When Michigan voters approved the legalization of recreational cannabis in 2018, Mason was one of roughly 1,300 municipalities that chose to prohibit sales within its borders. Now, more than five years later, the small city might finally reverse that decision if residents vote to allow two dispensaries to be licensed this November.
The Michigan cannabis industry has expanded rapidly since legalization, reaching $3 billion in total sales last year. By opting out of permitting local dispensaries, Mason missed out on a portion of the revenue distributed through the state's cannabis excise tax. Had the city opted in last year, it would have received over $118,000 in tax-sharing funds, which continue to grow annually.
The City Council decided to put the issue to a public vote this past July, spurred in part by external pressure. Mayor Russell Whipple noted that attorneys have contacted the city twice in the last two years to encourage adding a cannabis-related measure to the ballot. The most recent push came in December 2022, when Ypsilanti-based lawyer Anderson Grandstaff informed the Council of his plans to begin a petition process to force the issue if the city did not act.
In response, the Council chose to proactively draft its own ordinance and ballot language. "We concluded that it wasn't a bad idea to let the people decide," said Whipple. "If the residents agree, we'll move forward with drafting an ordinance, and the Council will consider adopting it."
The Council introduced the ballot language in March, and by July 15th, members voted unanimously to place the measure on the November ballot. Whipple explained that working with Grandstaff on crafting the language allowed Mason to maintain some control over the process. "If we were going to do this, we thought it would be better if we wrote it ourselves to ensure there's consistency," he said. "We wanted to have some semblance of control over what the law would say."
If the measure is approved, the next step would involve updating local zoning ordinances to define where dispensaries could be located. "We'll need to thoroughly review our zoning to see which areas would be suitable for cannabis businesses," Whipple explained. "But we won't invest too much effort until we know that residents want this."
There's reason to believe the proposal may pass. In 2018, 57% of Mason voters supported legalizing recreational cannabis—slightly higher than the 56% state average. Given this, local advocates like Miles Mendoza are optimistic. Mendoza, a Mason resident and cannabis industry employee, attended the Council's July 15th meeting to voice his support for the proposal and to urge the city to prioritize local hiring if the measure passes.
"Cannabis businesses can have a positive impact if they're run by people who invest in the community," Mendoza said, emphasizing that many facilities outside Mason employ a high percentage of local residents. He also suggested the city consider allowing cannabis cultivation operations, noting that the proposed ordinance currently only addresses retail dispensaries.
Not all Mason residents are on board. Trish Walley, a resident since 2020, plans to vote against the proposal. "I moved here partly because there are no dispensaries in Mason," said Walley, who is in recovery. "You already smell it everywhere. We don't need it on every block like in Lansing."
Walley argued that the city should focus on attracting businesses that would contribute to the community in other ways, such as a new grocery store or other services that align with the town's "family-oriented" values. "If people want cannabis, they can go to places where it's available," she said.
Should the measure pass in November, the city could begin the process of revising zoning and accepting dispensary license applications by early next year. "There's still a lot to work out," Whipple cautioned. "We want to approach this carefully, taking into account feedback from both supporters and those who have concerns."
The outcome will likely be influenced by how well the proposal is communicated to residents leading up to the vote. If passed, Mason would join a growing list of municipalities choosing to benefit from the expanding cannabis market and the potential revenue that comes with it.
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