{"id":374139,"date":"2016-03-31T21:35:35","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:35:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/michigan-law\/michigan-marijuana-laws.html"},"modified":"2024-12-18T12:00:34","modified_gmt":"2024-12-18T17:00:34","slug":"michigan-marijuana-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/michigan-law\/michigan-marijuana-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Michigan Marijuana Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Michigan Marijuana Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By Kit Yona, M.A.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Michigan voters spoke, and Michigan officials listened. Medical marijuana and adult-use recreational marijuana became legal after ballot initiatives.<\/p>\r\n

Proposal 1 in 2008<\/a> approved marijuana for medical use, although a working system for dispensaries didn’t happen until 2016. Recreational cannabis became legal via Proposal 1 in 2018<\/a>, and the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MRTMA)<\/a> led to sales beginning in 2019.<\/p>\r\n

While cannabis use is legal in Michigan, there are restrictions in place. In this article, we’ll examine the Michigan cannabis laws you’re likely to encounter and show how to stay on the right side of law enforcement. You’ll learn about possession limits, grower rights, and what it means if a municipality has opted out of the MRTMA.<\/p>\r\n

Ready for a better understanding of Michigan marijuana laws? Let’s dive in.<\/p>\r\n

Michigan Cannabis Laws and How They Work<\/h2>\r\n

Before digging into Michigan marijuana laws, it’s important to know federal law. As of May 2024, marijuana is still a Schedule I drug<\/a> at the federal level, as per the Controlled Substances Act (CSA)<\/a>. This means you may be subject to severe penalties for marijuana offenses on federal lands such as national parks, military bases, and federal courthouses. While reclassification seems imminent<\/a>, nothing is certain until new laws get passed.<\/p>\r\n

The Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA)<\/a> regulates marijuana businesses and oversees both medical and recreational use. It licenses all dispensaries in the state. Statewide delivery of marijuana products is also allowed.<\/p>\r\n

In most circumstances, the State of Michigan laws on marijuana sanction only private use of cannabis. It’s legal to have up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana flower or its equivalent in marijuana products.<\/p>\r\n

Public use of any marijuana product in Michigan is illegal unless it’s at a licensed cannabis event or an approved consumption lounge<\/a>, which is like a bar but with cannabis products instead of alcohol. For unlawful public use, you face up to a $100 fine as a civil infraction.<\/p>\r\n

Some jurisdictions have more ordinances. For example, Ann Arbor decriminalized cannabis with a $5 civil infraction in 1974<\/a>. But, marijuana of any type is illegal<\/a> on the University of Michigan campus.<\/p>\r\n

More than 1,300 of Michigan’s 1,773 municipalities, including many of Detroit’s communities, have opted out of the MRTMA<\/a>. You can still use marijuana in these communities, but you can’t buy it there. Marijuana paraphernalia is legal in Michigan. Adults can buy, sell, and gift paraphernalia to other adults.<\/p>\r\n

With knowledge of basic Michigan cannabis laws, let’s take a look at the differences between the two types of marijuana available: medical and recreational.<\/p>\r\n

Michigan Medical Marijuana Laws<\/h3>\r\n

The Michigan Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP)<\/a> is the state registry program in the CRA. Qualified patients can apply for the program to get their patient registry ID card. To be eligible for the program, patients must be over 18 and have a doctor’s written confirmation of their ailment. Qualifying medical conditions<\/a> include suffering from one or more of the following:<\/p>\r\n