The Coalition for a Safer Lansing has begun gathering signatures for a petition to get an ordinance similar to the one passed in Lansing last year on East Lansing’s ballot this fall.
The current law in Lansing allows residents over the age of 21 to possess and use marijuana in small amounts if they are on private property.
The East Lansing law would carry the same legal meaning as Lansing’s.
“This is America, which is a country of freedom,” local attorney Jeff Hank said. “There’s no reason it should be illegal, and it won’t be.”
Last year, Hank spearheaded the initial petition to decriminalize marijuana in Lansing and is trying to follow suit in East Lansing.
The Coalition for a Safer Lansing chairman said the petition needs a little more than 1,300 signatures, or 5 percent of registered voters in East Lansing, to be considered as an ordinance .
According to Hank, city leadership and taking a stance on the issue, or lack thereof, has remained a recent problem in East Lansing.
“It would be nice if we didn’t have to do this,” he said. “It’d be nice if our city leaders showed some actual leadership.”
Although she is not familiar with any new ballot proposals, East Lansing Councilmember Ruth Beier said she expects legalization to happen in the near future.
“It’s inevitable and we should prepare for it,” she said. “It doesn’t make sense for it to be a crime if drinking and other things in the privacy of your home aren’t.”
Beier said there could be financial benefits to having legal marijuana.
“I’d at least like to figure out how to make some tax revenue off it,” she said.
Hank said his group has only started gathering signatures in the last few days and will continue to do so until August.
“This issue has more support than any other issue or party in America,” Hank said. “We’d like to see students get involved because this is happening. We’re just getting started.”
