HEART OF STEELE

Four years ago, Michigan became the first Midwestern state to legalize recreational marijuana.  

Medical marijuana had been legal for a decade. Some cities, like Ann Arbor, home to the University of Michigan (UM), had long soft-pedaled enforcement of marijuana laws.  

UM has since 1972 hosted its infamous “Hash Bash," where participants advocate for, and openly use, marijuana.  

Michigan citizens petitioned in 2018 to legalize recreational use; the measure passed with 56% of the vote. By then, the cities I covered as an online journalist were struggling with the generous limits afforded medical marijuana caregivers.  

With appropriate licensing, caregivers could grow up to 12 cannabis plants for themselves and up to five patients. That number of plants, city officials said, would produce about 90 ounces of marijuana with each harvest.  

When the recreational law passed, personal use had a limit of 12 plants per person. While there was no provision for sales in the medical cannabis law, the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act set up state licensing for several types of businesses, from manufacturing to retail stores. 

Because marijuana still violates federal law, however, those businesses couldn’t just walk down to their federally insured bank and open an account. Local police raised an alarm about the dangers of cash-only businesses.  

Officers also faced some unusual enforcement dilemmas. The day I wrote about detectives investigating the theft of marijuana plants from a residential garage, I knew a line had been crossed.  

Caregivers' operations were wreaking havoc in a few dozen neighborhoods. Complaints about noise and odors eventually became a topic of conversation at council meetings. 

After months of review, the city approved new rules that moved marijuana growers to industrial zoned properties, with specific requirements for security and noise and odor reduction. Residents who lived in adjacent neighborhoods weren’t happy, but officials couldn’t do much more without running afoul of the state law.  

Recently, Minnesota lawmakers passed a law that allows adults to consume THC edibles. Last week, House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler called that a first step toward legalizing marijuana in Minnesota.  

Wherever you stand on legalization, keep this in mind: What happens at the state level will always have consequences in the heart of Steele County.