Indopedia All Things Marijuana
Michigan marijuana businesses hoping to stay operational in the “gray area” before the state begins issuing licenses received some bad news on Tuesday.
Michigan lawmakers unveiled the new regulatory framework they hope will be the most effective method of oversight and tax revenue generation but warned current cannabis shops that staying open before the application process begins on Dec. 15 could put their chances of obtaining one of the highly-coveted licenses at risk.
The state isn’t requiring the shops to close, but Andrew Brisbo, Director of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Bureau, warned shops that stay open through Dec. 15 could face a “potential impediment to licensure.”
Owners and employees of currently operational Michigan dispensaries are not the only ones who will feel the effects of these new rules, as over 218,000 medical marijuana patients in the state will now have to grow their own medicine or find a reliable caregiver in the absence of shops that must now shut down in hopes of thriving in the future marketplace.
Dispensaries were not specifically addressed in 2008 when Michigan passed medical marijuana laws — some cities and towns turn a…
