In the heart of Detroit's vibrant cityscape, a debate simmers over the multitude of cannabis billboards that have taken root alongside its freeways. Detroit City Councilwoman Angela Whitfield Calloway has vocalized her concerns, leading the charge against what she perceives as an excessive presence of marijuana advertising. According to reports from CBS News Detroit, Calloway is aggressively seeking legal avenues to mitigate the proliferation of these billboards, which she asserts are dominating the visual landscape of the city.
This pushback gains support from unexpected quarters, including the testimony of a young Detroit visitor. 9-year-old Kaydyn expressed his unease at a council meeting, stating, as per CBS News Detroit, "Every time I come, I see that sign and I'm worried kids will start to get interested because it says it's free," showing that even the youth perceive potential impacts and while Jerry Millen, owner of The Greenhouse dispensary, acknowledges the significance of billboards for business visibility, he criticizes specific messaging that makes light of the industry. "When you see billboards that have "free weed" or "get high," that hurts us," he said, as per CBS News Detroit, emphasizing the gravity with which he approaches his work in the cannabis sector.
Moreover, the questioning of marijuana billboards extends to legal arguments, as observed in coverage by WWJ Newsradio. Proponents of the proposed ordinance contend that since cannabis remains prohibited under federal legislation, the billboards do not merit constitutional protections, though dispensary owners rebut this with claims of their right to free speech—a right they believe is being unfairly targeted.
Leaf And Bud provisioning centers' owner, Mark Savaya, caught in the crossfire of this debate, admits his uncertainty about the exact number of billboards his business operates, estimating it could be anywhere between 50 to 100. As per FOX 2 Detroit, Savaya argues that a robust advertising presence is essential for reaching customers, especially after the hurdles of securing a recreational cannabis license he insists that "We have to bring our business back, we have to let the people know that we’re here," underlining the deep-seated concerns over market presence among business owners in the sector.
As debates continue, no formal decision or ordinance has been scheduled on the City Council agenda at this time. The fate of cannabis billboards in Detroit, thus, remains as of now a hanging query—one that hangs in the balance, contemplating the intersection between business visibility, community aesthetics, and legal boundaries.
