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Michigan Medical Marijuana Law
If you have a qualifying ailment and get a medical marijuana card, you are permitted to consume cannabis for medical purposes under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP). Although it is legal to buy marijuana for recreational purposes as well, your use of the drug for medical purposes gives you access to goods with higher concentrations.
Several chronic and crippling medical illnesses can be effectively treated with medical marijuana. The procedure can also increase your tolerance for daily activities. It can even restore lost quality of life and enable you to function as you did prior to the onset of your condition.
You may be eligible for therapy if you have a persistent condition that interferes with your everyday life. To treat safely, efficiently, and legally, you must comprehend the distinctions between medical and recreational legislation, the requirements you must follow, and the application procedure.
Michigan Medical Marijuana Law History
From the early 1900s to the middle of the 20th century, marijuana use was prohibited in Michigan. The University of Michigan’s hometown of Ann Arbor decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana in the 1970s, but marijuana possession was still illegal everywhere else and subject to fines and jail time.
Advocates started campaigning for medical marijuana legislation in Michigan as public perception of marijuana’s potential medical benefits increased and research began demonstrating its beneficial effects on chronic and terminal diseases.
With 63% of the vote, the Michigan Compassionate Care Initiative was approved in 2008. The law permitted people to possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis if they had valid medical reasons and a doctor’s recommendation.
The legislation did not create clear limitations for dispensaries or mandate government supervision. Sellers consequently started running enterprises that were neither legal nor unlawful. Unfortunately, this ambiguity resulted in a Michigan Supreme Court decision that outlawed the operation of dispensaries.
Lawmakers approved laws in 2016 creating a regulatory framework, tax structure, and oversight of the medicinal cannabis business in response to patients’ acceptance of cannabis and expanding societal support. As a result, residents of Michigan can now buy medicinal marijuana with the assurance that it is safe and effective.
Marijuana Possession Laws in Michigan
Patients who meet the requirements and their primary caregivers are allowed to keep 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana on them at all times. You may keep up to 10 ounces at home. You must keep your cannabis in a secure area in a sealed container. One ounce of useable marijuana is equivalent to the following:
- 16 ounces of solid marijuana-infused product
- 7 grams of gaseous marijuana-infused product
- 36 fluid ounces of liquid marijuana-infused product
There is a 12-plant marijuana limit. Every grower is required by state law in Michigan to grow their plants indoors in a secure location. If you are growing marijuana outdoors, the plants must be surrounded on all sides by sturdy fencing and they cannot be seen from the ground.
Michigan Public Consumption Laws
Even with a medical marijuana license, it is not permissible to use marijuana in public anywhere in the state. Cannabis can only be consumed legally at home or as a guest in another private setting. Despite the state’s legalization of adult-use medical marijuana, it is still unlawful to smoke, vape, or consume edibles in public.
Outside of your house, you are not permitted to possess more than 2.5 ounces of marijuana. The presiding judge will decide whether or not possession is a crime or a misdemeanor if it occurs in a park or within 1,000 feet of a place where minors are present. Up to two years in prison and a fine of $2,000 can be imposed as penalties for offenses.
Michigan Cannabis DUI Laws
Cannabis usage while operating a motor vehicle, airplane, snowmobile, off-road recreational vehicle, or motorboat is strictly prohibited in Michigan. While a car is moving, passengers are not permitted to consume marijuana.
Up to 360 hours of community service, 93 days in jail, a $300 fine, and a license suspension are the possible penalties for a first-time DUI offense. With each further offense, the minimum punishments increase.
Applying for a Michigan Medical Marijuana Card?
Adult medical marijuana users who do not have a caregiver can submit an or postal application for a medical marijuana identification card. Adult patients using a caregiver and patients under the age of 18 must submit a paper application.
To get started, schedule a consultation with a Michigan-certified doctor. The advantages and disadvantages of marijuana will be covered. If you have a qualifying medical condition that will benefit from marijuana use, your doctor will certify you. These ailments include Crohn’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, muscle spasms, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Minors and adults submitting paper applications must download the required registration form, fill it out, and attach a legible copy of their voter registration card or state-issued Michigan ID.
A copy of the doctor’s certification should be submitted together with a $40 check or money order made out to the State of Michigan-MMMP. The Michigan Medical Marijuana Program, PO Box 30083, Lansing, MI 48909, is the address for completed packets.
There are many steps and different paperwork in the Michigan application process. All extensions and modifications must be mailed in. Applications that are duplicated or incorrect are rejected.
The Sanctuary can direct you through the registration packet and assist you in choosing the appropriate application type to submit. Additionally, we will put you in touch with a qualified medical marijuana practitioner who can provide your certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is recreational marijuana legal in Michigan?
In 2016, recreational marijuana use became legal in Michigan. Both cannabis types fall under the same possession, DUI, and public consumption laws. Medical marijuana is taxed less heavily than recreational marijuana. Cannabis used for recreational purposes has less THC than cannabis used for medical purposes.
What products can registered patients and caregivers legally possess?
Flowers for smoking, edibles including gummies and baked products, vape cartridges, marijuana-infused drinks, topical lotions and gels, pills, transdermal patches, and tinctures are all legal for registered patients and their caregivers to possess.
What products are illegal for registered patients and caregivers to possess?
It’s prohibited to possess more than 15 grams of marijuana concentrate in Michigan. You may have up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana or up to 10 ounces of any consumable form of marijuana or hashish on your person at any one time.
Is there a limit on the amount of product a patient can possess?
A total of 10 ounces of usable marijuana may be in your possession. This is the total amount of marijuana you may have on your person, in whatever form you may have it.
Does Illinois offer out-of-state reciprocity?
No, Illinois does not recognize out-of-state marijuana credentials. Under Illinois’ adult-use regulations, visitors can purchase up to 15 grams of marijuana flower, 2.5 grams of cannabis concentrate, and 250 milligrams of THC in edibles.
Medical marijuana is legal in Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Utah, and the District of Columbia for Illinois cardholders. Still, you are subject to the visiting patient policy of your destination state as well as any applicable possession laws.
Does Michigan offer out-of-state reciprocity?
Each retailer in Michigan is free to decide whether or not to accept an out-of-state medical marijuana card. When it is legal to buy marijuana for recreational use while traveling, you should still have your medical marijuana card with you.
THC levels in medical cannabis products may be higher than in recreational products. To find out if they accept cards from your home state, you should get in touch with the dispensaries you intend to visit.
Can you get a medical marijuana card with a felony in Michigan?
In Michigan, you can get a patient card if you’ve committed a felony. Holders of registration cards may treat cannabis use while on probation, according to a 2021 court decision.
If you have been convicted of a violent felony, a drug-related felony, or any other felony within 10 years of your application, you cannot register as a caregiver for an adult patient or a minor.