Michigan towns are voting down marijuana shops in their communities

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Earlier this year, Michigan became the first state in the Midwest to enact a law that legalized recreational marijuana, but not surprisingly there are many communities that are voting no to having pot shops in their neighborhoods, The Detroit Free Press reports.

According to an unofficial list from the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, dozens of communities have opted out and plan to pass a resolution to prohibit marijuana businesses from their community.

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In contrast, there are some 109 communities that have passed ordinances approving medical marijuana businesses in their towns.

However, communities like in Troy, legal weed have been voted down in a narrow margin of 19,508 “no” votes and 18,528 “yes” votes, the outlet reports.

Other areas in the county overwhelmingly support the measure 59 to 41 percent.

If communities vote no, then weed businesses would be banned and won’t receive any of the tax revenue from the 10 percent excise tax on recreational weed sales, according to reports. Communities have to either pass a resolution of support or one to prohibit marijuana businesses.

If they vote to ban the businesses, they won’t get any of the tax revenue from the 10 percent excise tax on recreational weed sales.

The Troy City Council stated unanimously: “Council DIRECTS City Administration to draft an ordinance opting out of recreational marijuana facilities.”

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And they’re not alone.

In Livonia, voters opted to support the marijuana legalization by 55 to 45 percent, But the council voted Dec. 3 to opt out of the recreational weed businesses. It now goes to a committee to review future options.

“I don’t think Livonia is ever going to be the Wild Open West,” when it comes to marijuana, said City Attorney Paul Bernier. “Livonia tends to be a conservative town. People who wanted to see it decriminalized didn’t necessarily want to see a ‘Weed Is Us’ on Plymouth Road.”

According to an unofficial list from the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, these towns have voted to prohibit marijuana businesses: Royal Oak; Bloomfield Township; Birmingham; Livonia; Plymouth; Monroe; Brown City; Portage; Sault Ste Marie; the Villages of Port Sanilac, Carsonville, Mackinaw City and Melvin; and the townships Ingham, Elmer, Minden, Newberg, Volinia, Brady, Prairie Ronde, Ada, Ashland, Cheshire, Maple Valley, Columbus, Charleston, Burtchbill, Frenchtown, Lamont, Washington, Watertown, Bridgehampton and Speaker.