Michigan's Cannabis Journey - Dispensary Spotlight on Treehouse 603

Michigan’s Cannabis Journey - How Treehouse 603 Got to the Finish Line

Treehouse 603

A felony punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment and $10,000,000 in fines by the state, at the same time decriminalized and unenforced depending on the city. Perhaps no set of laws in United States history have existed in greater juxtaposition than those surrounding cannabis.

Michigan’s story has followed a similar path to many states before, and those surely to follow. Laws borne from mid-century conservative fear that unchecked marijuana use would destroy our youth and fundamentally change the nation’s culture led states to enact dramatically harsh punishments for crimes that usually lacked a victim, or even bad behavior. But today, people have a very low tolerance for already-strained police budgets going towards marijuana enforcement and cities are viewing legalized cannabis as tax revenue opportunities.

Michigan’s Cannabis Laws

For technically being part of the MidWest, an area perhaps only second to the Bible Belt in antiquated marijuana law, many of Michigan’s cities have had a surprisingly liberal stance on marijuana use for many years. Ann Arbor decriminalized marijuana back in 1972, followed later by Detroit and others who either made marijuana laws officially unenforceable, or such a low priority that violations were never prosecuted. And in 2008 medical marijuana was legalized across the state with the passage of the Michigan Compassionate Care Initiative.

But labels such as “unenforceable” and “decriminalization” and even the legalization of medical marijuana created gray areas. Cannabis users didn’t know exactly where the line was drawn between medical and non-medical use, and neither did law enforcement. Cannabis continued to lurk in the shadows, mostly bought and sold on the black market.

But that all changed in 2018, when after a decade of quasi-legal marijuana use didn’t lead to the social collapse of Michigan, enough signatures were gathered to bring cannabis use back to the ballot and the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act was passed, legalizing recreational use.

Welcome to the Modern Cannabis Dispensary

Today’s cannabis landscape is a much different place than it was only a few short years ago. Not only has the cloud of uncertainty around the legality of recreational use lifted, but so has the stereotype of the typical user. An industry has sprouted around recreational cannabis that caters to baby-boomers and young hipsters alike. This industry is attracting entrepreneurs and well-funded investors who create cannabis ‘experiences’ where customers receive white glove service, no different than walking into a boutique watch or jewelry shop. Operating in broad daylight has lifted the stigma around marijuana and replaced it with intrigue as law abiding citizens can now see, touch, and especially smell, this famous plant in a safe and welcoming environment.

One such example is Ann Arbor’s Treehouse 603 cannabis dispensary. Located across the street from the University of Michigan’s famous Diag, the focus of this cannabis dispensary is customer experience, with friendly staff answering questions about finely curated marijuana buds and other products in bright display cases.

“They have created a safe and friendly environment where everyone feels welcome”, says Michael, a repeat dispensary customer, “they are happy to walk you through all the choices and give recommendations.”

The Fading Argument Against Legalization

The effect of legalized recreational cannabis in Michigan has thus far been only positive. People who were vehemently opposed are quickly finding their fears dispelled and increasingly less to grounds to mount an argument. Not only did a cannabis-fueled crime wave never come, in many cases law enforcement found themselves and their budgets unburdened by petty possession violations, and a new steady stream of tax revenue benefits all of Michigan.

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