How are They Stealing the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program?
Lansing- A select group of lawmakers are working behind the scenes to redraft the Michigan cannabis laws to merge the Michigan Marijuana Licensing Facilities Act (MMFLA) and the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act (MMMA) under one piece of legislation. The most current draft of this language was released by Matt Abel from Cannabis Council and executive director of the Michigan Chapter of Norml.
Draft 8 is the latest version of this bill that disassembles the MMMA, and is jam packed with commercial interests. Medical marijuana is soon to be a thing of the past if lobbyists and the state of Michigan has their way. Not in the bill is the memorandum from the Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA), which will soon have complete control of the voters’ initiated laws that legalize medical marijuana and adult use in Michigan, which advises local municipalities around the state to embrace state tax and regulated marijuana facilities and crack down on the caregivers who have been helping medical marijuana patients for ten years.
Notably no deaths of medical marijuana patients ever happened in Michigan, until licensed marijuana facilities distributed tainted vape cartridges that contained harmful vitamin e thinners. At least two people died and 2700 injured. Although this was reported by mainstream news sources as a product of the Black Market, thousands of carts were recalled from licensed facilities in Michigan. Can Michiganders trust the government to take control of Medical Marijuana? One thing is for sure, thousands of patients and caregivers have been producing good clean medical marijuana for years.
Tim Beck, Michigan’s grandfather of cannabis law reform, points out one thing, “Looks like Caregivers will be doing good business for years,” he commented when discussing the exceptionally good prices for cannabis that is being exported on the Black Market to states that have yet to reform their marijuana laws. In full disclosure, Mr. Beck admits that medical marijuana was just a means to an end for full legalization of marijuana.
AU Approved in the D
Detroit- It is official, the city of Detroit has approved adult use licensing. In a unanimous decision City Council approved an ordinance that meets, then exceeds, those in other parts of the state by being the first City to green light consumption lounges.
Detroit had delayed it’s approval in order to construct what they felt was a more comprehensive social equity program in an effort to correct for the War on Drugs.
The new ordinance guarantees “Detroit Legacy” applicants, those who have lived in the city for at least one year, fifteen of the last thirty years, thirteen of the last thirty years and are low income, or ten of the last thirty years and have a prior conviction, will receive special treatment. No less than 50% of all licenses will be awarded to “Detroit Legacy” applicants, who are also eligible to purchase certain city-owned properties for a 25% discount.
Interested Detroit legacy qualifiers may begin sending applications to The City of Detroit Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity Department in January 2021. All other applications for adult use licensing will be accepted beginning April 1, 2021, by the Building, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department.
MI Recreational Sales Approach $440 Million
Michigan- As year one of the adult use market in Michigan comes to a close total sales are reported at nearly $440 million. Since Dec. 1, 2019, roughly 200 provisioning centers have began selling recreational weed, generating an estimated $26.4 million in sales tax and $44 million in excise tax.
Analysts predict this number will increase as more counties accept adult use licensing. At current only 84 of the 1,764 communities have approved rec, with Detroit recently adding its name to the ranks.
MLive Advertising Big Cannabis, Provides Aditorials
Michigan- According to multiple sources, aditorials on MLive have surfaced promoting big cannabis businesses presented as news. Gage, Common Citizen, and Lume Cannabis Co. have all benefited from what the urban dictionary defines as “an article that seems to offer sage advice but is really intended to move product; an advertorial.”
In one recent example a Nov 30, 2020 article titled ‘Take a look inside the city of Jackson’s first marijuana retailer’ (found at https://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/2020/11/take-a-look-inside-the-city-of-jacksons-first-marijuana-retailer.html) opening day for Lume Cannabis Co. in Jackson is covered, at length. Starting with vague rough estimates of first day customer numbers quoted by Lume compliance manager and launch team leader Joseph Stankowski, it moves into detailing the stores address and hours of operation, and briefly touches on the products available on the menu. In the final paragraph of the article MLive mentions but does not name the “several other” marijuana shops in surrounding townships, and the “two other” retailers seeking licensing.
