Detroit City Council votes to extend moratorium on marijuana sales until March 31

DETROIT - The Detroit City Council voted Tuesday afternoon to continue opting out of cannabis sales in the city.

In a unanimous vote, the city approved an ordinance that would extend its status as a city that doesn't sell marijuana recreationally.

Since Dec. 1, 2019 when the sale of adult-use marijuana for recreational purposes became legal, municipalities in Michigan have for the most part opted out of the law. When the metaphorical switch flipped up, only a collection of dispensaries in Ann Arbor had been granted licenses to sell marijuana. About 1,400 municipalities opted out of the sale. 

Since then, other businesses have been granted licenses in communities around the state. Detroit remains one of the cities that hasn't.

City Councilman James Tate first introduced the ordinance of opting out of sales in the fall of last year that extended until Jan. 31. The city's extension on that temporary ban will now go until March 31. 

While some communities may reject businesses wanting to open on the principle of being against marijuana, councilmembers like Tate have waited to issue licenses because many dispensary operators aren't from the city. 

Michigan voters overwhelmingly approved the legalization of marijuana for recreational use during the 2018 election.