Port Huron voters approve 2nd marijuana ballot proposal
3 min read
Port Huron voters approved the city’s second nomination for marijuana in a year on Tuesday with 1,588 votes in favor and 1,140 against.
That comes from unofficial results of the city. The proposal amends the measure, originally approved by voters in November, with one language to revoke the recreational licenses issued by the city earlier this year
But what happens next remains unclear.
Both proposals were initiated by the external group Progress for Michigan 2020. The original proposal replaced rules intended exclusively for adult marijuana, originally approved by the city council in September, and instead legalized both recreational and medical businesses.
After a wave of marijuana applications for both types of facilities earlier this year, the city faced several lawsuits contesting the results of preliminary licensees.
Progress for Michigan officials said Tuesday’s proposal was aimed at putting marijuana patients first in medical facility licensing reorganizations. They also said it aimed to prevent litigation.
In the future, officials have said they are not convinced that action in court is one way or another avoidable. Several opponents of the marijuana industry have criticized Progress for Michigan’s methods of controlling marijuana rules in Port Huron for certain licensees, saying they also expected to take legal action if Tuesday’s proposal was successful.
Since this spring, a district court judge has also suspended the formal granting of provisional licenses pending complaints against the city. On Tuesday, City Manager James Freed said he would not expect a final marijuana license for at least a couple of years due to ongoing legal challenges.
When asked about Tuesday’s results, Progress for Michigan spokesman Sam Pernick said, “This election sends a clear message that Port Huron residents are fed up with the delays, lawsuits and red tape preventing medical marijuana patients from doing so To have access to the medicines they have We are grateful to all who voted yes to helping patients with epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, cancer and other critical diseases that medical marijuana provides relief. ”
By mid-Tuesday afternoon, city clerk Cyndee Jonseck said the turnout in the special elections was “remarkably low, and by Tuesday evening Freed said it was around 13.4%. Jonseck said via email, “We have sent 2,051 postal ballot papers back for processing,” about five hours before polling stations were due to close.
Advances on Michigan’s previous Port Huron rulebook were aimed at licensees for both retail and supply center marijuana stores, growers and processors, designated consumer businesses, and micro-businesses where marijuana could be grown and sold in a manner similar to local breweries.
Tuesday’s proposal provides for the following:
- Under the state’s recreational law, prohibit the city from granting adult marijuana licenses until at least three medical supply center licenses have been issued
- To revoke any preliminary retail and marijuana consumption licenses that have already been issued
- Do not affect preliminary licenses already issued to medical marijuana facilities
In addition, the measure removes the rating system for recreational potting companies and gives the city 15 days after the deployment licenses are issued to accept applications for other facilities. It would require “a competitive process” but does not provide criteria for prioritizing proposals.
It also repeals a section of the 2020 Ballot Ordinance that says there cannot be more than seven unique business addresses for retailers, supply centers, and designated consumer establishments.
In defense of lawsuits contesting the results against the city, officials have alleged that preliminary licensees have been named according to the rules first outlined for Michigan by Progress.
Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @ Jackie20Smith.
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