Voters overwhelmingly rejected proposals Tuesday to allow recreational marijuana sales in four metro Detroit cities, a defeat that will deprive the communities of extra revenue.
The proposals were defeated in Birmingham, Grosse Pointe Park, Rochester, and Keego Harbor.
In Birmingham, 73.6% of the voters rejected a proposal to provide a license to one recreational marijuana dispensary and one medical cannabis retailer.
A proposal to allow three recreational dispensaries to open in Rochester was defeated with 89.2% of the votes. Another 87.4% voted against creating a licensing and application process to enable three recreational dispensaries to open.
In Grosse Pointe Park, 77.7% of voters rejected an ordinance that would have allowed two recreational marijuana dispensaries to open. Another 66.7% voted against an amendment that would have allowed two recreational marijuana dispensaries to open after a licensing process was established.
Voters turned down all three proposals to allow recreational marijuana sales in Keego Harbor. A proposal to allow one dispensary to open was rejected with 53.5% of the vote, 61.4% voted against allowing the issue to be decided at the next general election, and 60.5% voted no on allowing two dispensaries to open with licensing rules.
Since Michigan voters approved the legalization of recreational marijuana in November 2018, a vast majority of the state’s communities barred adult-use dispensaries, even though the law requires the state to share revenue from marijuana sales to cities and counties that allow the businesses to open.
In 2023, the state sent nearly $60 million to 224 municipalities and counties where recreational sales are permitted. Cities and counties receive more than $51,800 for each dispensary that is open within their borders.
Detroit became one of the latest cities to allow recreational marijuana sales, with the first dispensaries opening at the beginning of this year following lengthy lawsuits.
At the same time, an overabundance of cannabis products in Michigan has led to plummeting prices, which has been good for consumers but not so good for dispensaries.
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