It may be a daunting task to keep up with all the cannabis news that has happened in November, especially as the year is wrapping up and the holidays are upon us.
To help you stay on top of any big cannabis news for Michigan, we collected what we feel cannabis business owners and stakeholders need to be aware of so you don’t have to spend your time searching out information that matters to you and your business.
New Law Ends Ban on Medical Marijuana Licenses for People with Past Convictions
The governor signed a bill Nov.4 ending the ban on medical marijuana licenses for people with past convictions. The law took effect immediately.
After Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) signed HB 4295, people with marijuana-related felonies or misdemeanor convictions became eligible for a medical cannabis business license.
Also, regulators “may no longer consider the integrity, moral character, reputation, or personal probity of an applicant in evaluating eligibility for licensure,” according to a press release from the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency says. These restrictions have only applied to medical cannabis operators.
The legislation came after problems with the law were identified by advocates. As people of color are more likely to be targets of marijuana criminalization, the restrictions were found to be discriminatory.
Recall Hits Marijuana Small Businesses
Crain’s Detroit reported that a major recall of marijuana products could be among the issues affecting sales on Small Business Saturday Nov. 27, in addition to the setback due to the pandemic, supply chain, and shipping problems.
The Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency issued a recall for marijuana products Nov. 18 assessed by testing facilities during the last few months. The recall impacted more than 400 sales locations statewide.
The MRA claimed “inaccurate and/or unreliable results” of products tested by Viridis Laboratories and Viridis North was the reason for the recall.
Crain’s also reported that a cannabis testing laboratory struck back against state regulators with a lawsuit, which estimates the recall affected 60 percent to 70 percent of product on store shelves or in transit in the state.
MRA Grant Applications Due Jan. 1
The Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) announced Nov. 15 that the Medical Marijuana Operation and Oversight Grant application for Fiscal Year 2022 is available. Applications must be received electronically no later than Jan. 1, 2022, at MRA-MMOOG@micohigan.gov.
The Michigan Legislature has appropriated $3 million for the 2022 grants.The amount of funds available to each county is available at Michigan.gov. Funding was calculated based on the number of marijuana registry identification cards issued or renewed by county as of Sept. 30, 2021.
Once grant applications are accepted and approved by the MRA, the grant recipients are required to submit quarterly financial status reports and a final report to the MRA. Application information and instructions can be found on MRA’s website.
New NCIA Members Announced
The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) announced two new members of its Board of Directors Nov.10 and welcomed back six incumbent members. Nominees were selected by the organization’s Nominating Committee to serve for the Board’s 2022-24 term.
The newly-selected board nominees are MadisonJay Solutions Managing Member and NCIA Policy Council Co-Chair Michael Cooper and The People’s Ecosystem CEO and Chair of NCIA’s Diversity Equity & Inclusion Committee, Christine De La Rosa.
New Jersey Cannabis Markets Growing
The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) announced that the state will soon begin the application process for personal-use cannabis licenses.
The CRC said in a Nov. 9 notice that it will begin accepting adult-use applications for Class 1 Cultivator and Class 2 Manufacturer licenses, as well as licenses to run testing laboratories, beginning on Dec. 15. Additionally, the CRC announced it will begin accepting applications for Class 5 Retailer personal-use cannabis licenses on March 15, 2022.