Michigan State Police Refuse to Change Spelling of Cannabis Word

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]M[/dropcap]ichigan has seen a lot of change with its new acceptance of cannabis, legalizing the plant during the last election. Over the next year, it will be developing regulations and the framework for the cannabis industry in the state.

With those changes come new acceptance and upcoming, updated language surrounding cannabis and its regulation.  The 2018 legalization bill, along with all of the Michigan regulations on cannabis, used the spelling “marihuana.”  Now, state officials are slowly adopting the spelling to ‘marijuana’ and ignoring the federal precedent that was set with the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 and remained in place under Michigan’s Health Code.

For instance, the state’s website has adopted  “marijuana” as the website’s official spelling. Also, the label required on products containing THC has been updated to a green triangle with a cannabis leaf and the phrase “Marijuana Product” on it, adopting the updated spelling. However, it is unknown how regulators will choose to label products with or without THC yet.

“There’s going to be some products that we license that will not have THC in them,” said David Harns, a spokesman with Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. But even as some have taken a step toward modern language surrounding cannabis in informal communication, the spelling of “marihuana” will continue in legal references and state law.

“We’re still going to be using the correct-by-law spelling when we’re referencing official documents,” said Harns. The Michigan State Police also doesn’t plan on changing marihuana’s spelling with an “H”, openly admitting that it is keeping it despite LARA’s updated version.

“We are expressing a little personal freedom and independence!”was one of Metro Detroit Division police division’s many tweets directed at the spelling choice for the department. They also reminded Michigan residents that cannabis was still not legal to purchase without a medical cannabis card via their tweets. Every tweet pelled marihuana with an “H”.

“We will be giving certain reminders about the new marihauna law throughout the day!” tweeted the department on Dec. 6, 2018. “Here is the first fact. With the passage of the recreational marihauna law, Michigan spells marihauna with an “H” not a “J”. So quit yellin’ at my spellin”!”

We will be giving certain reminders about the new marihauna law throughout the day! Here is the first fact. With the passage of the recreational marihauna law, Michigan spells marihauna with an “H” not a “J”. So quit yellin’ at my spellin”! pic.twitter.com/HqzCgc9vTK

— MSP Metro Detroit (@mspmetrodet) December 6, 2018