A trade association that represents marijuana businesses in Michigan is endorsing the Republican candidate in the state’s gubernatorial election in November, calling him “the clear choice” due to his support for repealing or significantly rolling back a recently enacted tax hike on the industry.
“John James is the clear choice for the cannabis industry,” Michigan Cannabis Industry Association (MiCIA) Executive Director Robin Schneider said in a press release on Wednesday, referring to the GOP candidate.
Last year, lawmakers and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), who is term-limited and cannot run again this year, enacted a new 24 percent wholesale cannabis tax.
Industry advocates have argued that the levy—which is added on top of an existing 10 percent excise tax and 6 percent sales tax on marijuana purchases—increases the cost of doing business for legal operators and makes it harder for them to compete with the illicit market.
James, the Republican Party’s nominee for governor, agrees, saying in a plank of his “Freedom Agenda” unveiled last month that the cannabis tax “drives up prices, gives illegal operators a competitive edge, and has already fallen far short of revenue projections.”
“As Governor, I will work to repeal or sharply reduce it,” he said.
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