Michigan voted to become the 10th state to legalize recreational marijuana use yesterday, but don't think we live in the "wild west of weed" yet.

I realize the urge to light up and celebrate is strong, but there are a few things you need to know before you run down the street, joint in hand.

Recreational Marijuana is not officially legal yet

The people have spoken, and the government will listen . . . in time. The initiative won't be official until the election results are certified. In most cases that usually takes a few weeks, so it should be official by mid-December.

You can't smoke weed in public

When everything is official you will be able to smoke or ingest marijuana in your home legally. You can not smoke in public, and you also can not smoke in your car. This goes for both driver and passenger. You can possess 2.5 oz in public and 10 oz at home as well as grow up to 12 plants legally at home.

It will be a while before you can just buy weed

The rules for buying weed will remain the same for at least a year and a half. Lawmakers have one year to figure out the rules for buying and selling. That means the first shops won't be open until 2020 most likely. If you are a card holder, things will basically stay the same for you until then. Remember that medical marijuana will stay for card holders only, even after everything is official.

Testing positive for weed can still get you fired

Since marijuana is still considered a schedule 1 drug by the federal government, it can be used at grounds for termination with many companies. The best thing you could do is ask about a potential employers policy when it comes to marijuana, and follow their guidelines. This will be a weird, complicated situation for employers and employees for a long time.

One of the main things to remember is that the rules are not set in stone yet.

Lawmakers can, and probably will, pass bills to significantly change what legal recreational marijuana in Michigan looks like.

If I had to guess, I would say that the fight to legalize marijuana is far from over. Passing prop 1 was a huge win for people who want it legal, but I don't think it's the end.

 

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