This petition is put into place to introduce an initiative to the Michigan State Legislature to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in the State of Michigan on the 2018 ballot. Legalizing the recreational use of marijuana will be beneficial to the people and the government, and can stimulate the economy, reduce crime and provide peace of mind to users looking for medical uses of marijuana. Even if you don't believe in the use of marijuana, please read the benefits and statistics below on how legalizing the use can benefit everyone.

To sign the petition you must be a legal and registered voter (age 18+) with a government issued I.D., residing in the State of Michigan.

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9 Reasons Everyone, Including the Government and People, Will Benefit From Recreational Marijuana:

1.) Cannabis Generates Revenue
After Colorado's first year of legalizing recreational cannabis use, it provided over $63 million in revenue, with an additional $13 million from licenses and fees. This money went to a good cause, sending $30.5 million back to the taxpayers and using the remainder to provide for youth marijuana education programs, school construction and the costs of regulations.

2.) Marijuana Has Medical Benefits:
Despite the notion many anti-cannabis people have that medical marijuana is nothing more than a lie, studies are starting to show marijuana’s potential in shrinking aggressive cancerous brain tumors. Furthermore, a recent American study found that treating epilepsy and other seizure disorders with CBD reduced seizures by 54%. Use of THC reduced spasticity in sufferers of multiple sclerosis by 30%. Cannabis may also reduce depression and relieve anxiety. While more research is needed to better determine how cannabis can help treat diseases or symptoms, there’s a reason why so many states have legalized medical marijuana.

3.) Cannabis is 114 Times Less Toxic than Alcohol:
In an analysis listed in the U.S. National Library of Medicine on the risks of recreational drugs, cannabis was considered to be the lowest risk, while alcohol (a legal substance for adults 21+) trumped them all, making alcohol 114 times more toxic. Cannabis was also found to be less harmful than smoking cigarettes.

4.) Crime will NOT increase:
After legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado, crime has not increased. In fact, violent crimes and property crimes have decreased since the legalization of Marijuana. Also, a London study has shown a large decrease in crime rates after cannabis was decriminalized for one year.

5.) It's More Expensive to Keep Marijuana Illegal:
According to the ACLU, in 2010, the U.S. spent more than $3.6 billion on enforcing marijuana prohibition. It’s estimated that the U.S. will spend more than $20 billion over six years on keeping marijuana illegal. This isn't just free money, it's your money. Instead, with legalizing marijuana, the government could be bringing in revenue with marijuana tax instead of taxing you, just to keep it illegal.

6.) Legalizing Marijuana Hasn't Increased Use by Youth/Teenagers:
Since cannabis was legalized in Colorado, many feared that it would lead to increased consumption among youth. In fact, legalization has had the exact opposite effect – due to education and regulations restricting use to adults, the percentage of teenagers in Colorado who admit to using cannabis has been steadily dropping from 22% to 20% between 2011 and 2013, and remains below the national average at 23.4%.

7.) Legalizing Marijuana Creates Jobs:
Colorado created 10,000 new jobs in the legal cannabis industry, boosting the economy and lowering the unemployment rate to just 6%, making it one of the lowest in the nation.

8.) Prohibition of Marijuana Takes a Financial & Social Toll:
There were 658,000 arrests for marijuana possession in 2012 alone, and the majority of these arrests were for non-violent, low-level offenders. Enforcing cannabis possession laws costs the U.S. approximately $3.6 billion annually. All of this time, cost, and effort takes our law enforcement away from enforcing more urgent issues.

9.) The Prohibition of Marijuana Makes It More Dangerous:
When marijuana is considered illegal, it makes it a risky business. Users of medical and recreational marijuana are at risk for growers spraying plants with air fresheners and chemicals that could be dangerous to their health and provide the opposite effect of what they are intending to use marijuana for. Plants that are grown outdoors are subject to being sprayed with pesticides and growing mold. By legalizing marijuana, there will be more peace of mind for users and regulations can help ensure the safety of the product.

Benefits and statistic for this content is attributed to the publisher, Leafly.