Draft 5 the Merger of Medical and Recreational
The lobbyists for the cannabis industry in Michigan have been working hard to make significant changes to the Marijuana laws. They are currently on draft five which does several things to forever change the act as we know it.
First it merges medical and adult-use under one law and changes it from a peoples initiated law, to an act of congress. By merging the two laws the MRA streamlines the licensing process and makes it easier to manage the inventories of both. By making the laws an act of congress the laws are much easier to alter in the future, as the lawmakers will no longer need a three-quarter majority to amend the laws.
Other changes further criminalize activities for people that violate the new rules, making it a misdemeanor, punishable up to 90 days in jail and a $10,000 fine. (Caregivers pay attention here) The changes also move the law into the public health code, which furthers the ability for municipalities to zone out caregiver cultivation.
There are thirteen days in Lame Duck in which there will be an attempt by the emerging commercial Marijuana Facility industry and the license holders to push this through, without allowing the patients and caregivers to have input. Patients and caregivers are encouraged to contact their lawmaker and join the MMMP Patient Caregiver Lobby Days Facebook event. Hopefully we can stop the push to make these radical changes and educate our lawmakers about the need to keep the caregivers in place for the immediate future.
