Michigan

Is Weed Legal in Michigan?

Yes! In 2008, Michigan voters approved the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, legalizing medical marijuana in the Midwestern state. Doing so made Michigan the 13th state in the nation to legalize marijuana for medical patients. Then, in November of 2018, Michigan voters approved Proposal 1, allowing recreation purchase and consumption. This led to the creation of The Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act. In this act are details about marijuana licensing, regulations, and enforcements upheld by The Michigan Department of Regulatory Affairs (LARA). 

LARA’s Medical Marijuana Regulatory Agency focuses on overseeing both medical and recreational marijuana in the state of Michigan. As of December 1st, 2019, anyone 21 and older can legally buy various marijuana products at different licensed dispensaries.

Buying Marijuana in Michigan

With recreational consumption made legal, more and more dispensaries are popping up in addition to those already in place for medical marijuana. Be sure to check that your nearby dispensary is licensed for recreational cannabis before going - not all have made the transition to selling both.

Buying Marijuana at a State Licensed Retail Location:

When buying marijuana at a state-licensed retail location, a state ID or driver’s license is required to make a purchase. For those looking to make a medical marijuana purchase, a medical marijuana card issued by the state is required. Also, medical patients who are at least eighteen years old can apply for a medical marijuana card and they can even appoint a designated caregiver.

Using a Marijuana Delivery Service:

As of May 2019, only Michigan medical marijuana patients qualify to receive at-home deliveries. Thanks to the approved provision Michigan lawmakers made, licensed dispensaries can deliver medical marijuana products to cardholders’ homes. Licensed medical marijuana dispensaries can deliver up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana to each patient and up to 10 deliveries can be made at a time. 

However, there is a catch, which is the purchasing limit. Medical marijuana patients can only purchase 10 ounces of marijuana per month, and there’s a daily maximum of 2.5 ounces of marijuana flower for home deliveries. To receive home deliveries, medical patients must give delivery drivers the same home address listed on their driver’s license/state ID and medical marijuana card. Click here to discover some medical marijuana delivery services in Michigan.

Marijuana Store Hours:

In Michigan, licensed medical marijuana dispensaries can choose to open from as early as 8 AM and stay open until 10 PM. However, one marijuana dispensary that’s open 24 hours every day is GreenWay Michigan. It’s important to remember that dispensaries operating within different municipalities have to follow set regulations set by that municipality. Therefore, we suggest looking up the hours of operation for different stores and dispensaries before venturing off to one of them. 

Michigan dispensary closing times by major cities:

Detroit: 10 p.m.
Lansing: 10 p.m.
Grand Rapids: 9 p.m.
Ann Arbor: 9 p.m.

Purchasing Restrictions:

In Michigan, recreational consumers and medical marijuana patients over the age of 21 along with designated caregivers can buy and possess as much as 2.5 ounces (70 grams) of usable cannabis and usable cannabis equivalents outside of their homes. Regarding cannabis concentrates, registered patients can possess up to 0.53 ounces (15 grams). 

Several Michigan medical marijuana equivalents include the following:

• Solid forms of marijuana-infused products: 16 ounces
• Gaseous forms of marijuana-infused products: 7 grams
• Liquid forms of marijuana-infused products: 36 fluid ounces

Available Products:

As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, more and more marijuana-infused products are becoming available and widely consumed. In Michigan, adults over the age of 21 and designated caregivers can purchase any of these products at state-licensed provisioning centers: raw marijuana flower/bud, concentrates, edibles, seeds, clones, and assorted infused products. With this large of a selection to choose from, at least one or two products can suit the needs and wants of nearly all consumers. 

Taxes on Marijuana In Michigan:

Taxes on Recreational Marijuana In Michigan:

There is a ten percent excise tax on the sale prices of products in addition to the state’s standard sales tax rate of six percent. Under Prop 1, marijuana retailers will pay the excise taxes, and consumers will pay the sales taxes. 

These taxes may seem like a lot on top of the high prices for marijuana products, but compared to other U.S. states with recreational marijuana programs, Michigan’s set of taxes would be the lowest in the country. 

Taxes on Medical Marijuana In Michigan:

As much as medical marijuana patients would like to pay zero taxes on the medicine they buy, the state of Michigan is intent on raking in their own contribution from the growing medical marijuana industry. For example, medical marijuana in Michigan carries a three percent excise tax in addition to the state’s six percent sales tax. 

Recently, though, there have been ongoing discussions about eliminating the excise taxes for medical marijuana patients, so stay tuned to find out any future changes in this area.

Possession In Michigan:

Currently, in Michigan, state-registered patients, designated caregivers, and recreational marijuana users at least 21 years old can possess up to 2.5 ounces (70 grams) of usable marijuana products while out and about outside of their home. Medical patients can also possess various cannabis concentrates, but only 0.53 ounces (15 grams) at a time.

What’s interesting is that more marijuana can be held in the confines of consumers' homes. Specifically, medical marijuana patients and recreational marijuana consumers can possess up to 10 ounces of marijuana within the privacy of their homes if they decide not to cultivate marijuana. Unfortunately, medical patients and recreational users can only consume marijuana products on private property at this time.

Overall, it’s crucial for any quantity of marijuana over 2.5 ounces to be kept under lock and key, and this applies to all marijuana users.

Using Marijuana In Michigan:

The only places where medical marijuana patients and recreational consumers at least 21 years old can legally consume marijuana is in the privacy of their own home as well as a friend or family member’s home. Marijuana can be consumed on private property by medical patients and recreational users alike as long as they gain approval from a landlord if they live in a townhouse, apartment complex, or condo. If these individuals live in a single unit home and it's theirs, then they can possess and use marijuana there.

In the content of Prop 1, there’s information about the possibility of Michigan issuing licenses that would allow individuals to consume marijuana within designated public areas.

Below are several places that do and do not allow marijuana consumption:

Locations in Michigan that DO NOT allow the consumption of marijuana:

• Schools
• Hospitals
• Stores/markets
• Bars/pubs
• Restaurants/eateries
• Parks

Locations in Michigan that DO allow the consumption of marijuana:

• A patient’s own private property
• Private property of a friend, family member, or neighbor’s home after gaining their approval

Smoking Marijuana On Federal Lands:

As you may already know, marijuana remains a Schedule I illegal substance in the U.S. despite various U.S. states legalizing marijuana on a medical and/or recreational basis. With this being said, smoking marijuana on any U.S. federal lands is strictly illegal. If you are caught smoking in a state park or forest in Michigan such as Holland State Park, Warren Dunes State Park, or Huron-Manistee National Forests, be prepared to pay a hefty fine and/or face more serious consequences. 

To prevent your day from potentially getting ruined by federal law enforcement officers, do yourself a favor and light up some marijuana before or after your excursion, but make sure to not drive while high--it’s not worth it.

Medical Marijuana In Michigan:

In 2008, Michigan became the 10th U.S. state to legalize medical marijuana for individuals over the age of eighteen. This monumental move also made Michigan the first Midwestern state to approve of a medical marijuana program and the second-most highly populated state in the U.S. to put this program into place. As a result of the passing of Prop 1, personal possession of marijuana products and at-home marijuana cultivation became legal for state medical patients who are at least 21 years old. 

Back in 2008 though, the original law Michigan proposed placed emphasis on protecting the state’s medical marijuana patients and caregivers. However, it didn’t go much further to establish proper regulations so various businesses could open and serve marijuana products to registered patients. Fortunately, as time went on, Michigan’s medical marijuana program underwent different changes containing assorted benefits, which can be seen here. 

Overall, Michigan’s medical marijuana program has significantly evolved, and more than 284,088 state residents are registered as medical patients, and this number continues to increase.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card In Michigan:

To apply for a Michigan medical marijuana card, you must be diagnosed with one of the state’s qualifying medical conditions. Based on Michigan’s Medical Marihuana Act, qualifying patients are individuals who have been diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition after gaining confirmation from a licensed physician. Some of Michigan’s qualifying medical conditions include (but aren’t limited to) the following:

• Cancer
• Alzheimer's Disease
• Crohn's Disease
• HIV or AIDS
• Seizures

Discover Michigan’s full list of qualifying medical conditions here.

If you received a diagnosis of any of Michigan’s qualifying medical conditions, follow the steps below to apply for a medical marijuana card:

1. Download, print, and fill out Michigan’s official online application 

2. Schedule an appointment with a state-licensed doctor to see if you have a legitimate medical condition that fits under Michigan’s qualifying list

3. If a doctor diagnoses you with one of Michigan’s qualifying medical conditions, a physician recommendation form must be filled out and signed by a recommending doctor

4. The physician recommendation form and other documents included in the state’s application packet must be submitted together

5. To apply for and receive a medical marijuana card, you must be a Michigan resident, and you must show proof of residency by sending in a copy of one of these items: 

• Valid Michigan driver’s license
• Personal ID card issued by the state of Michigan
• Signed Michigan voter registration card

6. A clear and legible copy of one of the items listed above must be mailed together with the completed application packet to be considered for approval

7.  All completed applications must include a $60 patient application fee

8.  To apply for a medical marijuana card as a minor or as a caregiver, different processes must be followed

9.  Submit the completed application packet to the MMMP program for reviewal and approval to Lansing, Michigan

Out-of-state Medical Marijuana Cards In Michigan:

If you have received a valid medical marijuana card in any U.S. state, district, territory, commonwealth, or insular American possession or an equivalent of a medical marijuana card, then you are eligible to purchase, possess, and consume various marijuana products in Michigan. This is according to Michigan’s Medical Marihuana Act.

Fortunately, for travelers or nearby out-of-towners, Michigan is onboard for serving out-of-state medical marijuana cardholders, which is a huge benefit for individuals who need regular medicine while away from their primary residence.

How to Transport Marijuana In Michigan:

Transporting Marijuana In Michigan: 

Consumers over the age of 21 (or with a valid medical marijuana card) can legally transport marijuana products from a dispensary to their homes. Overall, Michigan state law frowns upon and may punish any individual who transports marijuana to other destinations besides from point A to point B. Under state law, consumers can transport various marijuana products and plants but only if these requirements are fulfilled:  

• All marijuana products must be placed into a sealed container and then put into a car’s trunk before beginning to drive
• If a consumer's car doesn’t have a trunk, then the sealed marijuana products should be placed somewhere in which the products cannot be accessed from the interior of the vehicle
• If transporting marijuana plants, the vehicle that’s used during this process must only travel from the location where the plants are picked up and to the end destination (second location)

Driving While Under the Influence of Marijuana: 

As you may have expected, driving while under the influence of marijuana is strictly illegal. This crime is treated similarly to driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs. To protect yourself, it’s essential to understand that driving while under the influence of marijuana is against the law. If you don’t abide by this rule and are caught, it’s likely you will pay hefty fines or maybe even face jail time. 

So, if you want to enjoy your experience with marijuana and not run into any bumps in the road with law enforcement officers, we suggest using different modes of public transportation or ride-sharing options while under the influence of marijuana. 

Driving Across State Lines With Marijuana:

Because marijuana remains a Schedule I illegal substance in the U.S., driving across state lines with any type of marijuana product is strictly illegal. Even if you’re a registered medical marijuana patient, if you drive across state lines with your medicine, this is considered a federal crime. Even though many people risk doing this, if you’re caught committing this crime, it will be treated as a federal crime rather than a local or state crime.

Growing Marijuana In Michigan:

Consumers over the age of 21 are eligible to cultivate up to twelve marijuana plants in the privacy of your own home. Individuals must hide their marijuana plants from the public, grow them indoors, and place them within very secured and enclosed facilities. Also, those who wish to legally cultivate their own marijuana plants must be at least 21 years old. Bottom line - all plants must be cultivated in locations containing security devices and locks and away from the public eye.

Resources

• https://norml.org/laws/michigan-penalties-2/
• https://www.michigan.gov/mra/
• https://www.metrotimes.com/