Michigan in 2018 became the first Midwestern state to allow both medical and recreational marijuana use.
The law allows anyone 21 or older to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, and to grow as many as 12 plants at home.
Registration with the state is mandatory in order to receive a valid medical marijuana card in Michigan, but the state also recognizes cards from other states.
The law requires that a patient have an established relationship with the doctor who writes his or her medical marijuana recommendation.
In November 2008, the Michigan Compassionate Care Initiative (appearing on the ballot as Proposal) was approved by Michigan voters.
The measure allowed patients with a physician’s recommendation to possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis for treatment of certain qualifying medical conditions.
It allowed patients or their caregivers to cultivate up to 12 cannabis plants.
In September 2016, Gov. Rick Snyder signed a package of bills that among other reforms: (a) allowed the operation and regulation of medical cannabis dispensaries; (b) set a taxation rate of 3% on medical cannabis; and (c) allowed the use of non-smokable forms such as topicals and edibles.
Other Michigan Medical Marijuana Facts
- Adults age 21 and older can have marijuana.
- You can’t consume marijuana in public.
- You can’t drive while under the influence of marijuana.
- You cant cross state lines with marijuana.
- Pain was the most common qualifying condition claimed by Michigan medical marijuana patients in March 2020. About half of all patients on the state registry listed chronic or severe pain as a reason. Arthritis accounted for about a quarter of users, according to the state.
- The law has very strong built-in doctor protections: a doctor may not be arrested, prosecuted or penalized in any manner, or be denied any right or privilege, for discussing medical marijuana with a patient. This includes protection from civil penalties and disciplinary actions by state medical boards.
- Caregivers are allowed to grow and possess medical marijuana for as many as five patients.
- Michigan law requires that MMMP approve or deny an application within 15 business days of the date the application is received.
- About 79% of Michigan municipalities have banned recreational marijuana dispensaries, according to the Detroit Metro Times.
- That’s almost 1,400 villages, townships, and cities. In these places, it is illegal to buy recreational marijuana from retailers.
- Where it is legal, you can buy up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana. But you can’t have more than 15 grams of marijuana in the form of marijuana concentrate at one time. You can only carry up to these amounts as well.
- At home, you can keep up to 10 ounces of marijuana flower as long as it’s in a secure location.
- The state of Michigan doesn’t have a limit for how much THC can be in a marijuana product. This means that consumers are responsible for checking THC concentrations.
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