Licensing Limbo for Michigan Medical Cannabis

On Sept 12, 2017, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs announced that existing medical cannabis dispensaries have until Dec. 15 to shut down or they risk losing the opportunity to become licensed under the state’s new medical cannabis laws.

The decision comes after a member of the state’s Medical Marijuana Licensing Board put forth a proposal that would have immediately forced all of the state’s dispensaries to shut down. The proposal was met with heavy criticism, with many saying that it forces patients to go months without medicine.

Conscious of the criticism, LARA has attempted to craft the rules to ease the transition for Michigan medical cannabis dispensaries. The board itself will not be responsible for shutting down unlicensed dispensaries, but dispensaries that choose to continue operating after Dec. 15 run the risk of being shut down by police and deemed ineligible for new licenses.

“This approach will allow existing operations to wind down while also giving adequate time for patients to establish connections to caregivers to help ensure continuity of access,” LARA said in a statement.