The Marihuana Ballot Proposals

First, why is it spelled "marihuana?" Federal law regulating the drug uses this spelling. Some believe it is a relic of the times, before Spanish was more familiar and the silent "j" more commonly understood. Others believe it was a way to keep federal regulations from being easily found by using unusual spelling. Michigan simply followed suit. 

On November 7, 2017, Detroit voters passed both marihuana proposals - by 60% to 39% for Prop A to amend the city's dispensaries ordinance and 58% to 41% for Prop B to amend the zoning ordinance. These ordinances would both opt into the state's new law legalizing and regulating five new medical marihuana uses - growing facilities, processors, secure transporters, dispensaries, and laboratories. Normally, an ordinance once passed cannot be amended for one year. However, in this case, it is unclear what will happen once the state law, which may supercede local law, takes effect in 2018. 

For a breakdown from the city's law department of how the proposals would differ from the city's current medical marihuana dispensary rules, check out THIS PRESENTATION.