Tim Beck
For the last couple years, the Lansing cannabis lobby scene was a hornets’ nest of drama. Numerous interest groups slugged it out to shape the Michigan Medical Facilities Licensing Act (MMFLA) and promote or defeat cannabis legalization. Entities like the National Patients Rights Association (NPRA), Michigan Responsibility Council, Keeping Pot out of Neighborhoods and Schools, Michigan Cannabis Development Group, Government Consultant Services, Inc. and a myriad of other business and law enforcement groups bitterly fought to mark their territory, and shape Michigan's cannabis future to benefit their selves.
With the passage of
Proposal 1 those days are over--- at least for the moment.
As of this writing,
there are only two organized groups seeking to influence the regulation of
cannabis after the voters approved legalization in the November election. One
of them, the "Michigan Cannabis Industry Association" (MCIA) is
running ahead in the race for influence.
MCIA is directed by
Lansing veteran Robin Schneider, who started out as a medical marijuana
caregiver and grass roots activist ten years ago and rose to the top. Working
with the National Patients Rights Association, she played a major role in the
passage of the MMFLA in 2016 and went on to become Finance Director for the
"Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol" (CRMLA) which
spearheaded the legalization of recreational cannabis in Michigan.
Long time behind the
scenes reformer and financier Andrew (Drew) Driver is Chairman, and Mark Passerini,
owner the "OM of Medicine" provisioning center in Ann Arbor, is Vice
Chairman. Josh Hovey Senior Vice President of the Truscott-Rossman public
relations agency, who was the media spokesman for CRMLA, is Director of
Communications. Board members are still being vetted, but they include
representatives of all MMFLA licensed providers such as provisioning centers,
secure transport companies, testing labs and large and small licensed growers.
In addition the group has six paid staff members.
"We are looking
to be the major player in Lansing when it comes to cannabis, just like the
Michigan Restaurant Association and the Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers are
in their sphere...there is a big need for this. When we first opened our doors
last year, the calls flooded in from everywhere." explained Josh Hovey.
Another organization
called the "Great Lakes Cannabis Chamber of Commerce" (GLCCC) is also
in operation. It seems to have gotten off to a slower start. Its leader Matthew
Miner is also CEO of the Lansing based public policy organization "Capitol
Strategies Group." Among other things this organization specializes in
"association management" and hence Miner is the temporary head of
GLCCC.
"We will be
transitioning to a full time Executive Director in about six months" Miner
explained.
"We just got a
bank account set up and are growing our membership" which is "a small
group" at this time. "We are about 40-50% formed."
"We are not
representing out of state groups" he continued. "We are small
business oriented."
GLCCC's only
major public pronouncement to date, was a demand that the Governor and
LARA" put an end to caregivers supplying tainted medicine to medical
provisioning centers."
Miner explained that
there was nothing positive about contaminated medicine, and this has to change.
He went on to explain that some of his members who spent thousands of dollars
and went through bureaucratic hell to get their licenses were unhappy with some
caregivers who are selling overages on the illegal market, and under cutting
those who play by the rules.
“Caregivers are not going away”
Miner declared, referring to the fact it will take
a 3/4 super majority of the Legislature to change anything. "Some
caregivers are very good" and he expressed the hope that more of them
would transition to a legal methodology and perhaps "become micro growers"
under the new legalization rules.
As far as social
justice issues like asset forfeiture, expungement of past marijuana criminal
records, and drugged driving, Miner said his group had an interest in that kind
of reform too, and would deal with these things on a case by case basis.
As far as the year
ahead is concerned, MCIA's Robin Schneider expects action in the
Legislature to pick up in the months ahead, especially when it comes to the
"drugged driving" issue.
She expressed great
confidence in MCIA's ability to handle any potential threats. "We have
strong funding behind us including national sources" she declared,
"Our transparency, in contrast to some other groups, has been very
appealing to the cannabis business community in both Michigan and across the
country.”
She went on to say
"in addition to promoting and protecting the business community, we are
strong on social justice issues and intend to be pro active when it comes to
asset forfeiture and expungement.” She went on to say that MCIA member Margeaux
Bruner is now working with Representative Sheldon Neeley to draft legislation
to help those with past convictions. She seconded Matthew Miners opinion that
caregivers are on solid ground as a legal entity under the voter initiated law.
As far as GLCCC is
concerned, Schneider does not perceive them as a threat and MCIA would be happy
to work with them in areas of common interest.
"We are happy to
work with other groups whenever possible" she said, explaining that MCIA
is affiliated with the Washington DC based "National Cannabis Industry
Association", the biggest national lobbying group in the USA.
She cautioned however,
that the Michigan cannabis community should not expect any immediate changes in
Lansing on anything. "The new administration has other priorities right
now and cannabis is not at the top of the pile."
Assuming Ms. Schneider
is right about a lack of cannabis legislative activity near term; many of us
are just glad to just left alone for awhile.
Such a situation is a
welcome contrast to the bad old days, when Rick Snyder, Bill Schuette, Arlan
Meekof, Tom Leonard and Rick Jones were running the show.
