Marijuana Legalization

Opinion

By Delaney Frantz

Husky Herald Reporter

  For individuals 21 and older it is now legal to smoke marijuana and carry up to a certain amount of it. The process took place on November 6th, 2018 when Proposal One, the legalization of marijuana, was put on the ballot, and the measure was approved.  

  Proposal One made Michigan the first state in the midwest to legalize the possession and use of recreational marijuana for adults ages 21 and older.

  Individuals are permitted to grow up to 12 marijuana plants in their residences. The measure created an excise sales tax of 10 percent, which was to be levied on marijuana sales at retailers and micro-businesses.

  Many individuals were against the passing of Proposal One. The only ones that were really for it were the Millennials and Generation Z citizens. Even though Generation Z citizens are just of the age of 18 and most cannot vote, it still has become an obsession for these students.

  John Heilman (‘19) is not of the age to vote, but if he had the chance to he would have voted yes to Proposal One. Heilman would have voted yes for many reasons, one of them being, “it would free up room in jails because so many people are arrested for possession of marijuana”, the second reason being because “it was available already and now you won’t get in as much trouble for it if you are underage,” he said.

  It is true that if an individual over the age of 21 is pulled over the officer cannot search the car if he/she smells marijuana. For individuals under the age of 21, the possibility of a MIP would be issued to you.

  It is not a guarantee that a MIP would be the only thing you would receive; many cities in St. Clair County are creating their own city laws to protect their people.

  One out of five students at Port Huron Northern said they would have voted no on Proposal One if they had the chance due to the dangers people under the influence could cause for themselves and others while driving, working, or doing regular day to day necessities.

  Mr. Mossett, principal at Port Huron Northern, doesn't believe that the process of the legalization will affect the school and its students even though it will be more accessible. Mossett said, “It's certainly not legal for any of the students who attend the school.”

  Within the past few years Mossett said that Northern High School has never had a big problem with students being high or in possession, the number of cases is really a ballpark and not too big of deal.