Meridian Township still unsure about allowing recreational marijuana sales

MERIDIAN TWP., Mich. (WILX) - Meridian Township may be pumping the brakes on plans to allow recreational marijuana sales. Board members are talking about conducting a survey to see if the public wants it.

Thus far, six businesses in Meridian Township have applied for a medical marijuana sales license. But they say they need recreational sales to make enough money to survive.

“The business can very quickly open and close because if recreational doesn’t come, that can’t be a sustainable business,” Oz Cannabis Attorney Alan Shamoun said.

Shamoun says the township needs to level the playing field by opting-in to recreational sales.

“With neighboring municipalities having adult use, the medical market is shrinking by the day where people are not renewing their cards because they can just drive to a dispensary,” Shamoun said.

But the township isn’t in any hurry to approve recreational. In fact, the board is looking at surveying the public first.

“Just because they voted for recreational marijuana a couple years ago doesn’t mean they want six in their back yard,” Township Supervisor, Frank Walsh said.

Walsh says there are a lot of places to buy recreational marijuana within minutes, so there’s no need to rush into it.

“The real question is this something our 43,000 residents want in Meridian township, and that ought to be the final answer, but we should also take the time to find out how they feel about having six recreational marijuana shops in the community,” he said.

Walsh says they will continue this discussion in their board meeting on Tuesday night.

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