Michigan Marijuana Laws

Updated September 2019

Michigan’s road to marijuana access for medical and recreational use is one of the most unique of any state in the union. Medical marijuana was legalized in 2008, but until recently dispensaries were considered illegal. In November 2018, voters approved a statewide recreational marijuana ballot initiative to make adult use cannabis legal for adults 21 and older. Learn more about Michigan marijuana laws below.

Recreational Marijuana Law in Michigan

Is marijuana legal in Michigan? Yes– Michigan became the 10th state to legalize recreational marijuana after voters in November 2018 approved Proposal 1.

Proposal 1, also called the the Marijuana Legalization Initiative, permits adults 21 and older to buy up to 2 1/2 ounces of marijuana, and keep up to 10 ounces at home. Any amounts over 2.5 ounces must be secured in locked containers. Adults can also grow up to 12 cannabis plants for personal use. Michigan’s recreational marijuana law took effect 10 days after the election results are certified.

The new law also creates a state licensing system for marijuana businesses, including growers, processors, transporters, and retailers. Municipalities retain the right to ban or restrict marijuana businesses. Officials have said they hope to get the adult use market up and running within a year.

Medical Marijuana Law in Michigan

Medical marijuana became legal in Michigan after 63% voters approved of Proposal 1 in November 2008.

Since then, several amendments have since been passed to provide further structure for marijuana access. In September 2016, Gov. Rick Snyder signed a collection of five bills to amend the Michigan Medical Marihuana Program and establish a statewide regulatory system. The bills were meant to address an unfortunate 2013 state Supreme Court ruling that made dispensaries illegal, which had forced patients to either grow their own marijuana or get marijuana from a designated caregiver. The new collection of bills not only established licensing and regulatory framework and clarified dispensaries, but created a seed-to-sale marijuana tracking system and legalized the manufacturing and use of cannabis lotions, oils and edibles.

Registered patients can possess up to 2.5 ounces of ‘useable marijuana’, or up to 12 marijuana plants in an enclosed, locked facility. The law allows for patients to have a primary caregiver.

Under Michigan marijuana laws, the approved list of qualifiable conditions for medical marijuana include:

Alzheimer’s Disease
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Arthritis
Autism
Cachexia or Wasting Syndrome
Cancer
Chronic Pain
Colitis
Crohn’s Disease
Glaucoma
HIV/AIDS
Hepatitis C
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Nail-Patella Syndrome
Nausea
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Parkinson’s Disease
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Seizures
Severe and Persistent Muscle Spasms
Spinal Cord Injury
Tourette Syndrome
Ulcerative Colitis

Consumption of CBD from Hemp Oil in Michigan

Hemp-derived CBD products are legal under Federal Law in the United States; however, individual state laws are dynamic and fluid. Individual states may enact their own laws governing hemp-derived CBD.

Cultivation of Cannabis in Michigan

Under Michigan’s recreational marijuana law, adults 21 and older can legally cultivate up to 12 marijuana plants at home for personal use.

Under the state’s medical marijuana law, patients or their caregivers are allowed to grow up to 12 marijuana plants. The plants must be cultivated in an enclosed and locked facility.

Hemp growing is also legal, under Michigan’s recreational marijuana law that was approved by voters in November 2018. Previously, the state had passed the Industrial Hemp Research Act of 2014, which allowed government departments, colleges, and universities to grow industrial hemp for research purposes, as part of an agricultural pilot program or academic research project. In April 2019, Michigan launched a pilot program for farmers considering hemp as a new cash crop.

Legal Status of Other U.S. States

Stay up to date on the latest state legislation, referendums, and public opinion polls. Our Marijuana Legalization Map allows you to browse the current status of medical and recreational marijuana laws in other U.S. states and territories.

Sources

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