Bad Axe — It wasn’t long ago that our state began to allow the recreational sale of marijuana, and not every region has embraced this change.
Basically no matter where you go in our state, you can always get your hands on some green stuff.
So why is it that you can hardly find any around the Thumb? When proposals to allow a dispensary to operate come to a vote, they are shot down here.
Denying a dispensary to operate within our community reflects the “not in my backyard” values of many residents around the region. But what if it’s already in our backyard?
Like alcohol and nicotine, weed isn’t illegal anymore, and it’s a big business in Michigan.
Vacationers and residents alike purchase it in other parts of our state and bring it to the Thumb. We aren’t keeping pot out of our community, we are just keeping out the money it brings.
Many rural areas have embraced dispensaries, growers, and processors. Given the Thumb’s farming background, it is surprising to me that we are making it nearly impossible for legal businesses to bring in money to our region. Although a few Tuscola and Lapeer County communities allow growers and shops to operate, legal cannabis has not made any progress further into the Thumb.
Michigan’s recreational cannabis industry brought in over $241 million in February 2025 alone. This boon in our state’s economy has created thousands of jobs and businesses.
The Thumb should see this as an opportunity.
Our knowledge, our land, and the equipment we already have would allow some of the states largest cannabis farms to operate here and bring an increasing amount of income to our region.
Huron and Sanilac Counties do not have a single licensed cannabis business operating within their borders. Last summer, Bad Axe City Council rescinded their decision to let the voters decide on the ordinance that took years to draft.
Things tend to move a bit slower in the Thumb, but we are overlooking a serious opportunity to spur our local economy because of the enduring, irrational stigma around cannabis.
Cannabis is not something to be feared. Try it once and you’ll realize that it won’t change your life. It is a legal, recreational substance of choice that our state and many others are fully embracing.
Jeremy Ritts is a contributing writer for Michigan Enjoyer from Port Austin.
