DETROIT – The Detroit City Council may consider restricting marijuana advertising in the city. Councilwoman Angela Whitfield Calloway is leading a proposed change to a city ordinance that would ban marijuana advertising within a 300-foot radius of “sensitive property” locations that “may impact” children. are.
These facilities include schools, child care centers, juvenile detention centers and correctional facilities, libraries, parks, playgrounds for sports purposes, playgrounds, recreation centers, etc. The ordinance would be subject to the same rules as alcohol and tobacco advertising.
Whitfield Calloway told the Free Press in a statement that she was motivated by concerns for her child's health.
“Earlier this year, (Detroit Public Schools Community District) Superintendent Nicolai Vitti expressed concern about the prevalence of marijuana in schools, but the legalization of marijuana in Michigan in 2018 made matters worse. ,” the statement said. “Between 2021 and 2023, DPSCD reported more than 1,700 incidents and hospitalizations due to marijuana use, including students in elementary school and younger. This can only be traumatic for everyone involved. This can lead to great confusion in the learning process.
“Oversaturation” of pot signs is normalizing “harmful behavior”
“As chair of the Youth and Civic Engagement Task Force and as a lifelong educator, I have a responsibility to seriously address and prevent drug use among children,” she said, adding: . “We're at a place where marijuana is more widely accepted and more prevalent in our daily lives, but it still doesn't belong in our schools.”
She said her proposal to reflect restrictions on alcohol and tobacco advertising “aims to reduce the subconscious exposure that contributes to the normalization of these harmful behaviors”. This oversaturation of advertising has fostered the idea that “everyone is doing it, so it shouldn't be harmful.” “
Whitfield Calloway's office told the Free Press that the proposed ordinance will be placed on next Tuesday's formal council agenda and referred to a committee. It's unclear when the City Council plans to begin voting.
If a new property that is considered sensitive is developed within 1,000 feet of an existing advertisement, businesses must remove the advertisement within 60 days.
Those found guilty of violating this ordinance, if approved, could be charged with a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500 and up to 90 days in jail.
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