Michigan Expands Roadside Drug Testing
In November of 2018, Michigan State Police (MSP) concluded a one-year pilot program for Oral Fluid Analysis; a roadside mouth swab test that relied on officers trained as drug recognition experts in five counties. Although there was mixed results from the swab test, which can test for THC, as well as a variety of other drugs. A significant number of false positives from the swab test came back after blood draws came back negative.
Attorney Neil Rockind says, “Don’t submit to the test!” He stated that he doesn’t trust the science behind the test. Unlike with PBT, which tests a drivers blood alcohol level, the drug saliva test being administered if refused is only a small civil infraction with no points added to ones license and suspension of driving privileges.
The second round of the pilot program starts this October and expands into the following communities:
- Adrian Township Police Department
- Allegan County Sheriff’s Department
- Alma Department of Public Safety
- Alpena Police Department
- Ann Arbor Police Department
- Auburn Hills Police Department
- Battle Creek Police Department
- Bay City Police Department
- Bay County Sheriff’s Office
- Berrien County Sheriff’s Office
- Bloomfield Township Police Department
- Cadillac Police Department
- Canton Township Police Department
- Charlevoix County Sheriff’s Office
- Chikaming Township Police Department
- Clawson Police Department
- Dearborn Police Department
- Escanaba Department of Public Safety
- Gogebic County Sheriff’s Office
- Grand Blanc Township Police Department
- Grand Haven Department of Public Safety
- Grand Rapids Police Department
- Grand Valley State University Police Department
- Greenville Department of Public Safety
- Hamburg Township Police Department
- Imlay City Police Department
- Ingham County Sheriff’s Office
- Kalkaska County Sheriff’s Department
- Kent County Sheriff’s Office
- Lake County Sheriff’s Office
- Lapeer Police Department
- Lincoln Township Police Department
- Livonia Police Department
- Macomb County Sheriff’s Department
- Marquette County Sheriff’s Office
- Menominee Police Department
- Michigan State Police
- Midland Police Department
- Monroe Department of Public Safety
- Mt. Pleasant Police Department
- Muskegon Police Department
- Novi Police Department
- Oscoda Township Police Department
- Petoskey Department of Public Safety
- Pokagon Tribal Police
- Port Huron Police Department
- Roscommon County Sheriff’s Department
- Southfield Police Department
- St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office
- Troy Police Department
- University of Michigan Police Department
- Washtenaw Co Sheriff’s Office
- Wayland Police Department
- Western Michigan University Department of Public Service
- Ypsilanti Police Department
MRA Announces Social Equity Expansion
On October 2nd the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) announced an expanded list of communities that will qualify for social equity bringing the total list to forty one. Michigan’s had already included nineteen mailing addresses that, according to MSP data, had been disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition and enforcement.
MRA social equity representatives will be touring the state in an effort to reach each of the disproportionately impacted communities prior to accepting applications starting November 1st. They will be providing educational sessions regarding the application and licensing process for those who qualify for social equity. Services they will provide include:
- Answering questions regarding the application and licensing process
- Providing one-on-one assistance with application completion
- A compiled resource of information relevant to the marijuana industry and help coordinating that info
- Identifying resources at other state agencies and in the private sector that applicants can utilize to answer further questions
Social equity has been a prevelant issue in local governments decisions to endorse adult-use marijuana, or in otherwords ‘opt-out’. The topic also made news recently when Gage Cannabis Co. offered up $950,000 for cities in Michigan who were disproportionately impacted by prohibition and enforcement, $50,000 for each of the original 19 communities. The Shelby Township-based company furthers the deal by asking that those qualifying for reduced fees bring them their business models, with the possibility of receiving additional funding from Gage. “We can provide high-level feedback on applications, they can shadow at one of our facilities, or we can provide feedback on their business plan from our leadership team,” stated Gage’s marketing and community manager Rosie Riashy.
So far Ryan Basore is the first Michigan resident to receive reduced rates via the social equity program. Basore was sentenced to four years in federal prison for ‘manufacturing’ 100 or more mairjuana plants within 1,000 feet of a school. He was released in 2015.
The expanded list of communities disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition and enforcement:
(* Denotes a new entry)
- Albion
- Alger*
- Bay City*
- Benton Harbor
- Big Rapids*
- Coldwater*
- Coloma*
- Covert*
- Detroit
- Eau Claire
- East Lansing
- Ecorse
- Flint
- Fremont*
- Hartford*
- Highland Park
- Hamtramck
- Holton*
- Inkster
- Kalamazoo
- Mesick*
- Montgomery*
- Mt. Morris
- Mt. Pleasant
- Muskegon
- Muskegon Heights
- Niles
- Pontiac
- Prescott*
- River Rouge
- Roscommon*
- Saginaw
- Shepard*
- Sodus*
- South Haven*
- St. Helen*
- Sterling*
- Twin Lake*
- Watervliet*
- West Branch*
- Ypsilanti
