The first day of selling recreational marijuana on December 1, 2019, in the state of Michigan drew huge crowds from all over Ann Arbor. Hundreds of individuals flocked the dispensaries in Ann Arbor.

Approximately two hours before dispensaries in the state opened, individuals already lined outside Arbor Wellness. The very first person who opened its doors is a man named Nick St. Onge, who came all the way from Clinton Township before 7 in the morning.

To celebrate the momentous occasion, St. Onge splurged and bought a huge stash of recreational marijuana that totaled $414, including Head Master Kush and Mint Milano flowers.

In a statement, St. Onge said, “it’s a historic moment. I wanted to be one of the first ones to buy legal marijuana. To not have to worry about it anymore. I can just walk in and buy it instead of going to somebody on the street to find it. It’s tested and that’s comforting.”

Michigan Recreational Marijuana – A Triumph

Among the attendees of the first day of recreational marijuana sales include the renowned poet-activist from Detroit, John Sinclair. Sinclair was imprisoned for cannabis possession in 1969.

In one of his interviews, Sinclair shared details of his purchase, saying “it went swiftly. I got some weed over the counter. It’s about time. I’ve been waiting for this for 50 years.”

Michigan State Representative Yousef Rabhi was also present in the area to greet customers. Rabhi said, “it’s a whole new day. As we go into the recreational market, we have to make sure we’re not doing it at the expense of the medical market, because this demand is huge.” Although present at the opening, Rabhi did not purchase any marijuana products.

Other stores that drew in huge crowds include Exclusive Brands and Greenstone Provisions. The three dispensaries are the only companies that hold business on a Sunday.

Despite a relatively small and limited number of stores in the area, the state of Michigan is slated to welcome more stores in the future. Around 30 stores and locations are reportedly awaiting its state licenses to sell recreational marijuana.

This historic occasion marks the state’s successful venture in the cannabis industry. However, 400 cities and townships in the state remain against the sale of recreational marijuana.

As of the writing, the first 8 days of selling recreational marijuana in the state generated more than $1.6 million. Currently, there are five retail shops open around Michigan.

Illinois is slated to follow suit by selling products on the market come January 1, 2020.

Days after Joe Biden expressed his opposition to legalizing marijuana and calling the substance as a “gateway drug,” the 2020 presidential candidate has retracted his assertions, insisting even that he had never made such a claim.

In a press conference call with reporters, the former Vice President rolled back his stance, saying he had never said that marijuana is a “gateway drug” in the first place.

“I don’t think it is a gateway drug. There’s no evidence I’ve seen to suggest that,” Biden told Nevada Independent reporter Megan Messerly.

“I didn’t [say that it was],” he added. “I said some say it’s a gateway drug.”

Joe Biden and his Stand on Marijuana

According to the 2020 front runner, he believes that marijuana should be decriminalized and that anyone who has been previously convicted for marijuana use should have his or her record wiped clean.

“With regard to the total legalization of it, there are some in the medical community who say it needs to be made a Schedule II drug so there can be more studies as not whether it is a gateway drug but whether when used in other combinations may have a negative effect on people overcoming other problems, including in fact on young people in terms of brain development, a whole range of things that are beyond my expertise,” Biden explained.

Earlier this month, Biden caught fire from other Democratic contenders following his controversial reasoning to not legalize marijuana on a federal level.

“The truth of the matter is, there’s not nearly been enough evidence that has been acquired whether or not it is a gateway drug,” Biden said at a town hall in Las Vegas on Saturday. “It’s a debate, and I want a lot more before I legalize it nationally. I want to make sure we know a lot more about the science behind it.”

This is not the first time that Biden expressed his strong opposition against the legalization of marijuana on the federal level. In 2010, the former Vice President told ABC News he thinks marijuana use leads to other addictions.

“I still believe it’s a gateway drug. I’ve spent a lot of my life as chairman of the [Senate] Judiciary Committee dealing with this. I think it would be a mistake to legalize,” he asserted at the time. “The punishment should fit the crime. But I think legalization is a mistake.”

Brazil’s pharmaceutical regulator Anvisa recently expressed its approval of the proposed regulations for medical cannabis use in the country. This covers the use of cannabis-based products for medicinal and pharmaceutical purposes. However, a separate vote turns down the proposal to allow cultivation of marijuana.

In an announcement, Anvisa said that the new rules can be read in Brazil’s official gazette in the next few days. The approved proposal will take effect as law 90 days after.

To ensure that the industry will be well-regulated, the Anvisa released a specific set of rules of manufacturing, importing, selling, packaging, marketing and quality control of cannabis products. An Anvisa spokesman said that Brazilian companies that want to enter the nation’s marijuana market will need to import inputs from other nations.

Medical Cannabis in Brazil

The approval of medical marijuana rules is seen as a positive development in the country’s situation related to drugs. It is important to note that Brazil has been suffering from drug-related violence. Anvisa’s decision is believed to be a sign that the country is now shifting its perception of the plant with related top drug policies.

This decision is part of the global shift in the perception of cannabis. This development is focused on the medicinal and therapeutic value of the plant. The current Brazilian leader, far-right- President Jair Bolsonaro, has previously expressed support of the application of marijuana for medicinal purposes so long as there are no “loopholes in the law.”

Marijuana Cultivation

However,  the refusal to allow domestic plantations shows that the country is not yet ready to make the move that its Latin American peers including Colombia and Uruguay made.

Uruguay is the very first country in the world to make marijuana fully legal. Both countries are now at the forefront of a growing multibillion-dollar market not only in the region but around the world.

Meanwhile, Colombia, which had suffered from a deadly drug war in the past, has also made cannabis legal. Mexico has expedited the process of making the plant legal. According to some reports,  Mexico’s supreme court has “ordered the country’s health ministry to speed up its issuance of medical marijuana regulations.” Recreational cannabis is also on the table.

With regards to Brazil’s development, Anvisa clarified that only licensed pharmacies will be able to carry medical products infused with cannabis. Moreover, patients who are looking to access such medical treatments can only do so with a prescription.