Pubdate: Wed, 30 Jul 2014
Source: Central Michigan Life (Central MI U, MI Edu)
Copyright: 2014 Central Michigan Life
Contact:  http://www.cm-life.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2808
Author: Katherine Ranzenberger, News Editor
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?275 (Cannabis - Michigan)

STUDENT-BACKED MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION PROPOSAL COULD BE ON NOVEMBER BALLOT

Mount Pleasant voters could see a student-backed proposition calling 
for the citywide decriminalization of marijuana on the November ballot.

Student Advocates for Medical/Recreational Cannabis have procured 
enough petition signatures to get the initiative on the ballot. The 
registered student organization at Central Michigan University got 
all the necessary signatures a week shy of their deadline.

"It's a step in the right direction," said Ian Elliot, president of 
SAMRC and a Cheboygan sophomore. "Any policy change that will promote 
the mission of realizing a responsible cannabis policy is good."

The group worked all spring and part of the summer to obtain over 500 
signatures for their ballot initiative. The proposed city ordinance 
would decriminalize marijuana up to a certain amount for adults 21 
years old or older.

Elliot said he hopes the initiative would free up some tax payer 
money that would go toward charging those caught with marijuana.

"It bogs down the court system," he said. "This is saving tax payers 
some unnecessary expenditures."

It's unclear whether this new ordinance would affect CMU's campus 
policies on marijuana. Elliot said he believes it would not because 
CMU is a federal entity.

"Because CMU is federally funded, they don't necessarily have to 
follow city ordinances," he said.

Nancy Ridley, Mount Pleasant's newly-hired city manager, said the 
city discussed the proposal when the RSO first started gathering 
signatures in February.

"I know CMU had some concerns," she said. "They have to comply with 
federal policies. There was some uncertainty if this would apply on campus."

The next step in the process is getting Mount Pleasant's city 
officials to sign off on the proposal for the November election.

"The way the process is supposed to work is the city approving it," 
he said. "We've not gotten the actual sign-off from the city. It's 
not on the November ballot, yet."

Ridley said the city is currently in the process of verifying the signatures.

"We're very close to doing that," she said. "We then send the 
language of the proposal to the Governor's office and the Attorney 
General's office for approval. Then it gets submitted for the next election."

Ridley said she believes the group is on target for getting the 
proposal on the November ballot.

Elliot said that aside from furthering the discussion on 
legalization, it encourages students to get out and vote.

"We want students to be politically involved," he said. "What better 
way to give your opinion and get involved than to vote? We're looking 
forward to seeing students get out there to vote."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom