The Business of Cannabis

Michigan Supreme Court: Marijuana Smell Alone No Longer Justifies Vehicle Search

Jul 30, 2026 | Great Lakes Region, Michigan

Since Michigan voters approved a change to state law in 2018, possessing less than five ounces of marijuana is generally a civil infraction, not a criminal offense — except in some repeat cases.

Under the ruling, officers must now have something beyond smell to conduct a vehicle search for marijuana.

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