In 2017, Colorado made $247,368,473 from the marijuana industry. Other states have taken notice, including Michigan. As of Sept. 6, Michigan approved the ballot proposal for the legalization of recreational marijuana.

The newly approved plan, listed on the Nov. 6 ballot as Proposal 1, would allow for recreational use of marijuana by individuals over the age of 21 and impose a 10 ounce limit of marijuana held at residences. The proposal would also allow municipalities complete control of business licenses. An excise tax of 10% would be imposed on all products, but this tax would go towards enactment costs, roads, schools and clinical trials.

Julie Baron, a cannabis counselor and dosing specialist at Blue Sage Health Consulting a resource and educational partner of Bloom City Club, is ready for this new wave of studies.

“We are so excited, because as you probably know cannabis is still a schedule one [drug] on the federal scale.” Baron said, “and there's very minimal research, and the research that is happening is being restricted and being sabotaged.”

Marijuana is federally considered a schedule one drug. The government defines a schedule one drug as a substance with no medical uses and considers it to be highly dangerous to users. Being a schedule one substance, marijuana research is restricted as the government sees no use for it to be studied.

Baron explained that research done in compliance with the United States government is often skewed because of unnecessary loopholes and rules that limit the results of the studies.

Unlike the impeded research, businesses like Bloom City and Sage Health face problems that will not be simply solved with legalization of recreational cannabis.

“There's a lot of stigma. Obviously the way that cannabis has been profiled over the past 70 years in this country is extremely negative.” Baron said.

Baron and others in the medical marijuana business are given a bad reputation by older generations, certain political parties, and even the government itself. This proposal may be a step towards the end of those misconceptions through educational programs and trials.

Although the approved proposal is a crucial step forward for the medical and possible recreational marijuana industry in Michigan, the overall problem is the adversity the business faces. As Nov. 6 approaches and the issue rages on, one thing is for sure: measures need to be taken outside of the legalization to ensure that cannabis is given a legitimate chance to prosper as a business and medical practice.