Michigan News - November 2021

 

John Sinclair Turns 80 Years Young

Flint- Celebrated by his friends and coconspirators, Michigan icon John Sinclair became an octogenarian last month. The Genesee County Compassion Club hosted a birthday party, in John’s hometown of Flint. Many cannabis activists and enthusiasts came to join him. 

Steve “The Fly”, who is the executive director of the John Sinclair Foundation and director of John’s online Radio Free Amsterdam, teamed up with Jamie Lowell from Jazz cabbage radio to connect people who could not attend in person via an “Intergalactic Broadcast.”  MC Adam Brooke, aka Mr. Hash Bash, tied everything together pointing out how mentally acute John is which was proved by John’s riveting performance of spoken word poetry with the blues styling of guitar legend Jeff Grand.

The following day, Mr. Sinclair, performed again in Detroit at the Ralston Village with Jeff Grand

and the Jeff Mayln’s Blues Band. Professor Mike Whitty, aka Dr. Detroit, describes the event as

a day of appreciation for cannabis consciousness and the life and times of John Sinclair. “John

devoted  his life to music culture, poetry, radical politics and defending the right to smoke cannabis.  Truly a prophet in his own time.”

Safermich Listserv Hits 400 Subscribers

Michigan- The Safermich List service is an email service that has grown to 400 subscribers.Administered by the “Godfather of Cannabis Law Reform”, Tim Beck with help from Chuck Ream and Justin Soffa, this service has been instrumental in spreading awareness of cannabis law reform and developing the cannabis industry in Michigan.

When the Safer listserv was founded in 2009, the goal was to create a propaganda free cannabis news source in Michigan. It would be a place where everyone who had an interest in cannabis reform could belong to, regardless of partisan affiliation. The founders pledged zero tolerance for infighting and abusive postings and that such

activity would be dealt with in a strong, proactive way.

Safermich is an invite only group that includes, activists, cannabis professionals, regulators, lobbyists, lawmakers and others. The service is free for its members and includes much inside information, such as cannabis related news content from MIRS, which Beck is a subscriber. Moderating the passions of the cannabis community is not always easy, as this platform includes a wide background of political persuasions and ideals. However, this service is cherished by all of its members, who understand and grow from being part of the increasingly large and diverse network.

Committee Hears Testimony on Bills

Michigan- The Regulatory Reform Committee took testimony on HB 5300-5302 last month. These bills seek to greatly reduce the number of plants and corresponding patients a caregiver can be licensed under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act of 2008 (MMMA). Michigan NORML, Michigan ASA and the MICIA are working together to have a lobby day on

November 4 th to oppose the bills.  A potential vote to move the bills was subsequently rescheduled after news of a previously unannounced committee meeting was released to the cannabis activist community. If passed out of committee, the bills would return to the house where it could be passed and sent to the Michigan Senate. A three-quarter majority is required to amend the MMMA, because it was a people-initiated state law. This would make it veto-proof from the Governor.

MCMA, which has purportedly pushed for this legislation,  has vowed to make medical marijuana available for free or at low cost, for poor and severely sick patients.

MRA Drops Massive Bulletin

Michigan- On October 7th the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory agency released an email bulletin announcing the anticipated changes to Delta-8 regulations, the addition of new legal responsibilities and financial costs to licensed facilities, and the permanent inclusion of telemedicine as an option for medical marijuana patients.

The primary focus being the October 11th deadline, when it became illegal for anyone other than facilities licensed under MRA authority to deal in Delta-8 THC and “all THC products derived from the cannabis plant.”  The announcement explains that all intoxicating substances must be reviewed and tested for safety, following MRA guidelines and rules.  This decision was not made by popular vote with ballots.  The MRA offers a “narc” email where one can report those not following these new regulations, enforcement@michigan.gov.

The bulletin continued by adding additional changes that began October 11th that now hold marijuana provisioning centers legally responsible for the actions of their customers if they are sold marijuana while “visibly intoxicated”, much like bars.  Intoxicated individuals who cause harm may now place responsibility on the retail location that sold them the pot.  Attached to this new rule comes mandatory liability insurance.  Retailers and microbusinesses must now carry liability insurance of $50,000 in order to ensure they are covered from the effects of the new rule regarding liability.

Finally, the bulletin ends by officially stating that “telemedicine is allowed for Michigan residents participating in the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program."  This no-contact process for patient and caregiver registration had been temporarily permitted due to Coronavirus restrictions, but will now be available for the foreseeable future.

Tinfoil Hat Time! - November 2021

 

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

-Sun Tzu, The Art of War

There is a certain freedom that comes with not caring one iota about a career in activism or politics.  A liberty known only to those who do not value self proclaimed internet fame and do not fear stepping on the toes of egomaniacs.  Words soar free as a bird when you have no portfolio to worry about, no party agenda to further, and you are not being paid by any of the acronyms.  You get to point out harsh realities without pulling punches, hoping your messages will reach willing eyes and maybe spark something on the inside.

So let’s get to it.

The caregivers in Michigan are doomed.  For many reasons, not the least of which has to do directly with this month’s quote.  After all, is this not a war on caregivers?  Is this not the fight for caregiver rights?  The thing is, wars, especially when vastly outnumbered and outgunned, are won with strategy, cunning, and unpredictability.  As the recently defamed General Jim Mattis once said, “The most important six inches on the battlefield is between your ears.”

So just how outnumbered are the caregivers?  Check out this pie chart:

According to data provided by the Executive Director of MINormal in the October 2021 Rolling Paper there are 30,000 caregivers in Michigan attached to 72,000 patients. This amounts to a total voting population of 102,000 Michiganders.  Meanwhile, Secretary of State data reveals that in the 2018 general election (the very same election that birthed the MRA and started this war) there were 4,341,340 voters.  Which means caregivers and patients make up only about 2.3% of the voting population here in this state, and that’s using 2018 data.  As crazy as this may sound, politicians answer to votes and money, not chants and handmade signs.  

So if you do not have the bodies, well then, you better have bigger guns.  Unfortunately, words can barely describe the extent to which the caregivers are completely and totally outgunned.  How many caregivers can bleed tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions of dollars, over the course of months and years while keeping a smile on their face, let alone food on their plates?  The enemy does it while wearing fancy clothes and driving nice cars to expensive dinners where they are interviewed about the future of the industry.  They deal in millions, plan for billions, and dream of trillions.  Cut-throat market domination at all financial costs seem to be their battle plans, a rather Amazonian tactic.  A near neverending supply of currency via investment schemes with which to buy competition, politicians, policy, public relations and regulatory changes until the end of time.  

If your side does not have the numbers or guns, your strategy better be unmatched.  But of course aside from rigging the mechanism from within the enemy is also speaking directly to the 97.7% of voting Michiganders who consist largely of non-cannabis people.  Their tear jerking old lady imagery and safety rhetoric will capture the hearts and minds of millions of voters, who at worst still think cannabis is a dangerous drug and at best have no real experience with it, and who trust the corporations and propagandists explicitly (as evidenced by Covid).  What do you suppose appeals more to non-marijuana voters?  A call for safety testing for cancer patients?  Or accusing people of selling brown weed and threats?  With fists full of money, a for sale mainstream news media painting them in a positive light and caregivers as an angry mob they must be escorted away from, a larger pool of cancer patients with which to tug at heartstrings, and the will of the people at their backs, the enemy is gathering all they need to win this war and employing a very effective multi-pronged strategy.

What are the caregivers doing?  Rallying at the Capitol and smoking pot.  Calling bought politicians and trying to sway them with words provided on branded cards.  Watching podcasts and participating in a boycott that the 97.7% will more than likely never even hear about.   Using the same methods that brought us to this point and gathering around the same faces that have been standing on stages and behind web-cams the entire time leading up to this point.  Faces who angrily call the enemy expletives and talk of slaps to the head while encouraging us to give money to blatantly ridiculous party politicians.  Mouths that speak of compassion while spitting hate.  Voices who call for the caregivers to point their fingers at the ‘black market’ and shout “Get them, not us!” 

In what can best be described as anti-strategy ‘advocates’ at the September 15th caregiver rally in Lansing, on more than one occasion, expressed the idea that the government and police should “go after” (as in harass, fine, arrest, incarcerate, and in general ruin the lives of) the “bad actors” and the “black market” rather than the caregivers.  To this notion Michigan pot growers, sellers, and smokers who gave LARA anywhere from forty to a few hundred bucks cheered in approval.  Their brothers and sisters, who they stood shoulder to shoulder with in the war against weed, instantly forgot at the first sign of combat.  

More than forgotten, this amounts to caregivers selling out their greatest ally.  Despite what Steve Linder and the MINormal representatives and ‘advocates’ say, the people in the pre-existing non-medical market are not bad actors and no one should be siccing the government on anyone.  They are Michigan marijuana growers and sellers, free people, and only ‘bad actors’ in the same sense we all were not fifteen years ago, simply because propagandists and politicians like to falsely associate marijuana with violent crime.  This, and they have not cut the corrupt government a slice of their action, and have not given the corrupt government control over their operations.  They alone outnumber the caregivers, many of them living and doing business in the very underprivileged cities social equity advocates claim to care about, and claim to seek reversal for the effects of the war on drugs in.  By deflecting attacks away from the caregivers toward the street dealers?  Double agent spin jockeys have led caregivers into turning on their own comrades, and a tiny plastic card has tricked the caregivers into supporting the very oppression they fight against.

It’s a win-win for the opposing force, a harsh reality no one wants to hear.  Whether they get the caregivers out of the way, or get the caregivers to help them get the pre-existing market out of the way, the enemy gains ground.  Individual and property rights, as well as free market principles, will retreat into obscurity for as long as the people hide them beneath a caregiver banner.   A false flag from the onset designed to open the door to ‘full legalization’ and big money, with a heaping side of massive brand new totalitarian for sale government.

At the very least, growers and sellers of cannabis in the state of Michigan might want to think twice about advocating for the hammer to drop on the pre-existing non-medical market.  A market to which they may soon find themselves returning, not if, but when the enemy wins this war.

Tim Beck- Democrats, Republicans and “Greens” in Lansing November, 2021

 Democrats, Republicans and “Greens” in Lansing

By Tim Beck: Chairman of the Safer Michigan Coalition

As an old timer on the Michigan cannabis reform scene, I retired for the most part from front line activism when my goal of marijuana legalization was attained in 2018 after 14 years of struggle. However, I could not resist taking an active look as to what’s up with the recent legislative effort

( HB 5300, 5301 and 5302 ) to, among other things, get rid of medical marijuana caregivers
in Michigan as we have known them since 2008. The measure is being promoted by the Michigan Cannabis Manufacturers Association (MCMA). So in that spirit, I attended the biennial “Michigan Republican Leadership Conference” on Mackinaw Island in late September, to gauge the sentiments of top GOP elected officials on this situation.

The event usually attracts around 1,500 participants who are serious Republican leaders and activists. I have been to this gathering many times over the years and the trip was a combination of business and pleasure. It meant great food, lots of free beverages-- and a paradise for political junkies. One can talk politics 24/7 on the Island if you have the energy.

When I left for the place, I had no preconceptions and was open minded to anything GOP players had to say. I was not attending as an MM Report columnist, or looking to preach some special cannabis Gospel. The idea was to have honest,informal dialogue and do more listening than talking.

It was all well worth the time.

To this end, I was able to have serious conversations with eight Republican legislators, a couple of whom were way up in the hierarchy. I would love to name names but that would
be unethical, as I did not identify myself as a journalist when we spoke. Secondly, I moderate a statewide cannabis news listserv where all elements of the community are welcome. In that respect,there are a few MCMA members in the group, so I do not want to assist them in their endeavors.

The most startling thing that emerged from this informal survey, is there is no GOP unanimity
on the caregiver bills at this time. In fact, a
couple legislators who identified as heavy Trump supporters were outright hostile to the move. Others had mixed feelings and a couple more, I suspect, will vote “yes” if the measure makes it to the House floor for a vote.

“Yeah, I know all about it. These people are trying to get rid of the little guy. I’m a little guy too. I’m an entrepreneur” said one representative who is a strong Trump backer. “This is going to get some push back from me. It’s just a big government money grab.”

Another state senator made it very clear she hated weed and wished it had not become legal. She then went on to express her resignation to reality, saying “the voters have spoken”. Even though she would like to get more weed off the street(like the MCMA proposal would theoretically do) she was uncomfortable with a government crackdown on small business operators.

A Trump state representative, who only took off his MAGA cap at mealtimes and had a serious dislike for Democrats said “I don’t like thisbit.” He went on to warn however,”if these people have enough money they can just buy off all the Democrats.”

Another state representative who was not deeply focused on Trump, expressed serious doubt the bills will ever get the 3/4 super majority vote
it needs to become law “unless caregivers get behind it” Otherwise,”what’s the use of spending time on something that’s going nowhere.”

Cutting to the chase, there was one theme that resonated with every elected official I spoke with on Mackinac.That is, the 3/4 super majority vote to enact the measure is an insurmountable hill to climb, unless Democrats can be won over and caregiver interests are at the table.

Sometime after I got back from Mackinaw, I ran into a Democrat State Senator at a social event. I told him a bit about my Macinaw experience. Among other things, I asked him if legislative Democrats could so easily be bought off by bigmoney on this one. His answer was erudite and brutal in its simplicity.

He said “Tim, there are three parties in the Legislature: Democrats, Republicans and Greens”.

He was not talking about the Green Party when he used the word “Greens”.

The man went on to explain there are legislators in both parties who will simply take money and vote the way the donor wants. This is especially true if the lawmaker has no strong feelings about the issue, and/or their constituents will not notice or care about his or her vote. He went on to warn all concerned not to go to sleep thinking a 3/4 super majority is impossible to attain. Certain legislators need to be closely watched and our message must resonate into the general mix.

While I picked up a few GOP business cards on Mackinac, I did not call these legislators back looking for permission to quote them by name. If I do call them, it will be for something serious.

However, I decided to call the one Democrat, when I began writing this column to get permission to quote him by name. His incisive vignette about “Democrats, Republicans and Greens” struck me as a timeless masterpiece in the realpolitik world.

Alas, this gentleman was way too modest and had no interest in having his brilliant quote attributed to him in MM Report, and he quickly terminated the phone call.

In summary, the main problem I have with these bills is commonly referred to as “moral hazard”.

This term was bandied about during the banking crisis in the United States in 2008 and 2009. Back then, the US Government, in order to prevent an economic meltdown, bailed out the big banks who caused the crisis in the first place by their dangerous and irresponsible speculation. Some bailout opponents believed these institutions and their leaders should take the hit for their reckless and immoral behaviour-- hence the more opaque term “moral hazard” was coined.

As far as MCMA’s clients are concerned, they knew how the law was written way before they opened their doors in Michigan. Now that they are not making the kind of money they think they are entitled to, they want the government to step in to eliminate their competition.

I do not know about any of you, but it seems these companies need to buck up and accept the consequences for the moral hazard of their choices.

John Sinclair- Free The Weed W#124 - November 2021

  

FREE THE WEED 124

 

A Column by John Sinclair

 

Hi everybody and welcome to the November edition of FREE THE WEED. Since my last column I celebrated my 80^th birthday on October 2^nd and had a spectacular time at the Genesee County Compassion Club in Flint, where lots of family and friends came to wish me highest birthday greetings. 

 

My biggest gift came from Senator jeff Irwin, who drove up from Ann Arbor to present your correspondent with a “Special Tribute” from the State Legislature and Governor’s Office of Michigan, who confess:

 

“it is a distinct privilege to honor the work and life of John Sinclair, [who] will be forever remembered for his music, poetry, and political activism in Michigan…. As an artist and activist, John Sinclair stood up against racism and militarism and played a leading role in the effort to legalize cannabis….”

 

The tribute is signed by Ann Arbor State Representative Yousef Rabbi, Senator Irwin, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II and Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and concludes:

 

“We applaud his many accomplishments throughout his life and thank him for the years spent devoting his time and efforts to make our community and the world a better place.”

 

Well, you’re very welcome! A lot of people don’t know that the marijuana legalization community threw its support to Ms. Whitmer early on in the last governor’s race and also helped elect Attorney General Dana Nessel, both of whom have formally acknowledged our support. 

 

I had a chance to hang out with the Attorney General at a fundraiser at my pal Bob Baldori’s home in Okemos not too long ago and really enjoyed meeting this dynamic law enforcement chieftan who shares many of our beliefs.

 

Let’s start this month’s column by going from the sublime to the ridiculous:

One of my favorite news sources, DutchNews.nl, recently reported that “Drugs crime costs Dutch society up to €4.1 billion a year.” They go on to say that “Drugs-related crime costs Dutch society between €3.2 billion and €4.1 billion a year,’ including the costs to the legal system as well as the medical, social and economic costs of drugs crime.”

 

“Drugs crime” is simply the production, distribution and sales of various recreational drugs, sadly including marijuana, which remains illegal in The Netherlands except for the “grey area’ where over-the-counter sales of 5 grams or less are permitted in the country’s coffeeehshops.

 

“In total,” DutchNews.nl concludes, “combating illegal drugs costs the police some €1.1 billion to €1.6 billion a year, while court cases and prisons add almost a billion more to the total bill. Research suggests that 20% of all people spending time in prison have a link to the drugs trade.” 

 

The report adds that “Addiction costs society a further €250 million a year, while €520 million is spent on unemployment and other benefits for people unable to work because of their drugs use. The economic aspects are also considerable, with banks spending €550 million on stamping out money laundering. 

 

“The Netherlands is the ideal location for the international drugs trade,” the report concludes. “The government has pledged to spend an extra €500 million to tackle the impact of organized crime, particularly the infiltration of drugs gangs into legitimate companies and institutions.”

 

One hates to say “I told you so,” but any idiot can add up the costs of pursuing the ridiculous War On Drugs in The Netherlands and any fool can tell that legalization of drugs—they’re mostly referring to cannabis, which is semi-legally sold over the counter in the country’s 500 or so remaining coffeeshops—would not only eradicate these costs but would direct many billions more into the government’ s coffers.

 

Governmental authorities of all stripes have gobbled up billions of dollars in the course of the War On Drugs by telling the Big Lie over and over again, as Herman Goering taught them during the Nazi regime: “Drugs are bad. Marijuana is dangerous. Persons using these substances should be persecuted, prosecuted, and sent to prison. There is no other effective course of action against drug users.”

 

During the 80 years of the War On Drugs the public has gradually pulled its head out of its ass and begun to reject the false teachings and vicious practice of the drug warriors. As we all know, many states, counties and municipalities in the United States have legalized marijuana despite the federal government’s idiotic and relentless opposition to this change in the laws.

 

Now NORML reports the results of a survey which found that “A plurality of Americans prefer to reside where cannabis use is ‘fully legal.’ 

 

In a survey of new movers compiled by the real estate brokerage firm Redfin, 46 percent of respondents said that they would either “prefer” to live in a jurisdiction where cannabis was legal or that they would “only” live in a legalization state. Twenty-two percent of respondents did not want to reside in a legal state. Thirty-two percent of respondents had no opinion.”

 

Real estate studies have previously reported that cannabis legalization is correlated with increased property values, and the Redfin survey concluded that “[T]here is strong evidence that legalization drives higher property values—particularly in areas that allow recreational marijuana and welcome retail dispensaries. … These investments can improve quality of life in communities across the nation while attracting tourism and new residents who drive real estate demand.”

 

The report concludes that “Separate data have shown that states experienced spikes in tourism following adult-use legalization.” 

 

A related issue is the question of growing at home, which is drawing a lot of attention for different reasons. For one example, Pat Goggins reports in Leafly that New Jersey passed a medical marijuana law in 2010 without allowing for homegrowing, and state legislators passed a legalization law in 2021, also without a provision that would allow homegrow.

 

A huge roadblock to allowing homegrow in New Jersey, Goggins says, and we know exists throughout the country, is that many legislators lack an understanding of cannabis and subscribe to the myths and lies propagated by the drug warriors for so many years: “Fears that homegrowers are going to use up all the state’s electricity, that growers will burn down buildings by using too many grow lights, and that everyone in the densely populated state will start growing their own weed—truly, a garden state.”

 

But, Goggins says, the real political issues of blocking homegrowing come to light when you follow the money. “The state has some powerful lobbyists from sectors that you wouldn’t think care about home gardening at all. In New Jersey there’s a very powerful real estate and insurance sector and those guys have been cagey about homegrow because they would have to alter all their existing rules and regulations and insurance coverage to adapt. They are a powerful lobby amongst legislators, and if they get a little bit cagey, all of a sudden things slow down.” 

 

Goggins adds that “Large multi-state operators also share some of the blame. Some cannabis producers are already set up in neighboring states or medical markets, and officials at some companies believe keeping homegrow illegal could allow them to set up a near-monopoly.”

 

As a medical marijuana patient in Michigan since 2009, I am happy to report that the voter-mandated homegrow caregiver law, which is certainly not perfect, is still the best and most advanced legal set-up in the United States and by all means the best I’ve seen in my 80 years as an American. If they invalidate the voters’ ballots and outlaw or severely reduce homegrow for caregivers, it will be a sad day indeed and another vivid warning sign that our democracy is on shaky ground. FREE THE WEED!

—Detroit

October 22, 2021

 

© 2021 John Sinclair. Alll Rights Reserved.

Local Cannabis Whispers at Winewood Organics

Local Cannabis Whispers at Winewood Organics

By Mary Dillon

If you want a farm-to-table experience when purchasing weed, Winewood Organics is the place
to go. Customers know exactly what they’re getting because it’s literally grown right on site. What’s unique about the microbusiness model is that marijuana is grown, harvested, trimmed, extracted, and sold all at the same location. No big shipments of commercially produced cartridges or factory grown bulk weed. This is a do-it-yourself mom and pop shop, and they do it well.

In addition to providing high quality, hand trimmed, organic flower, they also do their own in-house extractions, producing high terpene hash rosin, sauce, live resin, and other concentrates. Winewood is the first Craft Cannabis Microbusiness in SoutheastMichigan under a new type of Michigan marijuana license. As such, they are allowed to grow up to 150 plants at a time and sell the cannabis only onsite in their own provisioning center.

Eric Parkhurst, the owner and grower, and his partner Becca began this adventure while searching for alternative health medicine. Becca had developed
a large clot in an inoperable part of her brain and

was experiencing intense pressure and headaches. Since the prescribed opiates were not very effective
at alleviating her pain, and the cortisone shots could only be given very infrequently, Becca decided to give medical cannabis a try. Not only did it address her excruciating headaches, but she also noticed she didn’t feel the multiple unwanted side effects she was experiencing with opiates.

The couple then decided to move to Ann Arbor where medical marijuana was already legal. Becca became a certified medical marijuana patient, and Eric became a licensed caregiver. He began growing organic, medical marijuana for her and a few other patients they’d met from their children’s preschool. Over the years of growing, Eric kept improving his plants and boosting his harvests. He decided he wanted to take it to the next level and expand into processing and sales. The new microbusiness license was the perfect fit for what he had in mind.

While Eric continued growing medical-grade marijuana, he also started pursuing the licenses and permits required to set up shop. He then brought on board his high school friend, Marcus Huber, who became his right-hand man in every aspect of the operation. The two have worked tirelessly to convert the facility into the comprehensive business it is today. And, in fairness, Becca and Sabrina, Marcus’ wife, have volunteered countless hours to help as well.

The staff has grown into a tight-knit family of 6 employees. Does working with a small staff add to
the farm-to-table feel of the store? “For sure,’’ said Eric. “All the employees get along and are friends. We’re like a small family here and customers pick up on that. Our product is better because the employees are accountable for their job. If the job is not done, we know who didn’t do it. Everyone takes pride in their work and tries to have fun at the same time.”

Kim Smith, Winewood Budtender and Edibles Chef, agreed, stating, “Staff members here pitch in to
help wherever needed. We might be trimming and packaging one day, then helping in a grow room or the extraction lab on another day. Everyone on staff really wants to be here, and you can feel that in the vibe at Winewood.”

It Is So Local, You Might Need a New Word for Local

2394 Winewood Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 is where you can find the classy store with a down-to-earth feeling. You’ll actually find the parking lot for Winewood Organics

on the Maple Road side of the building, where the building has been painted by a local artist, splashing large, colorful flowers on a black background. As
soon as you exit your car, you’ll notice the magical aromas wafting from the building. Then, upon entering the lobby, customers will find a relaxing, inviting environment with wood trim, glass displays, and rays of sunshine beaming into the store. This environment is complete once you add in the excellent customer service that’s provided by a very knowledgeable and friendly staff.

system. An automated irrigation system is replaced by the green thumb of a real person.”

Kim states, “Health enthusiasts love that the cannabis is organic, locally grown, and devoid of harsh chemicals and metal by-products often found in marijuana cultivated with industrial fertilizers and pesticides.” Eric agrees, stating “People are loving that we grow all our cannabis right in house. We’re receiving a lot of repeat business and great feedback on the high quality of our products.”

He’s also excited to talk about his cannabis microbusiness and how it relates to the community. “It’s so nice to work directly with our customers and get their feedback on what they like, what they’re looking for, and then incorporate that feedback
into our next grow. It’s the best way to home in on the craft of growing, allowing us to make iterative improvements along the way.”

Referring to Eric’s love of his craft, Kim says he’s “a very gifted grower with a big passion for what he does and extensive knowledge and experience.” The two work well together as a team, as evidenced by Eric’s humble and humorous reply, “Kim is my hype man.” When talking with Eric about his growing techniques, and hearing his descriptions of collaborating with local farmers in Sears, MI to bring in organic soil and other special, sustainable ingredients, you get a sense of how much he knows about growing cannabis. It really is like speaking to the cannabis whisperer.

What is Eric’s favorite product? Orange Push Pop flower and the Banana OG live resin.

What is Kim’s favorite product? Peyote Cookies flower and Ice Cream Cake hash rosin.

What is a fan favorite? “Peyote cookies because it’s Kim’s favorite,” Eric said with a laugh. “But truly, we’re getting great feedback on all of our strains,” Kim replies, adding that Apple Fritter, Peanut Butter Breath, and Slurricane have been popular as well. Customers also love the pre rolls because they’re all bud, no shake or trim. The pre rolls are sold in a two- pack in a glass jar with a wood lid.”

www.winewoodorganics.com

Check out Winewood’s website at winewoodorganics.
com where you’ll find extensive information about the
grow process, harvest schedule, live streams from the grow rooms, and available products.
Winewood’s store hours are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For direct information they can be contacted at info@winewoodorganics.com. The store has curbside pickup and in-store shopping.

Eric prides himself on making sure the business is an integral part of the surrounding community. “There are other small businesses and independent store owners in the neighborhood, and we all work together, even with figuring out logistics like staff parking.”

Two neighborhood companies produced their t-shirts and other gear, and a neighborhood restaurant, Chela’s, catered the grand opening. Another neighborhood business, Earthbound Remedies, provides the

store’s organic CBD products. Between the local businesses and the neighborhood residents, the newly- opened Winewood shop is feeling the love from the community.

“Ann Arbor is a diverse community that’s health conscious and looking to buy locally-produced, high-quality organic products while supporting a small business,” states Kim. This is what Winewood Organics represents to the core.

Winewood Organics Defines the Word Organic

Eric is excited about the Winewood story and how his love of growing marijuana has parlayed into a small business. He can describe in minuscule, scientific detail the process of his growing techniques. His statement on their website could be THE mission statement for the company: “We believe the secret to quality cannabis comes from healthy plants grown

as naturally as possible. In our grow rooms, nutrient- injected grow cubes are replaced by organic soil and purified water. Chemical pesticides are replaced by a natural, holistic integrated pest management

Inside Fluresh: Michigan's Second Largest Cannabis Producer

In 2009, the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program came online spurring an explosion of small, often residential, MMJ cultivation across the state of Michigan. Ten years later, fully legalized and being produced on a commercial scale, “cannabis” is a main street venture which has realized huge investment and is transforming minds and the economies here in the Great Lake State. Needless to say, for many it has been a learning process, and for us at the MM Report understanding licensed operators is new as our focus in the past has been primarily on small businesses. So, when we were invited to take a behind-the-scenes look at Fluresh’s two very different, state-of-the-art cannabis grow and processing facilities operated by their highly skilled cultivation and processing teams, curiosity was contagious. The experience was exciting and broke down some of our preconceived notions and inspired us to rethink the role of licensed operators in the legalized cannabis space. 

The Eco-Friendly Facilities

Adrian Hybrid Greenhouses

Set in the corn belt of southern Michigan, Fluresh’s hybrid greenhouse facility captures the power of the sun which shines through the pitched glass ceilings of massive grow rooms. Cannabis plants begin to “flower” in the fall when the days become shorter. In order to extend the grow season year-round, fully automated blackout curtains roll out of the ceiling of the rooms to shorten the days, and full spectrum LED lights lengthen the days on the opposite end of the calendar. Separate rooms hold varieties of different stains in various stages of maturity.  We were allowed to watch the curtains close making the room come to almost complete darkness, which felt like we were experiencing a solar eclipse.

This extremely efficient, environmentally responsible system not only reduces the energy footprint, but allows Fluresh to sell sun-soaked cannabis products at really affordable prices.  And similar to sun grown cannabis, Fluresh wins big for potency and terpene expression. Adjacent to the greenhouses, Fluresh has a processing facility that also produces a huge variety of products including vapes, concentrates, a fast-acting drink enhancer and edibles. 

Grand Rapids Indoor

In the heart of GR’s industrial district Fluresh’s innovative and repurposed indoor facility (formerly a Benteler Automotive plant that had been vacant for 10 years) is a space-aged wonder that takes the cannabis plant to its maximum genetic potential. High tech systems control each grow room and optimize every aspect of the environment to ideal conditions that create unprecedented levels of terpenes and cannabinoids.  Boasting 100% water reclaim, all plant-related water is recycled onsite and residual moisture is sucked out of the air and recondensed in an advanced water processing system at the center of the building. This facility is also illuminated by 100% LED lighting.  Each fixture requires only 58% of the energy input required by a DE HPS light fixture which is the most common type of grow light used by 2/3rds of the commercial growers in the flowering stage.

Both facilities are immaculately clean, always a plus for a bio-secure work environment. Air showers at access points and sanitize mats protect the plants being cultivated. There is no mess, clutter, or unclean surfaces. All Fluresh cannabis products are tested by state-approved laboratories to ensure that they are safe for patients and other consumers. 

Results are the proof. Carbon, the newest Brand by Fluresh, offers unique strains of potent, super tasty, dank, sticky buds, for those looking for an exceptional flower experience and terpie extracts that bring hope to any concentrate connoisseur.  Most products produced at both facilities are sold to top retail locations, AKA dispensaries, all over Michigan. However, in Grand Rapids, one can shop all the products made by Fluresh, at the Fluresh retail store at 1213 Phillips Ave SW.  Residents of GR and surrounding areas can get a real hook-up here, which is definitely worth a trip to check it out and stock up. Fluresh boasts that this dispensary has some of the widest selections in the state. 

The Teams

Happy people and plants everywhere at Fluresh. “Our people are everything,” explains Heather McDonough from the human relations team. “We offer competitive wages, 401k, health insurance and vacation time.” James Haley, 27 and former caregiver, was recently promoted to Director of Cultivation. “I love my job,” grinning Haley told us as he showed off his healthy green baby female plants in Grand Rapids. Environmental Engineer Ryan McGinn, who explained to us the advanced water systems, shared his transition from working for the Grand Rapids Water System that takes water from Lake Michigan to supply Kent and Ottawa counties, to Fluresh where he focuses in part on water conservation and water quality with genuine and well-deserved pride. 

Fluresh hopes to be at three hundred-plus employees by the end of the year with a number of the workforce made up of former caregivers. While caregivers and other cannabis experts are highly valued, many entry level positions require no prior cannabis experience and passionate people can be trained on the various roles. Have a professional background or degree and considering a change? There are plenty of opportunities to make a difference. We met several highly talented professionals with a positive attitude who seem great to work with (especially the marketing department). Employees also are a big part of their local communities, participating in beautification, neighborhood clean-up and local art projects, which is great for overall morale. The company launched an accelerator program last year that has already had a significant impact on local entrepreneurs and the second cohort will be selected later this year (watch their social media @flureshcannabis for applications).

The Strains

Featured on the cover is Apple Tartz (hybrid of Apple Fritter x Runtz) and is my favorite from their new Carbon line. Super smooth and with a sweet aroma, this strain gives one a super sense of pain relief, uplifting spirits and tasting deliciously fruity. Seriously, a must try. Other great unique Carbon strains are Orange Creamsicle and Rainbow Zlz.

My other favorites from Fluresh are their greenhouse staples like Gorilla Glue and Blue Dream, and some of the newer strains like Apple Mintz and Kiwi Kandy.  Another awesome strain is the Creamberry, which the company launched in the spring to commemorate the new Clean Slate Legislation—Fluresh donated $1 for every pack sold to various statewide expungement efforts.  Fluresh products are easily recognizable by their unique and bold packaging, although you can also buy from stores who purchase bulk.

The Overview

We absolutely love Fluresh and appreciate how they do what they do, which is to make great cannabis for an awesome value. 

The genius behind these facilities was a man I could relate to and a long-time reader of the Michigan Marijuana Report. It was fun to connect with him and have a few laughs about mutual acquaintances and the misconceptions about the history of cannabis law reform. This guy has been abused at times by folks that are either jealous, confused or just dumb. That’s typical when you are actually accomplishing good things. 

He told me that Fluresh is a Michigan company and the owners are cool dudes. He is a real hard worker, coming up from the Medical Marijuana cottage industry from all the way back to 2010. Not a pompous rich asshole, he is probably the single biggest reason I feel so good about Fluresh and its impact on this new frontier that we the people of Michigan created.

John Sinclair - Free the Weed #123 - October 2021

 

A COLUMN BY JOHN SINCLAIR

Hi everybody, welcome back to FREE THE WEED and the MMReport after a month off so that our editor, Matt Gervais, could recover from a serious medical problem that took him out of the office for a few weeks. He’s doing better now and we’re back in the saddle again.

The big news in Michigan this month is that the right-wing anti-marijuana conspiracy is making its long-awaited move to negate the people’s law instituted by popular vote in 2008 specifying that medical marijuana patients could legally obtain their medicine from properly licensed caregivers, each of whom could provide up to five patients at the rate of 12 plants per person and additionally grow another 12 plants for their own medicinal use

Under current legislation, caregivers are allowed to provide marijuana products to their patients without being subject to the same licensing fees or regulations as larger marijuana companies. This means that right now caregivers are allowed to grow up to 72 marijuana plants under the law, a program that has worked very well since the Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Act passed in 2008.

But the legislation introduced in September would, among other things, limit medical marijuana caregivers to one patient each and require caregivers seeking to care for more than just one to become licensed as a specialty medical grower.

The proposed legislation has exposed long-simmering tensions between one of the last remaining unregulated segments of Michigan’s medical marijuana movement and the newer, more regulated and better-financed recreational pot industry. 

Protesters gathered at the state Capitol in mid-September to oppose bipartisan legislation that would require medical marijuana caregivers to become licensed or give up 80% of their patients, Beth LeBlanc writes in The Detroit News.

The bipartisan team of lawmakers who introduced the legislation, which would take effect in March 2022, said it would help promote “tested, tracked and labeled cannabis products” for Michigan residents. 

But, Ms.LeBlanc reports, protesters argued in Lansing that the bills set out unrealistic hurdles for caregivers to become licensed and ultimately would push patients out of the system they were familiar with and into the state’s regulated recreational market.  They blamed big, out-of-state cultivators—specifically the Michigan Cannabis Manufacturers Association (MCMA)—for lobbying lawmakers. 

“There are 30,000 caregivers in Michigan, and they service about 72,000 patients,” said Rick Thompson, the new executive director for Michigan NORML. (Congratulations, Rick!) “If you take a lot of people away from those caregivers, that’s going to push a lot of people into the regulated market.”

Thompson argued caregivers wouldn’t be able to comply with testing, tracking or labeling requirements currently required of businesses with much more capital than a small care-giving service. The application alone would cost $500 and a license would only last a year, LeBlanc reports.

Ryan Bringold of Waterford Township, who helped to organize Wednesday’s protest, said caregivers “feel like they’re under attack” by big businesses like those that are part of the MCMA. “They’re taking away our ability to be good caregivers. A system that we created at the grassroots is now being taken away from us by people with money that are not from Michigan.”

“The relationships that are built between caregivers and patients are a special bond of trust,” he added. “We cater to what our patients need—the strains, the potency, the flavors—and we do that because we want to help them. We care about them.”

Michigan caregivers said that marijuana often takes the place of highly addictive opioids or other heavy-duty medications.  But the Michigan Cannabis Manufacturers Association (MCMA) has adopted the phony issue of product purity to support their reactionary stance. 

“Two-thirds of the marketplace is this illicit gray market where the product is not being tested, it’s not being labeled. It’s not being tracked or potentially taxed to some level and we want to make sure that the products that are consumed are ones that have been tested,” said Shelly Edgerton, board chair for MCMA, which includes some of the largest commercial growers in the state.

The legislation would also prohibit the use of flammable solvents in creating cannabis concentrates, a practice that is largely commonplace, Thompson said. And it allows the Marijuana Regulatory Agency to disclose the addresses of primary caregivers or licensed specialty medical growers to law enforcement. 

Lawmakers said Tuesday the legislation’s requirements were necessary to secure safe cannabis for Michigan residents. 

Lobbyists for MCMA are arguing that the state should reduce the number of cannabis plants a caregiver can grow. Caregivers and their advocates and patients hold that there should be no changes to the current laws.

“I’ve been providing patients medicines, safe medicine here, legal medicine in the state of Michigan for eight years,” says my friend and colleague Debra Young, a caregiver with five patients. “Where are the rest of my patients supposed to go? Dispensary prices are unbelievably high, and patients can’t afford this.  What’s going to happen is caregivers are going to be forced underground and it’s going to turn us into criminals again,” Young said. 

“In Michigan, it’s legal for medical marijuana and for recreational marijuana,” she concludes, “We want no changes to the law.”

But Edgerton says the argument comes down to safety. “I think Michigan Caregivers United would agree that we’re all about the safety for our patients,” she said.

Horseshit!  What MCMA cares about is strictly the amount of profits their members can scrounge from selling marijuana to Michigan patients and recreational smokers. 

Wanna know how much is at stake?  Chris Casacchia reports that a recent “one billion dollar bust” on the outskirts of Los Angeles County in August unearthed the vast scope of California’s underground marijuana market.

The big bust led to 131 arrests and the seizure of 33,480 pounds of harvested marijuana, 65 vehicles, 33 firearms and $28,000 in cash, as a result in part of the deployment of more than 400 personnel from local and federal agencies.

California marijuana industry experts doubt the illicit market will dissipate anytime soon. That prospect continues to haunt the state’s legal market, where businesses struggle to compete with underground operators who don’t face local and state taxes as well as regulatory red tape. That, in turn, allows the illicit growers and retailers to peddle their merchandise at lower price. 

Legalization didn’t bring with it widespread business opportunities only for those willing to follow the law.  Rather, it created arguably a newer and stronger illicit market.  To wit: Casacchia asserts that annual sales in California’s illicit market have ballooned to $8 billion in the past five years.

Happily, the L.A. District Attorney’s Office, as of August 24, had filed only misdemeanor cultivation charges related to the Antelope Valley raid. “Our office has not been presented with any felony cases arising from these arrests,” spokesman Greg Risling told Casacchia.

As one of the originators of Mchigan’s marijuana legalization movement and a participant in the struggles of the present century which have resulted in the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana use in our state, I can assure you that what the proponents of legalization have always had in mind is that marijuana should be available on a legal basis to anyone who wants to smoke it, wherever they wish, in whatever quantities they can afford to possess. 

We legalized marijuana in Michigan through the citizens’ initiative process wherein the proponents of our position wrote the new laws that had to be adopted by the State Legislature. The caregiver system outlined above was the whole of the medical marijuana law, with no provision for dispensaries or other public outlets where people could cop legally. 

The recreational legalization statute passed by ballot initiative in 2018 is somewhat more complicated, but nowhere do the voters say that one should pay the State a $60,000 application fee or any other excessive and even scandalous fees and taxes in order to grow and transfer marijuana through retail sales to the recreational consumer.

Leave the medical patient and the recreational smoker alone!  ¬FREE THE WEED!