The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has spoken out against the legalization of recreational marijuana in Michigan. Chair Jon Hinkelman tells WSJM News the board approved a resolution Thursday opposed to next month’s legalization ballot proposal.
“I think that complicates things for law enforcement officials in a very big way,” Hinkelman said. “I also think that I’m a big fan of economic development. I believe that companies that look at us as a place to center their focus on, they want to make that we’ve got a great labor force.”
Hinkelman says Thursday’s board vote wasn’t unanimous, but he voted for the anti-marijuana resolution. Another reason he backed it is that marijuana remains illegal on the federal level, and he wonders what complications legalization in the state could cause. Now that it’s been approved, the board’s resolution will be forwarded to the Michigan Association of Counties.
