Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
Local advocates for the legalization of recreational marijuana use in Michigan plan to spread awareness here one outreach event at a time.
Many of them gathered for a block party Saturday sponsored by multiple businesses in Belle Plaza on the southern part of the city. It served a dual purpose: Adding more signatures to a petition in hopes of getting the question of recreational legalization up for a statewide vote and educating the public as to how that type of legislation would take shape.
Matthew Johnson, owner of Lush Lighting, helped put the event together. Community activists and representatives from MI Legalize, a grassroots advocacy group, were among those at the event.
"It's showing the community that this is a very giving group of people," Johnson said. "It's a very diverse crowd as well, from the young to the old. You'll find that many people believe this plant can heal the people and also the planet itself. They become very passionate."
Michigan legalized medical marijuana in 2008.
Now The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol is working toward gathering the 252,523 signatures needed for the legalization of recreational use to go up for a vote in November 2018. Those signatures need to be collected within 180 consecutive days during a 250-day window. It started May 18.
Kyle Miller, a statewide organizing director for MI Legalize, came to Niles on Saturday to help get more signatures on the petition. He said the coalition has already passed the 100,000 mark and is probably pushing closer to 150,000.
Its goal is to end up somewhere in the 350,000 range, comfortably beyond the required number. Events like the block party become particularly important as a result.
"It's absolutely critical," Miller said. "A lot of people hear the idea of legalizing marijuana and don't know exactly what the parameters of a law or bill would look like with that being done."
Miller talked about how tax revenue generated by the legal sale and regulation of marijuana could have a positive trickle down effect for the state. He mentioned schools, infrastructure, counties and local municipalities as beneficiaries of a money influx.
Community members in attendance at the block party tended to agree.
Erin Gordon, 31, is a lifelong Niles resident. She not only signed the petition but spread awareness about the block party through Facebook posts and by text messaging friends. Gordon sees recreational legalization as a potential boon to her hometown.
"It would be great for the city and the schools," Gordon said. "Just everything. Niles is a great place. I've been here my whole life. To see it get better and grow would be amazing."
But even advocates realize there's a big step between the legalization of medical marijuana and recreational use. Perhaps the biggest hurdle is getting it up for a vote.
MI Legalize failed to get it on the ballot in 2016. Renewing that effort means doubling down on its local efforts to generate momentum. Supporters of legalization for recreational use believe a positive outcome will follow if the matter goes up for vote.
"We're confident that if it gets on the ballot, based on a lot of polling numbers, it should pass," Miller said. "Right now our biggest hurdle is getting 252,000 valid signatures."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Recreational marijuana advocates host block party in Niles | Local | southbendtribune.com
Author: Jake Brown
Contact: Contact | southbendtribune.com
Photo Credit: Jake Brown
Website: southbendtribune.com | The voice that connects us.
Many of them gathered for a block party Saturday sponsored by multiple businesses in Belle Plaza on the southern part of the city. It served a dual purpose: Adding more signatures to a petition in hopes of getting the question of recreational legalization up for a statewide vote and educating the public as to how that type of legislation would take shape.
Matthew Johnson, owner of Lush Lighting, helped put the event together. Community activists and representatives from MI Legalize, a grassroots advocacy group, were among those at the event.
"It's showing the community that this is a very giving group of people," Johnson said. "It's a very diverse crowd as well, from the young to the old. You'll find that many people believe this plant can heal the people and also the planet itself. They become very passionate."
Michigan legalized medical marijuana in 2008.
Now The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol is working toward gathering the 252,523 signatures needed for the legalization of recreational use to go up for a vote in November 2018. Those signatures need to be collected within 180 consecutive days during a 250-day window. It started May 18.
Kyle Miller, a statewide organizing director for MI Legalize, came to Niles on Saturday to help get more signatures on the petition. He said the coalition has already passed the 100,000 mark and is probably pushing closer to 150,000.
Its goal is to end up somewhere in the 350,000 range, comfortably beyond the required number. Events like the block party become particularly important as a result.
"It's absolutely critical," Miller said. "A lot of people hear the idea of legalizing marijuana and don't know exactly what the parameters of a law or bill would look like with that being done."
Miller talked about how tax revenue generated by the legal sale and regulation of marijuana could have a positive trickle down effect for the state. He mentioned schools, infrastructure, counties and local municipalities as beneficiaries of a money influx.
Community members in attendance at the block party tended to agree.
Erin Gordon, 31, is a lifelong Niles resident. She not only signed the petition but spread awareness about the block party through Facebook posts and by text messaging friends. Gordon sees recreational legalization as a potential boon to her hometown.
"It would be great for the city and the schools," Gordon said. "Just everything. Niles is a great place. I've been here my whole life. To see it get better and grow would be amazing."
But even advocates realize there's a big step between the legalization of medical marijuana and recreational use. Perhaps the biggest hurdle is getting it up for a vote.
MI Legalize failed to get it on the ballot in 2016. Renewing that effort means doubling down on its local efforts to generate momentum. Supporters of legalization for recreational use believe a positive outcome will follow if the matter goes up for vote.
"We're confident that if it gets on the ballot, based on a lot of polling numbers, it should pass," Miller said. "Right now our biggest hurdle is getting 252,000 valid signatures."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Recreational marijuana advocates host block party in Niles | Local | southbendtribune.com
Author: Jake Brown
Contact: Contact | southbendtribune.com
Photo Credit: Jake Brown
Website: southbendtribune.com | The voice that connects us.
