In late April, legislation was introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives to ban the advertising of all cannabis products and facilities on billboards across the state and treat it the same as tobacco advertising. The Language in HB 4608 -09 is very succinct. “A person shall not advertise any of the following on a billboard or digital billboard in this state: a. marijuana b. a marijuana infused product. c. a marijuana accessory d. a marijuana establishment.
Legislation to ban billboard ads for recreational marijuana requires a 3/4 super majority of the legislature to pass. That is a very big number.
So wtf is this all about, over two years since the herb has been legalized and regulated in Michigan? Well, the bill sponsors claim the proposal is designed to “protect children.”
Steve Linder, head of the “Michigan Cannabis Manufacturers Association” which represents deep-pocketed provisioning centers Green Peak, High Life Farms, Liv Well, Pleasantrees and Floresh Cannabis, said the sponsors of the bills “are well meaning people” who “need more education... 56% of the voters were in favor of marijuana legalization in 2018, 44% were not, and hundreds of municipalities across Michigan do not want marijuana businesses in their community.”
Translation: some opponents of legalized marijuana are still pissed off.
“Any kid can walk into a party store in Michigan,’’ Mr. Linder continued. “They cannot legally walk into a dispensary. Tobacco is a carcinogen, marijuana is not,” With respect to billboard advertising, Mr. Linder went on to say this effort to ban billboards will not be given serious consideration by the Legislature as written.
Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) Director Andrew Brisbo, whose department oversees the Michigan marijuana industry told the Detroit News: “I’m comfortable with the rules we have in place as it relates to advertising...we look at advertising more holistically than simply at a single medium, and that’s how we’ve approached our regulations.”
Who are the proponents of this billboard ban?
The key sponsors are Representatives Mary Whiteford (R) South Haven and Abdullah Hammoud (D) Dearborn. Co-sponsors are Democrats Aiyash, LaGrand,Thanedar and O’Neal. Republicans are represented by Beyotte, Frederick, Meerman, Paquette, and Wozniak.
Due to space limitations, I can only go into detail about what’s up with sponsors Whiteford and Hammoud.
As far as the other co-sponsors, only Detroit Democrat Shri Thanedar sticks out. During his ill-fated run for the Demnocratic Party nomination for governor in 2018, Thanedar supported and donated $1,750 to “MI Legalize” to get recreational marijuana passed into law.
Looking back, MI Legalize leader Jeffrey Hank quiped “he must be reinventing himself” now that he is a legislator from Detroit. Maybe he’s looking to polish his image with conervative Detroit clerics and other anti cannabis zealots.
GOP representative Mary Whiteford, who is serving her final term in the House did not return calls from MM Report to her office, home and cell phone number. Given local and state political dynamics, it seems she has reached the summit of her political career for the foreseeable future.
In her campaign literature, she describes herself as a “conservative Christian business woman.”
She once worked as a pediatric emergency nurse and served on the “Allegan County Mental Health Authority.” With her husband Kevin, she owns “Whiteford Wealth Management, Inc” which specializes in tax planning, investment sales and money management for the local uber culture. She has three grown children and lives in an 8 bedroom, 7 bath homestead in a gated community on the Lake Michigan shoreline. The property was recently listed for $1.25 million.
South Haven has no marijuana billboards. Cannabis businesses have been banned in the city.
Some of the finest residents in this beach town were terrified when anti cannabis militants made their dire predictions. They said if marijuana businesses were allowed in the city, the place would become a mecca for drug tourists, homeless persons, addicts and other undesirables. Property values would be destroyed and a wave of crime would overwhelm the defenseless community.
In the same Detroit News story in which Director Brisbo was quoted, Whiteford expressed her distaste for expressway billboards catering to persons from states where marijuna is still illegal. She joined with Dearborn Democrat Abdullah Hammoud, in objecting to billboards in mega urban areas which advertise cannabis products like “Kushy Punch,” which are said to be marijuana kid bait.
In contrast to Ms. Whiteford, the other sponsor, Representative Abdullah Hammoud, was eager to explain his position.
Hammoud was first elected to the Legislature at age 27. He is also in his final term in the House. He is currently running for Mayor of Dearborn in the November election. Pundits say he has a chance of winning. He graduated from the University of Michigan and is a specialist in healthcare administration. He supported Bernie Sanders for president and voted in favor of legalizing marijuana in Michigan. He is an observant Muslim.
Listening to him telling his story, he seems convinced that billboards advertising “Kushy Punch” (which are all over Detroit and Dearborn) makes marijuana attractive to kids in the same way candy, soft drink and toy ads attempt to do the same. He was less preoccupied with freeway billboards.
“I’m willing to compromise,” he said, “but this needs to be better regulated.”
Since Islam officially probhibits alchoholic beverages and recreational drugs, I asked him if that had anything to do with his bill. He vigorously declared: “I will never impose my religion on anyone. Some Muslims drink and use marijuana. I voted to legalize marijuana because this is a civil rights issue. I do not drink or use (recreational) drugs. My background is in public health and I take my health seriously.”
He came across as very sincere about protecting young people.
On the other hand, some critics say Hammoud is using the issue to appeal to his Muslim constiuents and other social conservatives-- to buck up his chances to win the Dearborn Mayors race.
Cannabis reform and parental rights advocate Jim Powers had another take on the matter.
“I live in Centerline (a Detroit suburb) and we have a bunch of these billboards. My son asked about them and I told him the truth. There was no fallout... The idea that we have to moderate billboards screams that people don’t want to do the work of having an honest conversation about marijuana with their kids. They expect the government to do it for them.”
