Last week, the Supreme Court of Michigan rejected a legal challenge to the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act (MMMA). Although limited to the state of Michigan, this precedent helps to build momentum for other states to move in the direction of marijuana legalization.

By way of background, in 2008 Michigan voters approved a state initiative that would allow medical marijuana for certain qualifying patients. In 2010, the City of Wyoming enacted an ordinance that essentially prohibited marijuana (no medical exceptions). John Ter Beek is a resident of the City of Wyoming and he claimed that he was a qualified patient under the state law and he argued that the state law preempted the city ordinance. Lawyers for the City of Wyoming responded with the argument that the state law was itself invalid because it violated the supremacy clause of the Federal Constitution. That is, since federal law (the Controlled Substances Act (CSA)) prohibits the possession of marijuana, no state can change its law to allow marijuana sales, or even possession.

The Supreme Court of Michigan unanimously sided with John Ter Beek. Writing for the court, Justice McCormack said, “[The MMMA] provides that, under state law, certain individuals may engage in certain medical marijuana use without risk of penalty…while such use is prohibited under federal law, [MMMA] does not deny the federal government the ability to enforce that prohibition, nor does it purport to require, authorize, or excuse its violation.” Thus, there is no violation of the federal supremacy doctrine.

Recall that after Colorado and Washington approved initiatives to legalize marijuana, some former DEA administrators argued that those initiatives were invalid under the federal supremacy clause. (One even said it was a ‘no-brainer.’) The Obama administration declined to bring such a challenge and we will be hearing it less and less as these precedents pile up.

The Cato Institute joined an amicus brief that urged the Michigan Supreme Court to rule in Mr. Ter Beek’s favor. More here.