that legalizing marijuana in Michigan will become a reality.
That’s it. Make your vote count. Nobody else can do it for you.