Medical marijuana is already legal in Michigan. Bringing a marijuana facility to Hillsdale County for medicinal purposes wouldn’t be against the law, but the Hillsdale City Council voted against the initiative Monday.
Many residents of Hillsdale County recently attended a public forum to share their opinions on the initiative with their representatives. Many who supported bringing medicinal marijuana to the region cited the need for the drug that some patients have.
But if this debate is really about making sure those who need marijuana for medical reasons have access to it, there is no debate at all. Residents of Hillsdale county already have access to medical marijuana if they need it. They can either grow it themselves or buy it from the Jackson County Compassion Club.
So why is it necessary to grow marijuana at a facility in Hillsdale?
It seems the only worthwhile argument for bringing a marijuana plant to Hillsdale is that it would encourage business in the area. But the question must be asked: what kind of business does Hillsdale want? What kind of business does Hillsdale wish to be associated with?
A night club or adult video store would bring business to Hillsdale. Just because a business is profitable monetarily does not mean it is profitable for society on a grander scale. Furthermore, is growing marijuana really the best Hillsdale can do to promote business?
Even if the argument for bringing medical marijuana production to the area did not conflict with the ethics and morals that many hold, it may not even be the positive business model that some claim it to be.
Studies have shown that frequent marijuana use and dependence on the drug leads to “downward socioeconomic mobility, more financial difficulties, workplace problems, and relationship conflict in early midlife,” according to the Association for Psychological Science.
While bringing a marijuana manufacturer might spur business in Hillsdale in the short-term, the facts point to it being an inhibitor of economic success for individuals in the long-term.
It seems that for the majority of those in favor of bringing marijuana production to the area have an ulterior motive.
All signs point to the implementation of a marijuana facility, even if initially for medical reasons, being the first step in normalizing recreational drug use. While one can debate whether or not the United States Constitution protects recreational use of marijuana, the effects on communities that have mainstreamed drug use often come back negative.
Every state in which recreational marijuana is legal began by legalizing medicinal marijuana. To name a few, California, Oregon, Alaska, Colorado, and Washington all legalized medical marijuana before legalizing the drug for recreational use. Across the country, the two have gone hand-in-hand.
The process would be no different for a community like Hillsdale. The mere presence of a medicinal marijuana facility would be a step toward mainstreaming drug use for any reason.
If the city council needed any more reason to decide against bringing marijuana to Hillsdale, consider that the public appear to be overwhelmingly against the proposition. At the recent hearing, more than three-fourths of those who voiced their opinion were opposed to the initiatives that would bring medical marijuana to Hillsdale County.
This is not to say that the public are opposed to the legality of medicinal marijuana. They simply don’t want a factory in their backyards, especially if all of the product is going to be shipped to Lansing, as one contractor at the hearing suggested would be the case.
There appears to be no foregone or conclusive argument for bringing a marijuana facility to Hillsdale. Thankfully, the city council’s decision very much reflects the overall consensus of the community regarding the idea. Since it presents no real benefit to the area, the council made the right decision.