DETROIT, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – This week the Detroit City Council voted unanimously to extend the recreational marijuana opt-out till late March.

The effort was led by City Council member James Tate.

He says the council wants to ensure Detroiters will be included in the marijuana industry.

“My colleagues and I, we extended the opt-out term for recreational marijuana in the city of Detroit through March 31, as an opportunity for us to work on the social equity portion of the ordinance,” said Tate.

The Social Equity Program would mean, opportunities for Detroiters that may have been disproportionally impacted by marijuana, prior to its legalization. Tate and other city leaders are working within the Detroit community to spread the word about social equity.

“First of all, it’s education. It’s education and outreach. So, I do meetings once a week to go over the laws and really be available to people to answer any questions and really dig into what the law is saying,” said Black Cannibus Access Founder, Mitzi Rubdock.

Rubdock, says, many Detroiters aren’t even aware of the social equity program. She says it’s time Detroiters benefit from being disenfranchised by something that’s now legal.

“We paid the price for the millions and big companies to be here and make all of this money off us, absolutely not,” said Rubdock, who is glad city council is taking their time with the ordinance to include Detroiters.

Councilman Tate says if the ordinance goal isn’t reached by March 31, the council will apply for an extension until they get it right.

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