Senate Votes to Ban Canna Beer
LANSING- The Michigan Senate on Thursday voted unanimously to ban marijuana-infused beer and wine, a pre-emptive strike ahead of possible legalization of the drug. Legislation sponsored by Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, would prohibit the possession or sale of marijuana beer, wine, spirits or mixed drinks — regardless of whether they contain alcohol. 
Granted there seem to be a plethora of more important issues our Senate could be working on, like getting the Flint water crisis finally corrected, or fixing our crumbling public school system, but hey, banning products not yet in existence seems to be more important.
“If we don’t ban it, we’re going to have it, and it is a recipe for disaster,” Jones said. “If you want it, go to Colorado or Canada. We don’t need it here.”
Marijuana activists say the proposal is a resolution in search of a crisis, but support comes as Senate Republicans mull over whether to take up a pot legalization proposal by early June or let the citizen initiative proceed to the November ballot.
Jones is in opposition to legalization but believes voters would approve the proposal, so he supports a push to approve the legislation and then revise it later this year. However, the Senate is unlikely to vote devoid of a clear sign House Republicans would follow suit, a scenario Speaker Tom Leonard, R-DeWitt, has called doubtful.
Jones cautioned that marijuana beer could be sold at bars, creating liability for owners who sell an “edible” product that may take longer to intoxicate a user than alcohol and have a stronger effect. Bars are not supposed to allow patrons to leave and drive if they appear inebriated.
But the legalization proposal would not permit bars to sell marijuana products, said Josh Hovey, a spokesman for the Coalition to Regulate Alcohol Like Marijuana. Products containing THC could only be sold through state-licensed dispensaries, which would need to be stand-alone entities.
“So once it passes, people won’t be seeing bars or liquor stores, or even convenience stores for that matter, selling cannabis products, just dispensaries,” Hovey said.
Communities would also need to opt in and could set their own zoning and local licensing regulations, he added.
Michigan’s 2008 medical marijuana law does not allow bars or liquor stores to sell marijuana products, and dispensaries are not allowed to sell liquor, said Rick Thompson of the Michigan chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
“This seems a lot like a rhetorical legislative exercise because this bill would effect zero people in Michigan,” Thompson said in committee testimony. “There’s zero market for this.”
Thompson argued the proposal could also limit entrepreneurs who want to brew beer with Cannabidiol and other parts of the marijuana plant used by medical patients that do not have the same psychoactive effects like Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the chemical commonly associated with a “high.”
Ontario, Canada, recently awarded a $300,000 grant to help a firm develop marijuana-brewed beer, and California wine makers are experimenting with marijuana-infused wine, according to media reports.
“I’m so happy that instead of becoming stoners in Michigan, they’ll go to Canada or they’ll go to California,” Jones said at the hearing. “Thank goodness.”
Cannabis on the Doorsteps of Campus
ANN ARBOR- A medical marijuana dispensary was approved, located right across from the University of Michigan Law School.The Ann Arbor Planning Commission voted 7-0, May 16th, to grant a special-exception use zoning permit for the Green Planet dispensary at the corner of Tappan and Monroe streets.
Green Planet is one of numerous accessible dispensaries in Ann Arbor seeking to become certified under new regulations for marijuana businesses, along with several other proposed dispensaries. Green Planet, is located in a teal house next door to Dominick's, a popular campus-area bar across from the law school.
It's right next to the cannabis celebration that happens every April on Monroe Street in conjunction with Ann Arbor's annual Hash Bash.
As a component of getting consent, Green Planet is required to eliminate a curb cut and pavement in the yard area and restore the area.
The commission voted 7-0 to grant approval to the Exclusive Brands LLC, which has been in operation for more than eight years, a dispensary at 3820 Varsity Drive. The company is doing business as the Exclusive PR Center and the dispensary is part of a growing/processing facility.
As part of coming into compliance with city rules, the business is required to install two class-C and four class-B bicycle parking spaces, as well as a public sidewalk fronting the site along
Varsity Drive.
The commission postponed taking action on a newly proposed dispensary known as The Rabbit Club, which wants to open in an old commercial building off Jefferson Street at 450 S. Main St. That's near downtown and the Old West Side neighborhood.
The Planning Commission is tasked with considering dispensaries on a case-by-case basis as special-exception uses, meaning they require special zoning approval. Once the zoning is approved, dispensaries still need building compliance approval, permit approval through the city clerk's office and license approval through the state.
Bay area getting greener
BAY CITY, - Bay City's first medical marijuana grow facility could open for business this summer. Dave Pleitner, of Howell, has presented an application to open Golden Harvests, a grow operation he's building on the 300 block of Morton Street near the old Prestolite factory.Pleitner claims his mom is the motive behind why he got involved with the prospect of medical marijuana business opportunities. "My mom had cancer, terminal cancer, and we started giving her CBD oil, which is the medicinal side of the plant," he said. "She's cured today. She was only supposed to live two, three months and that was five or four years ago."
Dave believes he was meant to go into the marijuana business because of the cancer incident with his mom. Pleitner's father is also a partner in the company who plans to work behind the scenes.
If approved, Pleitner would be the first to move forward with a grow operation in the city. So far, the city has approved licenses for five dispensaries, known as provisioning centers. Applications require an annual $5,000, nonrefundable fee.
If the application for a Class C license gets approved, Pleitner can grow 1500 plants per year at his operation. He hopes to grow his business organically and stack additional grow licenses as he makes more money. He initially plans to hire five people, but would hire more as the business grows. If all goes according to plan, Pleitner could be growing by July 1.
Once the grow business is running smoothly, Pleitner hopes to obtain processor and dispensary licenses that would allow him to sell edibles and oils at the same site.
Cannabis Approved for Kazoo
The edicts place no number limit on the number of growers, processors, safety compliance facilities, secure transporters and provisioning centers allowed within city limits. Instead, zoning restrictions are intended to create a market cap on how many marijuana businesses can exist.
All facilities are reserved to manufacturing and commercial districts.
Applications for all five types of marijuana facilities will only be accepted during a short period in June. The clerk's office will begin accepting the applications, which must be submitted in person, between 8 a.m. Thursday, June 7 and 5 p.m. Thursday, June 28.
A provisional certificate will be issued to successful applications, which can be taken to the state for a required operating license. Within 30 days of receiving a provisional certificate applicants must provide proof to the clerk that they applied for a license with the state.
Each medical marijuana facility must receive a permit from the city and is making applicants wait until they receive a license from the state before opening.
Permit, or application fees have yet to be determined and permits will be issued on an ongoing basis, in a similar manner to other business licenses. The city council also states that applications will not be accepted again until 2019.
Application forms are available from the city clerk's office at City Hall, 241 W. South St. or online at
kalamazoocity.org/medicalmarihuana.
