Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer has proposed a 24% wholesale tax on marijuana, a significant increase from the current tax rate, to fund road projects in the state. The plan, which has cleared the House and is awaiting a vote in the Senate, has sparked frustration among cannabis shop owners, workers, and consumers. According to Tasha Brickley, a budtender at The Cake House, it is not the responsibility of the marijuana industry to fund the roads.
Brickley argues that marijuana was illegal for many years and that its legalization was a hard-won battle. Now, with the industry generating over $1 billion in revenue, the state is seeking to capitalize on its success. Brickley believes that the tax is a way for the state to get its hands on a share of the profits, rather than allowing the industry to continue to grow and thrive on its own.
The proposed tax would be used to repair Michigan’s roads, which are in need of significant repairs. The state’s budget is facing a number of challenges, and the tax on marijuana is seen as a way to generate additional revenue. However, the proposal has sparked concerns among those in the cannabis industry, who argue that the tax would be a burden and could potentially harm the industry’s growth.
