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Different strains of marijuana on display in Denver.

(Associated Press File Photo)

LANSING, MI -- Multiple groups seeking to legalize marijuana in Michigan are hoping to put ballot proposals before voters in 2016, which means residents could be asked to sign multiple petitions this summer.

Two groups have already won approval from the Board of State Canvassers to begin circulating petitions for initiated legislation as they each attempt to collect the required 252,523 signatures. A third group is considering a possible petition drive of its own.

The following guide, which highlights key aspects of the various proposals, is designed to help residents understand what it is they're being asked to sign. It will be updated periodically and expanded if additional groups begin circulating petitions.

Registered voters can decide -- or decline -- to sign multiple marijuana legalization petitions. If more than one proposal for a citizen initiated law makes the ballot in 2016 and both are approved by a majority of voters, the one that receives the most votes would be enacted into law.

Here's a look at the two groups expected to begin collecting signatures this month, as listed in alphabetical order.

MICHIGAN CANNABIS COALITION (MCC)

Status: Petition approved as to form by the Michigan Board of State Canvassers. Organizers expect to begin collecting signatures in June.

Legalization: Marijuana and marijuana-infused products would be declared lawful for anyone over the age of 21 to purchase, possess, transport and use.

Taxes and revenue: The proposed law would not directly establish any taxes on retail marijuana sales. Instead, it would allow the state Legislature to establish a tax. The proposal does not recommend any specific rate but does specify that any revenue shall be used "for the purposes of administration of this act, education, public safety and public health."

Commercial growing and retail sales: The law would allow the Legislature to require the licensing of marijuana facilities. Doing so would establish a five-member Michigan Cannabis Control Board, which would also be tasked with creating health and safety regulations, testing and packaging rules, advertising restrictions and security requirements. Members would be appointed by the governor, House speaker and Senate majority leader. They would earn $30,000 a year each. If the Legislature had not required licensing or established the board before then, marijuana facilities could begin operating by 2018.

Home growing: Residents 21 years or older could grow up to 12 marijuana plants each, "in a manner so as to reasonably prevent unauthorized access to or harvesting of the plants." Home grown marijuana could not be made available for sale.

Medical marijuana: The proposal would not affect Michigan's medical marijuana law. Medical marijuana would not be subject to the proposed excise tax.

Local authority: In addition to setting up their own licensing and rule structure for marijuana establishments, local municipalities could establish an ordinance to prohibit them altogether. However, if a municipality does not allow marijuana establishments by June of 2017, local voters would have the option to decide the issue in a general election.

Driving: Driving under the influence of marijuana is currently illegal, and the proposal makes clear it would not authorize that behavior. However, it specifies that state and local governments cannot adopt "per se" standards -- which could detect trace or specific levels of marijuana in a person's system, sometimes long after use -- to determine whether someone is under the influence.

Other regulations: Marijuana sold to consumers would have to be in child-resistant packaging with proper labeling, including warnings against driving while using the product. The packaging would have to specify whether the product was tested, and ingestible products would have to indicate the amount of active drug per serving and an FDA nutrition fact panel.

Who's involved: Jeffrey Hank, a Lansing-area attorney who ran a successful decriminalization campaign in East Lansing, chairs the board of directors of the ballot committee. Other members include prominent marijuana activists and attorneys from around the state, including Chuck Ream, Matthew Abel, and Steven Sharpe.

Full language: Read the proposed law.

Website: http://www.milegalize.com/

Jonathan Oosting is a Capitol reporter for MLive Media Group. Email him, find him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.