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Looking for medical marijuana?
The city of Detroit has created an online, interactive map to track the current status of the more than 280 medical marihuana caregiver centers. In 2012, Detroit voters approved regulated permitting and licensing of the medicinal substance, but the city has since cracked down the dispensaries.
The color-coded map shows a dot for every current and proposed dispensary in the city and whether it has been approved, is in the application process, the name of the business, if it’s open for business, if it has been closed down by the city or has closed down on their own, according to a press release.
“We continue to receive a lot of community feedback about the number of dispensaries across the city and we are enforcing the ordinance, which we think is fair and equitable,” David Bell, director of the Building Safety, Engineering & Environmental Department, said in a statement. “This new website map will allow people to stay up to date on any one of the locations.”
To date, the city says:
- 281 applications were received
- 161 shops have been shut
- 120 are in the application process, 61 of which can operate already
- 3 have full city approval
In 2015, the city council passed an ordinance regulating the marijuana centers. At that time, about 200 centers were operating and some people were complaining that the situation was getting out of hand.
The federal Drug Free School Zone Act prevents marijuana from being delivered, sold or manufactured within 1,000 feet of a school. State law also includes libraries in that equation. The city’s zoning regulations cover educational institutions and goes beyond that, prohibiting shops from operating near child care centers, arcades and outdoor recreation facilities.
When the process is complete, the city expects about 50 centers will operate.
