Lawmaker: Best Way to Control Youth Access to Pot is to Legalize It

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A state representative from Ann Arbor wants Michiganders to be able to fire up a joint without becoming criminals.

Democrat state Rep. Jeff Erwin told WWJ/CBS Detroit that he plans to introduce legislation that would legalize recreational marijuana in Michigan. The bill could go before lawmakers as soon as the end of this month.

Erwin said lives are “turned upside-down” when people are busted in possession of small amounts of pot and have to pay lawyer fees that can amount to thousands of dollars.

“That’s a tremendous blow to an individual, to a family and to businesses,” he said. “We need to stop this.”

He also thinks that legalizing recreational weed could mean an extra $50 to $100 million for Michigan’s economy.

Recreational marijuana is legal in four states and the District of Columbia. Voters in Colorado and Washington approved recreational marijuana in 2012, and those laws are already effective. Voters in Alaska and Oregon approved possession of marijuana, and the District of Columbia is moving ahead with the implementation of a voter approved initiative.

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• Petitioners: It’s High Time Grosse Pointe Park Chills Out on Pot Laws

Opponents argue the legalization wave makes pot too accessible to kids, but Michigan’s Erwin said his bill will have regulatory controls that will make it easier for authorities to control access than it currently is.

“If we want to actually keep drugs away from kids – we have to legalize it, and we have to regulate it,” Erwin said. “That’s the only way we are going to be successful – putting our heads in the sand hasn’t worked for decades and it’s not going to work tomorrow.”

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