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Michigan has officially legalized marijuana, but what comes next?

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When voters approved Proposal 1 on Nov. 6, they made Michigan the 10th state in the U.S. to legalize recreational marijuana. The proposal, which officially went into effect on Dec. 6, allows individuals 21 and older to purchase, possess, grow and use marijuana recreationally. The proposal also imposes a 10-ounce limit at residences, and permits a retail sales tax of 10 percent to marijuana products dedicated to the implementation costs of schools, roads, clinical trials and municipalities where marijuana businesses are located.

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The battle for marijuana legalization reaches the ballot box

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After years of lobbying for a referendum, Proposal 1 to legalize marijuana will appear on the ballot Nov. 6

After years of lobbying and legal battles, voters will have a say on allowing Michigan residents 21 years and older to possess, sell, grow or use marijuana. Organizations across the state have taken a stance on ballot Proposal 1, which will have a powerful impact on laws, economics and public health. Groups including Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action, Marijuana Policy and Project Foundation and MI Legalize have weighed in on the pros and cons of the proposal. Nick Zettell, co-founder and CEO for MI Legalize, has been working on this campaign since 2015, when the group was unsuccessful in placing the legalization of marijuana on the ballot.

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Vanquishing election regret: The key to student voting success

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For Michigan State University nursing senior Claire Farrington, memories of the 2016 election still linger, and she can only describe her decision two years ago in one word: regret. “Every time I listen to the news I’m sad about my decision to avoid the polls,” Farrington said. “At 18 years old, I didn’t realize the impact my single vote could have on an election.”

In the 2016 presidential election, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton lost to President Donald Trump by about 10,000 votes, and only 11 percent of all voters were young votes ranging from 18 to 24 years old. Farrington’s decision to steer clear from voting derived from her lack of education on candidates and policies. Although she explains that many policies have since affected her life as student, she was unaware of their impact until it was too late.